Cover not available

Article published In: Revista Española de Lingüística Aplicada/Spanish Journal of Applied Linguistics
Vol. 28:1 (2015) ► pp.73–96

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF
authorization required

A tool to analyze oral competence development in EFL textbooks

 | Universidad Pública de Navarra
 | Universidad de Jaén
Published online: 10 September 2015
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/resla.28.1.04bue
Even though the Common European framework of reference for languages has placed great emphasis on the teaching and learning of oral aspects and there is general agreement about the need to analyze oral competence development through checklists, the inventories developed so far to analyze textbooks are too general, not explicit enough or devote too little space to oral skills. Consequently, there is currently no specific instrument created to evaluate how oral competence is being fostered in English as a Foreign Language textbooks. This paper aims at filling this gap in research by presenting a tool to analyze oral skills development in EFL course books. The checklist was divided in four sections named background information, listening, speaking, and pronunciation, and included quantitative and categorical measures. The tool is presented in an abridged and an extended version to allow for a shorter and a more detailed scrutiny. A preliminary analysis using it showed a highly significant and excellent inter-rater agreement of 0.995 for numerical items and of 0.907 for categorical ones.
References (45)
Bongaerts, T., van Summeren, C., Planken B., & Schils, E. (1997). Age and ultimate attainment in the pronunciation of a foreign language. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 191, 447–465. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bygate, M. (2001). Speaking. In R. Carter & D. Nunan (Eds.), The Cambridge guide to teaching English to speakers of other languages (pp. 14–20). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cerezo, L. (2007). Investigación sobre las directrices curriculares relativas a la enseñanza de la lengua inglesa y su aplicación en el aula (1º de bachillerato). Dissertation. University of Murcia, Spain.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Chen, R.T.H. (2013). East-Asian teaching practices through the eyes of Western learners. Teaching in higher education, 18(7), 761–772. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Council of Europe. (2001). Common European framework of reference for languages: Learning, teaching, assessment. Cambridge: Cambridge University PressGoogle Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Criado, R., & Sánchez, A. (2009). English language teaching in Spain: Do textbooks comply with the official methodological regulations?: A sample analysis. International Journal of English Studies, 9(1), 1–28.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2012). Lexical frequency, textbooks and learning from a cognitive perspective: A corpus-based sample analysis of ELT materials. RESLA, Special Issue, 77–94.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cunningsworth, A. (1995). Choosing your coursebook. Oxford: Macmillan Heinemann ELT.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Derwing, T. (2008). Curriculum issues in teaching pronunciation to second language learners. In J.G. Hansen Edwards & M.L. Zampini (Eds.), Phonology and second language acquisition (pp. 347–369). Philadelphia: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Derwing, T.M., Munro, M.J., & Wiebe, G.E. (1998). Evidence in favor of a broad framework for pronunciation instruction. Language Learning, 481, 393–410. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ellis, R. (1997). The empirical evaluation of language teaching materials. ELT Journal, 51(1), 36–42. Doi: Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Fleiss, J.L. (1981). Statistical methods for rates and proportions (2nd ed.). New York/London: Wiley & Sons. Doi: Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Fromkin, V., & Bernstein, N.R. (1999). Producción del lenguaje. En J. Berko & N. Bernstein (Eds.), Psicolingüística (pp. 329–368). Madrid: McGraw Hill.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gilmore, A. (2004). A comparison of textbooks and authentic interactions. ELT Journal, 58(4), 363–374. Doi: Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gómez-Rodríguez, L. (2010). English textbooks for teaching and learning English as a foreign language: Do they really help to develop communicative competence? Educación y Educadores, 13(3), 327–342. [URL] Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Harmer, J. (2007). The practice of English language teaching (4th ed.). New York: Pearson Education.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
