Analysis of a Unit of an English textbook.

The sole and ultimate aim of EFL is to enable learners to communicate independently
with their true feelings expressed and without consciously choosing the structures from
their repertoire of structures. Textbooks best serve the purpose in attaining this aim if the
writers take pains in following effective language teaching principles in designing them.
In this paper I am analysing Unit 21 Of Workout Pre-intermediate in the light of key
language teaching principles: humanism, exposure, communicativeness, and learner
autonomy.

Introduction

Despite the questions raised over the use of textbooks (Swan 1992, Allright 1981) in the
English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms, most of the teachers use commercially
produced textbooks. Textbook is not an end in itself, but it serves as a framework for the
planning and executing classroom activities. In using the textbooks, teachers may either
follow the principles and approaches implied in the textbook or adapt the materials as
demanded by the situation. In this case, teacher's stress of adapting will be minimized if
the text book has been carefully designed following the effective teaching/learning
principles because these principles play crucial roles in goal setting, materials selection
and actives design.
With this idea in my mind, I am going to analyse Unit 21 of Workout Pre-Intermediate
in the light of key language teaching learning principles. Before the analysis I will briefly
discuss the key principles. I will also suggest possible adaptations within the Unit.

Language Learning Principles

Acquisition

The child learns the first language through acquisition. Because he is exposed to
language use in real situation, he receives the linguistic data without conscious effort to
learn the form. However, the second language is learnt either by acquiring or by learning
it. Lightbown and Spada (1993:26) comment this concept in their summary of Krashen’s
theory of language acquisition: there are two ways for adult second language learners to
approach learning a second language; they may acquire it or they may learn it. Second
and foreign language learning situation, learners make very conscious effort. The
teachers use systematic approaches and methods in providing the learners with certain
amount of input. In this process, acquisition is not possible but learning takes place
resulting in slow gain. As language is more of subconscious phenomenon, language
learners need opportunity to be exposed to the language use so that acquisition will take
place.

Active Learning

Learners learn the language if they are actively involved in learning. Learners’ active
participation has been emphasised by Finocchiaro and Bonomo (1973:11) who say that
learners’ active participation is the key to successful learning. Simply receiving the input
from teacher and learning materials learner cannot internalise the language. When it
comes to second and foreign language learning, usually learners are presented with meta-
language more than the language itself. Classroom activities which get learner to actually
use the language by themselves help them learn the language in real sense. If learners are
involved actively as a whole person in activities like pair/group, role-play, project work,
and task-based learning they will develop their language skills. In these situations, they
make use of the knowledge of language they have learnt and translate it into skills.

Key Language Teaching Principles

Humanism

A learner is a complex human individual that has feelings. He is not simply a blank
cassette tape that will record anything that is fed into it. In language teaching activities
this idea should not be ignored. Humanistic principle in language learning puts the
individual and his feelings into the fore-front. Tudor (1993) believes in language
teaching by exploiting students' affective and intellectual resources as fully as possible,
and linking into their continuing experience of life. Gertrude Moskowitz (1978) argues in
most situations learners do not want to learn because they do not find meaning of what
they are learning. The affective aspect seems to have been ignored. She goes on saying
that in humanistic education 'the content relates to the feelings, experiences, memories,
hopes, aspirations, beliefs values, needs and fantasies of students' because 'affective
education is effective education' (Moskowitz 1978:14). So in language teaching should
done keeping learner's person and feelings in the centre so that language learning will be
meaningful not only inside the classroom but also outside in the personal life.

Exposure

Learners need to be exposed to the use of target language so that they can realize how
that particular language works, how actually the users of that language use it. In many
countries where English is a foreign language, students learn this language for many
years but are unable to use it. Among many factors, lack of exposure is the root cause for
that disappointing result. People who happen to be living in the native English speaking
countries learn it without much effort and are able to use in near native appropriacy
because they have had on the street exposure to the language (Lightbown and Spada
1993:69). So this idea of exposure has to be taken in consideration in designing a
textbook. There should be ample opportunity for learners to be exposed to authentic
materials that will eventually lead to the acquisition of the target language.

Communicativeness

The ultimate goal of teaching a foreign language is to enable learners to communicate

with ‘propositions’ intelligible to the recipients for 'survival needs', (Richards 1990)
social and other needs. If a language is to be taught with an aim to developing learner in
successful communicator, the principle of communicativeness has to be followed. When
communicative approach is applied and learners actively participate communicative
activities, they will produce authentic language as they would do in real life situation.
Then only will they develop the skills and confidence to use this language in their real
life. A question can be raised about the accuracy of the language the learners use between
themselves. In real life we do not consider grammatical inaccuracy to be an important
issue as far as we understand the meaning. The 'caretaker talk' (Lightbown and Spada
1993) is an example of inaccurate language which in fact helps the child to learn the
language and child learns accuracy after it has been able to use meaningful expressions.

