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Culture of language learning: A comparative study of English language textbooks used in Pakistan

Year 2014, Volume: 10 Issue: 2, 0 - 168, 31.12.2014

Abstract

This study is concerned with the evaluation of two English language teaching (ELT) textbooks from the point of view of hidden curriculum i.e. the invisible or implicit ideological assumptions hidden in the content of these textbooks and the culture of language learning and teaching they promote. Both the textbooks (selected for the present study) are used for ELT in two different systems of education in Pakistan. One is used in the government owned schools; the other in private system of education which follows the Cambridge system of education. The research framework includes the detailed analysis of the selected units from the two textbooks. Firstly, the text of the units was analyzed by focusing on genre, contents and hidden curriculum the contents may embody. The second part of the framework is the analysis of the culture of language learning and teaching these books promote. For this purpose the focus was on the rubrics and questions/activities of grammar, vocabulary and four language skills given in the exercises at the end of each unit. The results reveal a clear-cut difference in the two textbooks from the point of view of hidden curriculum and the culture of language learning and teaching they espouse.

References

  • Berns, M. S. (1990). Contexts of competence: Social and cultural consideration in communicative
  • language teaching. New York: Plenum Press.
  • Brophy, J.E. (1982). How teachers influence what is taught and learned in classrooms. The Elementary
  • School Journal, 83(1), 1-12.
  • Chandran, S. (2003). Where are the ELT textbooks? In W. A. Renandya (Ed.), Anthology Series 44: Methodology and Material Design in Language Teaching: Current perceptions and practice and their implications. Singapore: SEAMO, 161-169.
  • Cunningworth, A. (1995). Choosing your coursebook. London: Longman.
  • Curtis, M. E., & Longo, A. M. (2001). Teaching vocabulary to adolescents to improve comprehension. Reading Online, 5(4). Retrieved from http://www.readingonline.org/articles/art_index.asp?HREF=curtis/index.html
  • Gray, J. (2002). The global coursebook in English language teaching. In D. Block & D. Cameron (Eds.), Globalization and language teaching (pp. 151-167). New York: Routledge.
  • Holliday, A. (1994). Appropriate methodology and social context. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Hu, G. (2002). Potential cultural resistance to pedagogical imports: the case of communicative language teaching in China. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 15(2), 93-105.
  • Hutchinson, T. & Torres, E. (1994). The textbook as agent of change. ELT Journal 48-(4), 315-326.
  • Littlejojn, A. (1998). The analysis of language teaching materials: inside the Trojan horse. In B. Tomlinson (Ed.), Materials development in language teaching (pp.190-215). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Littlejohn, A. & Windeatt, S. (1989). Beyond language learning: perspectives on materials design. In R. K. Johnson (Ed.), The second language curriculum (pp.155-175). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Mansoor, S. (2005). Language planning in higher education: A case study of Pakistan. Karachi: Oxford University Press.
  • Rahman, T. (2003). Language, education and culture. Karachi: Oxford University Press.
  • Rice, M. (2009). Research-based reading instruction: reading comprehension skills and strategies. Florida Center for Reading Research: Making Connections. Retrieved from http://www.fcrr.org/FCRRREPORTS
  • Richards, J.C. (1998). Textbooks: help or hindrance in teaching. In Beyond training: Perspectives on language teacher education (pp.125-41). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Richards, J. & Mahoney, D. (1996). Teachers and textbooks: A survey of beliefs and practices. Perspectives: Working Papers, 8(1), 40-61.
  • Richards, J. & Rogers, T. (2001). Approaches and methods in language teaching: A description and analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Tin, T. B. (2006). ‘Seeing’ culture in language teaching materials: A second thought. In J. Mukandan (Ed.), Readings on ELT materials II. (pp.130-142). Selangor Parul Ehsan, Malaysia: Longman.
  • Tudor, I. (1993). Teacher roles in the learner-centred classroom. ELT Journal, 4(1), 22-31.
  • Dil öğreniminin kültürü: Pakistan’da kullanılan İngilizce ders
  • kitaplarının karşılaştırmalı incelenmesi
Year 2014, Volume: 10 Issue: 2, 0 - 168, 31.12.2014

Abstract

References

  • Berns, M. S. (1990). Contexts of competence: Social and cultural consideration in communicative
  • language teaching. New York: Plenum Press.
  • Brophy, J.E. (1982). How teachers influence what is taught and learned in classrooms. The Elementary
  • School Journal, 83(1), 1-12.
  • Chandran, S. (2003). Where are the ELT textbooks? In W. A. Renandya (Ed.), Anthology Series 44: Methodology and Material Design in Language Teaching: Current perceptions and practice and their implications. Singapore: SEAMO, 161-169.
  • Cunningworth, A. (1995). Choosing your coursebook. London: Longman.
  • Curtis, M. E., & Longo, A. M. (2001). Teaching vocabulary to adolescents to improve comprehension. Reading Online, 5(4). Retrieved from http://www.readingonline.org/articles/art_index.asp?HREF=curtis/index.html
  • Gray, J. (2002). The global coursebook in English language teaching. In D. Block & D. Cameron (Eds.), Globalization and language teaching (pp. 151-167). New York: Routledge.
  • Holliday, A. (1994). Appropriate methodology and social context. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Hu, G. (2002). Potential cultural resistance to pedagogical imports: the case of communicative language teaching in China. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 15(2), 93-105.
  • Hutchinson, T. & Torres, E. (1994). The textbook as agent of change. ELT Journal 48-(4), 315-326.
  • Littlejojn, A. (1998). The analysis of language teaching materials: inside the Trojan horse. In B. Tomlinson (Ed.), Materials development in language teaching (pp.190-215). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Littlejohn, A. & Windeatt, S. (1989). Beyond language learning: perspectives on materials design. In R. K. Johnson (Ed.), The second language curriculum (pp.155-175). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Mansoor, S. (2005). Language planning in higher education: A case study of Pakistan. Karachi: Oxford University Press.
  • Rahman, T. (2003). Language, education and culture. Karachi: Oxford University Press.
  • Rice, M. (2009). Research-based reading instruction: reading comprehension skills and strategies. Florida Center for Reading Research: Making Connections. Retrieved from http://www.fcrr.org/FCRRREPORTS
  • Richards, J.C. (1998). Textbooks: help or hindrance in teaching. In Beyond training: Perspectives on language teacher education (pp.125-41). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Richards, J. & Mahoney, D. (1996). Teachers and textbooks: A survey of beliefs and practices. Perspectives: Working Papers, 8(1), 40-61.
  • Richards, J. & Rogers, T. (2001). Approaches and methods in language teaching: A description and analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Tin, T. B. (2006). ‘Seeing’ culture in language teaching materials: A second thought. In J. Mukandan (Ed.), Readings on ELT materials II. (pp.130-142). Selangor Parul Ehsan, Malaysia: Longman.
  • Tudor, I. (1993). Teacher roles in the learner-centred classroom. ELT Journal, 4(1), 22-31.
  • Dil öğreniminin kültürü: Pakistan’da kullanılan İngilizce ders
  • kitaplarının karşılaştırmalı incelenmesi
There are 23 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Shahzad Karim This is me

Naushaba Haq This is me

Publication Date December 31, 2014
Published in Issue Year 2014 Volume: 10 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Karim, S., & Haq, N. (2014). Culture of language learning: A comparative study of English language textbooks used in Pakistan. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 10(2), 0-168.
AMA Karim S, Haq N. Culture of language learning: A comparative study of English language textbooks used in Pakistan. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies. October 2014;10(2):0-168.
Chicago Karim, Shahzad, and Naushaba Haq. “Culture of Language Learning: A Comparative Study of English Language Textbooks Used in Pakistan”. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies 10, no. 2 (October 2014): 0-168.
EndNote Karim S, Haq N (October 1, 2014) Culture of language learning: A comparative study of English language textbooks used in Pakistan. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies 10 2 0–168.
IEEE S. Karim and N. Haq, “Culture of language learning: A comparative study of English language textbooks used in Pakistan”, Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 0–168, 2014.
ISNAD Karim, Shahzad - Haq, Naushaba. “Culture of Language Learning: A Comparative Study of English Language Textbooks Used in Pakistan”. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies 10/2 (October 2014), 0-168.
JAMA Karim S, Haq N. Culture of language learning: A comparative study of English language textbooks used in Pakistan. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies. 2014;10:0–168.
MLA Karim, Shahzad and Naushaba Haq. “Culture of Language Learning: A Comparative Study of English Language Textbooks Used in Pakistan”. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, vol. 10, no. 2, 2014, pp. 0-168.
Vancouver Karim S, Haq N. Culture of language learning: A comparative study of English language textbooks used in Pakistan. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies. 2014;10(2):0-168.