Analysis of Oral Skills Development in the Most Used English Language Textbooks in the Second year of Baccalaureate in Spain

  1. Gloria Luque Agulló 1
  2. M.ª Camino Bueno-Alastuey 2
  1. 1 Universidad de Jaén
    info

    Universidad de Jaén

    Jaén, España

    ROR https://ror.org/0122p5f64

  2. 2 Universidad Pública de Navarra
    info

    Universidad Pública de Navarra

    Pamplona, España

    ROR https://ror.org/02z0cah89

Journal:
Porta Linguarum: revista internacional de didáctica de las lenguas extranjeras

ISSN: 1697-7467

Year of publication: 2017

Issue: 27

Pages: 107-121

Type: Article

DOI: 10.30827/DIGIBUG.53964 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openDialnet editor

More publications in: Porta Linguarum: revista internacional de didáctica de las lenguas extranjeras

Abstract

This paper examines oral/aural competence in the most commonly used coursebooks in the second year of Baccalaureate in Spain. Using a checklist created and validated in a former pilot analysis (Bueno-Alastuey and Luque Agulló, 2015a), five textbooks were analysed. Results showed that the proportion of tasks1 devoted to oral/aural and written skills was similar, that the level introduced was B1 according to the Common European Framework for Languages (CEFR), and that the methodological approach used was consistent with current pedagogical schemes. This suggests that Spanish coursebooks are following the CEFR requirements on oral/aural aspects, overlooking the written focus of the University Entrance exam