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The textbooks will be good textbooks if there is adequate provision for authentic
communicative interactions,

Learner Autonomy

Learners cannot afford to remain learners throughout their life. They will have to return
to their personal life after learning the target language. Teacher too cannot be the
perpetual support or guide for learners in choosing the structures the learners use.
Learners will have to make their own choices of expressions in their personal life. That is
why learners should develop autonomy so as to independently learn and use the
language. To be autonomous means becoming more responsible in decision making and
undertaking activities. Ellis and Sinclair (1989:2) claim that making learners responsible
for their own learning can be beneficial as the learning will be more effective and
learning will continue outside the classroom. For this, learner training is very important.
Learners should be trained to develop and explore their independent strategies in learning
to learn because different learners have different strategies to learn. These individual
strategies have to be explored through learner training. As Holec (1981:23) says
'Teaching must also help the learner acquire autonomy for himself i.e. to learn to learn'.
Textbooks should make provision for learner training so as to develop autonomy in them.

An Analysis of Unit 21 of Workout Pre-intermediate in the light of Key language

teaching principles

About the Unit

Unit 21 of Workout Pre-Intermediate (1995) by Kathy Burke and Paul Radley

focuses on enhancing vocabulary in learners. The vocabulary in this unit are related to
families and familial relationships. Grammatical items include the use of verbs and verb
phrases in simple present tense. The unit includes activities on all four language skills.
There are two reading passages and also listening practice on sentence stress. There are
different communicative activities like role-play and discussions. Most of the
presentation has been illustrated by colour pictures and photographs.

Humanism

In designing this unit writers have applied humanistic principle. The family theme and its
various features are something every individual identifies with his own. When learners
see Wayne's family in description and illustration, they will be stimulated and will
wholeheartedly involve themselves in writing about their families. Wayne's feelings
towards his family arouse learners' feelings so much that they will openly express their
own feelings and relationships. Learners also have seen ups and downs in their families
or in their neighbourhoods and they very well know the family disputes. Jackpot lottery
winners' story reading certainly activates learner's feelings. Activities based on this
reading will be authentic for learners and their use of language as 'they all endeavour to
involve the whole person' (Rivers 1983:83).

Communicativeness

Unit 21 has followed communicative principle in setting the activities. There are three
activities requiring students to be involved in group discussions. In the first situation on

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family holidays students have to recall their experiences of family holidays and discuss
with their partners. In the second situation the pre-reading question sets students to
genuinely think about the situation and express their ideas or fancies. These discussions
may lead to very unprecedented kind of ideas thus leading to authenticity of language
use. Linguistic structures cannot be predetermined but students will be concerned with
meaning of what they say and thereby develop their communicative fluency. The third is
a more open-ended situation. Students have to imagine themselves to be a judge. This
role-play is genuine communicative activity in which unthought of ideas and arguments
may come up. So by adopting communicative approach writers have prepared this unit
that really helps learners to be exposed to communicative situation.

Exposure

Writers believe that learners need to be exposed to the use before they practice and
produce in the target language. So as to prepare learners to discuss about their feelings
towards different family members and their relationships, the unit tries to give exposure
through a list of family members, a boy's feelings towards his family and practice with
useful verbs and verb phrases. Likewise, there is a provision of pre-recorded listening on
pronunciation: sentence stress. This is a real exposure for learners to know how sentence
stress works in English. Practice following the exposure will certainly develop language
skills.

Learner Autonomy

The writers of Workout have introduced the element of learner autonomy in Unit 21.
Teaching learners how to learn using reference materials is a crucial question. In the
reading section titled Happy families there are eight verb phrases new for the Pre-
intermediate section. Students are required to match these phrases with the randomly
given explanations. Then they are required to check the answers in the dictionary. This
awareness of dictionary reference certainly makes learners autonomous for their future
learning.

Possible Adaptations

Although the writers have applied different principles in designing this unit, there are
certain items which do not properly follow those principles and need adaptations. I would
like to list those items with adaptations and justify why it is required.
 The instruction Can you think of any other words to complete this word group? is
not clear in the sense what students are required to do if they can think. This same
question could be turned into communicative task by asking the students to think
of other relational words, compare the answers with other students and report to
the class. Similar treatment could be done to the last question under Happy
families.
 Introducing negative feelings to students is not in keeping with humanistic
principle. Instead of presenting Wayne's hate towards his family holidays his love
for them would be relaxing for the students. Similarly, the reading passage
should be replaced by one that talks about family reunion.

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  The discussion question under Family holidays can be turned into a
communicative task thus: Students work in pairs. They are asked to find out from
their partners about each other's family holidays and report in writing.
 The role-play activity under Speaking can be made broader by assigning some
other roles. There should be provision for Maria and Diego as well so that
simulation of the court could more authentic.

Summary
I began this paper by briefly discussing the need and principle of textbook analysis.
Then I discussed language learning principles, acquisition and active learning, and
also language teaching principles, humanism, exposure communicativeness and
learner autonomy. In the light of these teaching principles I analysed Unit 21 of
Workout Pre-intermediate. When analysing I found that this unit has followed
these four principles. The theme has been chosen from humanistic perspective. There
are communicative activities requiring students to do group works and discussion.
Students are exposed to native pronunciation through pre-recorded listening on
sentence stress. Writers of this textbook have also introduced the element of learner
training by introducing dictionary reference. I realized the need of some adaptations
and suggested wherever applicable.

References
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Ellis, G. and Sinclair, B. (1989) Learning to Learn. Cambridge: Cambridge
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