Abstract
Formal grammar instruction in general – as well as teaching metalanguage in particular - has always generated a great deal of heated debate among researchers, teachers, and also materials writers. Metalanguage can be considered a good touchstone of the emphasis different textbooks put on formal grammar instruction. The present study, therefore, investigates the quality and quantity of metalanguage embodied in three popular EFL textbooks, taught successively in one of the biggest language institutes in Iran from 1996 to the present day. The results indicate that the metalanguage included in these textbooks compatibly reflects the trend of the related research during these years, i.e., a period of favoring grammar, followed by a phase of deemphasizing it, and finally a revival of grammar instruction. The results of the study have also implications for materials writers and teachers, which are discussed at the end.
References
- Acklam, R., & Crace, A. (2006). Total English: Upper-Intermediate. Essex: Pearson Education.
- Alderson, J.C., Clapham, C., & Steel, D. (1997). Metalinguistic knowledge, language aptitude and language proficiency. Language Teaching Research, 1(2), 93–121.
- Andrews, S. (2006). The evolution of teachers’ language awareness. Language Awareness, 15(1), 1–19.
- Berry, R. (1997). Teachers’ awareness of learners’ knowledge: The case of metalinguistic terminology. Language Awareness, 6(2&3), 136–146.
- Berry, R. (2001). Hong Kong English teachers’ attitudes towards the use of metalinguistic terminology. Asia Pacific Journal of Language in Education, 4(1), 101–121.
- Berry, R. (2005). Making the most of metalanguage. Language Awareness, 14(1), 3-20.
- Berry, R. (2008). Talking terms: Choosing and using terminology for EFL classrooms. English Language Teaching, 1(1), 19-24.
- Berry, R. (2009). EFL majors’ knowledge of metalinguistic terminology: a comparative study. Language Awareness, 18,(2) 113-128.
- Borg, S. (1999). The use of grammatical terminology in second language classroom: a qualitative study of teachers’ practices and cognitions. Applied Linguistics, 20(1), 95-126.
- Borg, S. (2003). Teacher cognition in grammar teaching: a literature review. Language Awareness, 12(2), 96–108.
- Brown, H. D. (2001). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy. (Second edition). White Plains, NY: Longman.
- Carter, R. (2003). Key concepts in ELT: Language awareness. ELT Journal, 57(1), 64–65.
- Dikici, I. Z. (2012). Pre-service English teachers’ beliefs towards and its teaching at two Turkish universities. International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature, 1(2), 206-218.
- Ellis, R. (1994). The study of second language acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Gairns, R., & Redman, S. (1998). True to life: Upper-Intermediate. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Harley, B. (1992). Patterns of second language development in French immersion. Journal of French Language Studies, 2(2), 159-183.
- Johnson, K., & Johnson, H. (1998). Encyclopedic dictionary of applied linguistics. Oxford: Blackwell.
- Larsen-Freeman, D. (1986). Techniques and principles in language teaching. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Larsen-Freeman, D. (2001). Teaching grammar. In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed.), Teaching English as a second or foreign language (pp. 251-266). Boston: Heinle & Heinle.
- McDonough, J., & Shaw, C. (2003). Materials and methods in ELT: A teacher’s guide. (Second edition).Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
- Mohammed, A. M. (1996). Informal pedagogical grammar. IRAL, 34(4), 284-291.
- Mulroy, D. (2003). The war against grammar. Portsmouth: Boynton/Cook Publishers.
- Myhill, D. A., Jones, S. M., Lines, H., & Watson, A. (2012). Re-thinking grammar: The impact of embedded grammar teaching on students’ writing and students’ metalinguistic understanding. Research Papers in Education, 27(2), 139-166.
- Renou, J. (2001). An examination of the relationship between metalinguistic awareness and second-language proficiency of adult learners of French. Language Awareness, 10(4), 248– 267.
- Richards, J. C. (2001). Curriculum development in language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Singleton, D. (2005). The critical period hypothesis: A coat of many colors. IRAL, 43(4), 269-285.
- Soars, J., & Soars, L. (1987). Headway: Upper-Intermediate. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Tsang, W. L. (2011). English metalanguage awareness among primary school teachers in Hong Kong. GEMA Online Journal of Language Studies, 11(1),1-16.
- Ur, P. (2011). Grammar teaching: research, theory, and practice. In E. Hinkel (Ed.), Handbook of research in second language teaching and learning (pp. 507-522). New York: Taylor & Francis.
- Williams, S. D. (2005). The teacher’s grammar book. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
- Yousefpoori-Naeim, M. (2011). Comparing teachers' views on the role of grammar and error correction in language teaching with those of their students (unpublished Master's thesis). Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
İran'da Üç İngilizce Dil Öğretim Ders Kitabının Metalinguistik Analizi Genişletilmiş Özet Amaç: Bu çalışma İran'da yaygın olarak kullanılan üç İngilizce ders kitabındaki dilin niteliği ve niceliğini bu kitapların ilgili güncele uygunluğu bakımından araştırmayı amaçlamaktadır. Yöntem: 1996'dan bu yana, İran'daki önemli kurumlardan birisinde “orta üstü seviyede” ana ders kitabı olarak okutulan üç İngiltere kaynaklı dil öğretim kitabı serisi seçildi. Araştırmanın nicel boyutu olarak, kullanım aralığında yer alan tüm dilbilgisi terimleri dikkate alınarak her üç kitaptaki sayfa başına ortalama terim sayısı hesaplandı ve karşılaştırıldı. Araştırmanın nitel bölümünde dil bilgisi yanı sıra terimler de daha detaylı incelendi. Ayrıca bazı deneyimli öğretmenlerle ve kurum görevlileriyle informal görüşmeler yapıldı. Bulgular: Araştırmanın bulgularına göre, alanyazın araştırmalarının ortaya koyduğu beklentiler doğrultusunda, piyasadaki en yeni kitap olan Total English, terimlerin çoğunu piyasada en eski kitap olan Headway ile aynı şekilde öğretmektedir. Üçüncü kitap olan “True to Life” ise terim çeşitliliği bakımından bu iki kitaptan sonra gelmektedir. Bu durum konuyla ilgili yapılan araştırmalarla kitaplarda kullanılan dil arasında bir uyum olduğunu gösteriyor. Uzun bir dönem gramer öğretimine verilen ağırlıktan sonra (Headway bu konuda iyi bir örnek) “True to Life” kitabında gramerin daha az vurgulandığı görüldü ama “Total English” ile yeniden bu alana ilgi canlandı. Bu çalışmanın nitel sonuçları nicel sonuçlarını doğrulamıştır. “Total English” kitabının dil konusunu daha ciddi ele aldığı ortaya çıktı. Örneğin etkinliklerle ilgili yapılan açıklamalarda ve ünite içerisindeki geçişlerde metalinguistik komutların kullanıldığı görüldü. Sonuçlar: Kapsam bakımından sınırlı da olsa, kitapların temel alandaki araştırma bulguları ile öğrenciler için geliştirilmiş materyaller arasında bir ilişki olduğunu gösteriyor. Ancak kitap yazarlarının alanyazın bulgularını yeni materyallerin hazırlanmasında kullanmaları zaman alacaktır.
References
- Acklam, R., & Crace, A. (2006). Total English: Upper-Intermediate. Essex: Pearson Education.
- Alderson, J.C., Clapham, C., & Steel, D. (1997). Metalinguistic knowledge, language aptitude and language proficiency. Language Teaching Research, 1(2), 93–121.
- Andrews, S. (2006). The evolution of teachers’ language awareness. Language Awareness, 15(1), 1–19.
- Berry, R. (1997). Teachers’ awareness of learners’ knowledge: The case of metalinguistic terminology. Language Awareness, 6(2&3), 136–146.
- Berry, R. (2001). Hong Kong English teachers’ attitudes towards the use of metalinguistic terminology. Asia Pacific Journal of Language in Education, 4(1), 101–121.
- Berry, R. (2005). Making the most of metalanguage. Language Awareness, 14(1), 3-20.
- Berry, R. (2008). Talking terms: Choosing and using terminology for EFL classrooms. English Language Teaching, 1(1), 19-24.
- Berry, R. (2009). EFL majors’ knowledge of metalinguistic terminology: a comparative study. Language Awareness, 18,(2) 113-128.
- Borg, S. (1999). The use of grammatical terminology in second language classroom: a qualitative study of teachers’ practices and cognitions. Applied Linguistics, 20(1), 95-126.
- Borg, S. (2003). Teacher cognition in grammar teaching: a literature review. Language Awareness, 12(2), 96–108.
- Brown, H. D. (2001). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy. (Second edition). White Plains, NY: Longman.
- Carter, R. (2003). Key concepts in ELT: Language awareness. ELT Journal, 57(1), 64–65.
- Dikici, I. Z. (2012). Pre-service English teachers’ beliefs towards and its teaching at two Turkish universities. International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature, 1(2), 206-218.
- Ellis, R. (1994). The study of second language acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Gairns, R., & Redman, S. (1998). True to life: Upper-Intermediate. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Harley, B. (1992). Patterns of second language development in French immersion. Journal of French Language Studies, 2(2), 159-183.
- Johnson, K., & Johnson, H. (1998). Encyclopedic dictionary of applied linguistics. Oxford: Blackwell.
- Larsen-Freeman, D. (1986). Techniques and principles in language teaching. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Larsen-Freeman, D. (2001). Teaching grammar. In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed.), Teaching English as a second or foreign language (pp. 251-266). Boston: Heinle & Heinle.
- McDonough, J., & Shaw, C. (2003). Materials and methods in ELT: A teacher’s guide. (Second edition).Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
- Mohammed, A. M. (1996). Informal pedagogical grammar. IRAL, 34(4), 284-291.
- Mulroy, D. (2003). The war against grammar. Portsmouth: Boynton/Cook Publishers.
- Myhill, D. A., Jones, S. M., Lines, H., & Watson, A. (2012). Re-thinking grammar: The impact of embedded grammar teaching on students’ writing and students’ metalinguistic understanding. Research Papers in Education, 27(2), 139-166.
- Renou, J. (2001). An examination of the relationship between metalinguistic awareness and second-language proficiency of adult learners of French. Language Awareness, 10(4), 248– 267.
- Richards, J. C. (2001). Curriculum development in language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Singleton, D. (2005). The critical period hypothesis: A coat of many colors. IRAL, 43(4), 269-285.
- Soars, J., & Soars, L. (1987). Headway: Upper-Intermediate. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Tsang, W. L. (2011). English metalanguage awareness among primary school teachers in Hong Kong. GEMA Online Journal of Language Studies, 11(1),1-16.
- Ur, P. (2011). Grammar teaching: research, theory, and practice. In E. Hinkel (Ed.), Handbook of research in second language teaching and learning (pp. 507-522). New York: Taylor & Francis.
- Williams, S. D. (2005). The teacher’s grammar book. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
- Yousefpoori-Naeim, M. (2011). Comparing teachers' views on the role of grammar and error correction in language teaching with those of their students (unpublished Master's thesis). Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Subjects | Studies on Education |
| Journal Section | Educational Sciences and Sciences of Field Education |
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | March 7, 2013 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2013Volume: 4 Issue: 3 |
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