Bibliographic References

  • Abu, Z. and Maarof, N. (2011). “Oral communicative activities in the Saudi third year secondary EFL textbooks”, in Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 2,1: 7 -17.
  • Amengual, M. (2009). “Does the English Test in the Spanish University Entrance Examination influence the teaching of English?”, in English Studies 90,5: 582-598.
  • Amengual, M. (2010). “Exploring the washback effects of a high-stakes English test on the teaching of English in Spanish Upper Secondary Schools”, in Revista Alicantina de Estudios Ingleses, 23: 149 – 170.
  • Bueno-Alastuey, M.C. and Luque Agulló, G. (2015a). “A tool to analyze oral competence development in EFL textbooks” Revista Española de Lingüística Aplicada/Spanish Journal of Applied Linguistics, 28(1): 73-96.
  • Bueno-Alastuey, M.C. and Luque Agulló, G. (2015b). Explicit instruction and implicit use of L2 learning strategies in higher secondary EFL course books. International Journal of English Studies, 15(2): 17.
  • Birdsong, D. (2009). “Age and the end state of second language acquisition”, in W. Ritchie, and T. Bhatia (eds.), The new handbook of second language acquisition. Bingley: Emerald Group, 401-442.
  • Birdsong, D. (2007). “Nativelike pronunciation among late learners of French as a Second Language”, in B. Ocke-Schwen and J.M. Murray (eds.), Language Experience in Second Language Speech Learning: In Honor of James Emil Flege. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing, 99-116.
  • Cerezo, L. (2007). Investigación sobre las directrices curriculares relativas a la enseñanza de la lengua inglesa y su aplicación en el aula (1ºde bachillerato) (Doctoral dissertation). University of Murcia, Spain. http://www.tesisenred.net/TDR-0114109-1143114
  • Chwyl, B. L. (2014). Linking grammar to CLB-based Materials: Theory to Practice (Doctoral dissertation). University of Alberta.
  • Cohen, A.D. (2011). “L2 learner strategies”, in E. Hinkel (ed.), Handbook of research in second language teaching and learning, Vol. II Part V. Methods and instruction in second language teaching. Abingdon, England: Routledge, 681-698.
  • Council of Europe (2001). Common European Framework of Reference for Language Learning, Teaching and Assessment. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Criado, R. and Sánchez, A. (2009). “English language teaching in Spain: Do textbooks comply with the official methodological regulations? A sample analysis”, in International Journal of English Studies, 9,1:1-28.
  • Ellis, N. (2001). “Memory for language”, in P. Robinson, (ed.), Cognition and second language instruction. Ernst Klett Sprachen, 33-68.
  • Ellis, N. (2003). “Constructions, Chinking and connectionism: The emergence of Second Language Structure” in C.J. Doughty and M.H. Long (eds.), The Handbook of Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 63-103.
  • Ellis, R. (2005). Instructed second language acquisition: A literature review. Research Division, Ministry of Education.
  • Ellis, R. (2009). “The differential effects of three types of task planning on the fluency, complexity, and accuracy in L2 oral production”, in Applied Linguistics, 30, 4: 474-509.
  • Fleiss, J.L. (2nd ed). (1981). Statistical Methods for Rates and Proportions. New York and London: Wiley and Sons.
  • Gass, S. M. (2013). Input, interaction and the second language learner. London and New York: Routledge.
  • Gómez-Rodriguez, L. (2010). “English Textbooks for Teaching and Learning English as a Foreign Language: Do They Really Help to Develop Communicative Competence?”, in Educación y Educadores, 13, available from: http://educacionyeducadores.unisabana.edu.co/index.php/ eye/article/view/1728/2330, accessed 1 December, 2015.
  • Griffiths, C. (2013). The Strategy Factor in Successful Language Learning. Multilingual Matters. UK: Clevedon.
  • Harmer, J. (2007). (4th ed.) The Practice of English Language Teaching. New York: Pearson Education.
  • Kirkgöz, Y. (2009). “Globalization and English language policy in Turkey”, in Educational Policy, 23,5: 663-684.
  • Liao, X. (2003). Chinese secondary school teacher’s attitude toward communicative language teaching and their classroom practice. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Auckland.
  • Littlejohn, A. (2011). “The analysis of language teaching materials: inside the Trojan Horse”, in B. Tomlinson (ed.), Materials Development in Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 179-211.
  • Littlewood, W. (2007). “Communicative and task-based language teaching in East Asian classrooms”, in Language Teaching, 40:243-249.
  • Luque Agulló, G., Bueno-Alastuey, M.C. and Ramos Alvarez, M.M. (2016). Uso selectivo de estrategias según la destreza oral: un análisis de libros de texto de enseñanza del inglés usando la modelización categórica: Selective strategy use depending on oral skill: An analysis of EFL course books using categorical modelization. Revista de Educación, 374: 10-72
  • McCarthy, M. and O’Keeffe, A. (2004). “Research in the teaching of speaking”, in Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 24:26-43.
  • McDonough, J., and Shaw, C. (2012). Materials and Methods in ELT. John Wiley & Sons.
  • Moyer, A. (2004). Age, Accent, and Experience in Second Language Acquisition: An Integrated Approach to Critical Period Inquiry. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
  • Mukundan, J., and Ahour, T. (2010). “A review of textbook evaluation checklists across four decades (1970-2008)”, in B. Tomlinson and H. Masuhara (eds.) Research for materials development in language learning: Evidence for best practice. London: Continuum, 336-352.
  • Mukundan, J., and Nimehchisalem, V. (2012). “Evaluative criteria of an English language textbook evaluation checklist”, in Journal of Language Teaching Research, 3,6: 1128-1134.
  • Mukundan, J., and Kalajahi, S. A. R. (2013). “Evaluation of Malaysian English Language Teaching Textbooks”, in International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies, 1,1:38-46.
  • Nicolson, M, and Adams, H. (2010). “The languages classroom: place of comfort or obstacle course?”, in The Language Learning Journal, 38,1:37-49.
  • Padial, R., and Tapia, E. (2007). “The motivation to use oral language in the EFL classroom in ESO and Bachillerato”, in Porta Linguarum, 7:135-151.
  • Roldan, A., Lucena, D.,Mesenger, L., Roldán, J., and Sanchez, M. (2009). “Adecuación de los libros de texto al Marco Común Europeo de Referencia para las Lenguas (MCERL)”, in Porta Linguarum, 11:189-206.
  • Rost, M. (2013). Teaching and Researching: Listening. New York: Routlege.
  • Spratt, M. (2005): “Washback and the classroom: The implications for teaching and learning of studies of washback from exams”, in Language Teaching Research, 9, 1: 5 – 29.
  • Swain, M. (1995). “Three functions of output in second language learning”, in G. Cook, and B. Seidelhofer (eds.), Principle and Practice in Applied Linguistics: Studies in Honor of H.G. Widdowson. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 125-144.
  • Swain, M. (2000). “The output hypothesis and beyond: Mediating acquisition through collaborative dialogue”, in J.P. Lantolf, and J.P. Lantolf, (eds.), Sociocultural theory and second language learning. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 97-114.
  • Tomlinson, B. (ed.) (2008). English Language Learning Materials: A Critical Review. London: Continuum.
  • Wall, D., and Horak, T. (2006). “The impact of changes in the TOEFL examination on teaching and learning in central and eastern Europe: Phase 1, the baseline study”. TOEFL Monograph MS 34. Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service, available from: http://www.ets. org/portal/site/ets, accessed 1 December, 2015.
  • Wall, D., and Horak, T. (2011). “The impact of changes in the TOEFL examination on teaching and learning in central and eastern Europe: Phase 3, the baseline study”. TOEFL Monograph MS 34. Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service, available from: http://www.ets. org/Media/Research/pdf/RR-11-41.pdf, accessed 1 December, 2015.
  • Watanabe, Y., and Swain, M. (2007). “Effects of proficiency differences and patterns of pair interaction on second language learning: Collaborative dialogue between adult ESL learners”, in Language Teaching Research, 11,2:121-142.
  • Willis, D., and Willis, J. (2008). “Doing Task-Based Teaching”, in TESL-EJ, 12(1).
  • Yu, L. (2001). “Communicative language teaching in China: Progress and resistance”, in TESOL Quarterly, 35,1:194-179.