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. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hutchinson, T., & Torres, E. (1994). The textbook as agent of change. ELT Journal, 48(4), 315–328. Doi: Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Jiménez, R.M. (2003). Libros de texto para la enseñanza precoz del inglés: estudio comparativo. RESLA, 161, 237–250.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Jiménez, R.M., & Mancebo, R. (2008). Vocabulary input in EFL textbooks. RESLA, 211, 147–165.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Krashen, S. (1985). The input hypothesis: Issues and implications. New York: Longman.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kumaravadivelu, B. (2006). Understanding language teaching: From method to postmethod. London/New York: Routledge. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Levelt, W. (1993). Language use in normal speakers and its disorders. In G. Blanken, J. Dittman, H. Grimm, J. Marshall, & C. Wallesch (Eds.), Linguistic disorders and pathologies: An international handbook (pp.1–15). Berlin: de Gruyter.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Littlejohn, A. (2011). The analysis of language teaching materials: Inside the Trojan Horse. In B. Tomlinson (Ed.), Materials development in language teaching (pp.179–211). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Manchón, R. (2008). Taking strategies to the foreign language classroom: Where are we now in theory and research? IRAL 461, 221–243. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
McDonough, J., & Shaw, C. (1993). Materials and methods in ELT. Oxford: Blackwell.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Morales, D., & Izquierdo, J. (2011). L2 phonology learning among young-adult learners of English: Effects of regular classroom-based instruction and L2 proficiency. Revista Electrónica de Investigación Educativa, 13(1), 86–107.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mukundan, J., & Ahour, T. (2010). A review of textbook evaluation checklists across four decades (1970–2008). In B. Tomlinson & H. Masuhara (Eds), Research for materials development in language learning: Evidence for best practice (pp. 336–352). London: Continuum.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mukundan, J., Hajimohammadi, R., & Nimehchisalem, V. (2011). Developing an English language textbook evaluation checklist. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 4(6), 21–28. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Munro, M.J., & Derwing, T.M. (1995). Foreign accent, comprehensibility and intelligibility in the speech of second language learners. Language Learning, 451, 73–97. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Naiman, N. (1978). The good language learner. London: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Nicolson, M., & Adams, H. (2010). The languages classroom: place of comfort or obstacle course? The Language Learning Journal, 38(1), 37–49 Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Oxford, R. (2001). Language learning styles and strategies. In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed.), Teaching English as a second language (pp. 359–366). Boston: Heinle and Heinle.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Razmloo, S. (2007). High schools or private institutions textbooks?: Which fulfill communicative language teaching principles in Iranian context? Asian EFL Journal: The EFL Professional’s Written Forum, 9(4), 126–140.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Riasati, M.J., & Zare, P. (2010). Textbook evaluation: EFL teacher´s perspectives on new interchange. Studies in Literature and Language, 1(8), 54–60. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Richards, J. (2008). Teaching listening and speaking: From theory to practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Roldán, A., Lucena, D., Mesenger, L., Roldán, J.E., & Sánchez, M. (2009). Adecuación de los libros de texto al Marco Común Europeo de Referencia para las Lenguas (MCERL). Porta Linguarum, 111, 189–206.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Rost, M. (2002). Teaching and researching listening. Hong Kong: Pearson EducationGoogle Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sahragard, R., Rahimi, A., & Zaremoayeddi, I. (2009). An in-depth evaluation of interchange series (3rd edition). Porta Linguarum,121, 37–54.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Schmidt, R. (2001). Attention. In P. Robinson (Ed.), Cognition and second language instruction (pp. 3–32). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sheldon, L.E. (1988). Evaluating ELT textbooks and materials. ELT Journal, 42(4), 237–246. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Tok, H. (2010). TEFL textbook evaluation: From teachers’ perspectives. Educational Research and Review, 5(9), 508–517.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Tomlinson, B., & Masuhara, H. (2011). Research for materials development in language learning: Evidence for best practice. London: Bloomsbury.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Williams, D. (1983). Developing criteria for textbook evaluation. ELT Journal, 37(3), 251–255. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ying Leung, C., & Andrews, S. (2012). The mediating role of textbooks in high-stakes assessment reform. ELT Journal, 66 (3), 356–365. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cited by (3)

Cited by three other publications

Luque-Agulló, Gloria & Encarnación Almazán-Ruiz
2023. A Checklist Proposal for Assessing the Potential of Language Teaching Apps. In Optimizing Online English Language Learning and Teaching [English Language Education, 31], ► pp. 357 ff. DOI logo
van Batenburg, Eline SL, Ron J Oostdam, Amos JS van Gelderen, Ruben G Fukkink & Nivja H de Jong
2020. Evaluating opportunities in Dutch EFL course books for developing pre-vocational learners’ oral interactional ability. Language Teaching Research 24:4 ► pp. 434 ff. DOI logo
Li, Xiangdong
2019. Analyzing translation and interpreting textbooks. Translation and Interpreting Studies 14:3 ► pp. 392 ff. DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 30 november 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue