ERIC Number: EJ1180450
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Aug
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0119-5646
EISSN: N/A
Language Textbook Selection: Using Materials Analysis from the Perspective of SLA Principles
Guilloteaux, Marie J.
Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, v22 n3 p231-239 Aug 2013
This paper outlines a procedure for language textbook analysis from the perspective of second language acquisition (SLA) principles as a preliminary procedure to evaluation for selection. The aim is to provide a tool that allows comparison of the potential of textbooks for supporting students' language learning. To this end, ten general principles representing a spectrum of SLA theories were drawn from the literature. Then five EFL textbooks produced in South Korea were analyzed using a minimally modified version of Littlejohn's (Materials development in language tea, 1998, 2011) task analysis schedule. The low-to-medium inference instrument enabled the analysis of all the activities contained in the sampled units, yielding frequency tallies. Final rankings indicated that the procedure did discriminate between the sampled textbooks, revealing a clear cluster of three books that reflected SLA principles more closely. Although only in-use evaluation can determine the extent to which these textbooks actually support language acquisition, the evidence suggests that they are potentially more supportive than the lower scoring books. The procedure outlined in this paper could be of use to language educators, those involved in language materials publishing, and government officials involved in the approval of language materials.
Descriptors: Textbook Selection, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, Language Research, Linguistic Theory, Textbooks, Content Analysis, Foreign Countries, Material Development, Task Analysis, Scores, Comparative Analysis, Inferences
Springer. 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-348-4505; e-mail: service-ny@springer.com; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2189
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: South Korea
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A