Theorising Textbook Adaptation in English Language Teaching
Abstract
Even though textbooks are a central component of the daily instructional practice of English language teachers, relatively little research has been conducted on how teachers actually use (i.e., adapt) textbooks in the classroom. This gap is aggravated by the fact that the terminology proposed in the literature to analyse teachers’ textbook use is characterised by inconsistencies because different terms denote the same adaptation techniques, identical terms refer to different techniques and suggested frameworks differ in the fact that comparable techniques are allocated to different categories. This inconsistency mirrors the difficulty of operationally defining adaptation techniques, as the terms used may be unambiguous but vague and therefore of reduced explanatory power or more specific but potentially unreliable because an adaptation may be matched to different terms given the complexity of a particular textbook adaptation. Discussing these aspects, this paper proposes a research-informed framework to contribute to a systematic description of textbook adaptation in foreign and second language teaching. Examining adaptation as a process, it is argued that teachers, driven by an identified or felt mismatch between the textbook and other factors (e.g., school facilities, the learners, teacher cognition, course requirements, or outdatedness of the materials), engage in adaptation based on principles (i.e., ideas about best practices, by making changes to the content, the language and/or the sequence of activities offered by the textbook authors). Even though related to English language teaching, this paper does not exclusively inform this context as it offers implications for research on textbook use in other disciplines.
Downloads
References
Abdel Latif, M. M. (2017). Teaching grammar using inductive and communicative materials: Exploring Egyptian EFL teachers’ practices and beliefs. In H. Masuhara, F. Mishan, & B. Tomlinson (Eds.), Practice and theory for materials development in L2 learning (pp. 275–289). Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Agba, Y. K. M. (2018). EFL materials – from adoption to adaptation. Definitional, practical and operational aspects on textbook development by teachers. International Journal of English and Education, 7(4), 260–274. http://ijee.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/21YOBOUE.28065606.pdf
Akbari, R. (2008). Postmethod discourse and practice. TESOL Quarterly, 42(4), 641–652. https://www.jstor.org/stable/40264492
Amrani, F. (2011). The process of evaluation: a publisher’s view. In B. Tomlinson (Ed.), Materials development in language teaching (2nd ed.; pp. 267–295). Cambridge University Press.
Ariyan M. A., Pavlova L. V. (2019). An English language textbook: A friend or a foe. In Z. Anikina (Ed.), Going global through social sciences and humanities: A systems and ICT perspective. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 907 (pp. 83–90) Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11473-2_10
Bouckaert, M. (2019). Current perspectives on teachers as materials developers: Why, what, and how? RELC Journal, 50(3), 439–456. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688218810549
Cunningsworth, A. (1995). Choosing your coursebook. Macmillan Heinemann.
Freeman, D. (2014). Reading comprehension questions: The distribution of different types in global EFL textbooks. In N. Harwood (Ed.), English language teaching textbooks: Content, consumption, production (pp. 72–110). Palgrave Macmillan.
Gray, J. (2016). ELT materials. Claims, critiques and controversies. In G. Hall (Ed.), The Routledge handbook of English language teaching (pp. 95–108). Routledge.
Guerrettaz, A. M., Engman, M. M., & Matsumoto, A. Y. (2021). Empirically defining language learning and teaching materials in use through sociomaterial perspectives. Modern Language Journal, 105(S1), 3–20. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12691
Harmer, J. (2007). The practice of English language teaching (4th ed.). Pearson.
Harwood, N. (2021). Coda: An expanding research agenda for the use of instructional materials. Modern Language Journal, 105(1), 175–184. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12683
Islam, C., & Mares, C. (2003). Adapting classroom materials. In B. Tomlinson (Ed.), Developing materials for language teachers (pp. 86–99). Continuum.
KovaÄ, M., & Å ebart, M. (2019). Educational publishing: How it works: Primary and secondary education publishing. In A. Phillips & M. Bhaskar (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of publishing (pp. 1–18). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198794202.013.14
Li, Z., & Harfitt, G. J. (2107). An examination of language teachers’ enactment of curriculum materials in the context of a centralised curriculum. Pedagogy, Culture & Society, 25(3), 403–416. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681366.2016.1270987
Littlejohn, A. (2012). Language teaching materials and the (very) big picture. Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 9(1), 283–297. http://www.andrewlittlejohn.net/website/docs/Littlejohn%20Language%20Teaching%20Materials%20and%20the%20(Very)%20Big%20Picture.pdf
Loh, J., & Renandya, W. A. (2016). Exploring adaptations of materials and methods. The European Journal of Applied Linguistics and TEFL, 4(2), 93–11.
López-Barrios, M., & Villanueva de Debat, E. (2014). Global vs. local: Does it matter? In S. Garton & K. Graves (Eds.), International perspectives on materials in ELT (pp. 37–52). Palgrave Macmillan.
Macalister, J. (2016a). Adapting and adopting materials. In M. Azarnoosh, M. Zeraatpishe, A. Faravani, & H. R. Kargozari (Eds.), Issues in material development (pp. 57–64). Sense Publishers.
Macalister, J. (2016b). Applying language learning principles to coursebooks. In W. A. Renandya & H. P. Widodo (Eds.), English language teaching today (pp. 41–51). Springer.
Madsen, H., & Bowen, J. (1978). Adaptation in language teaching. Newbury House.
Maley, A. (2011). Squaring the circle – reconciling materials as constraint with materials as empowerment. In B. Tomlinson (Ed.), Materials development in language teaching (2nd ed.; pp. 357–378). Cambridge University Press.
Maley, A. (2018). Creative materials: An oxymoron? In D. Bao (Ed.), Creativity and innovations in ELT material development (pp. 35–50). Multilingual Matters.
Matić, L. J. (2019). The teacher as a lesson designer. CEPS Journal, 9(2), 139–160. https://doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.722
McDonough, J., Shaw, C., & Masuhara, H. (2013). Materials and methods in ELT (3rd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell.
McGrath, I. (2013). Teaching materials and the role of EFL/ESL teachers. Bloomsbury.
McGrath, I. (2016). Materials evaluation and design for language teaching (2nd ed.). Edinburgh University Press.
Menkabu, A., & N. Harwood. (2014). Teachers’ conceptualization and use of the textbook on a medical English course. In N. Harwood (Ed.), English language teaching textbooks: Content, consumption, production (pp. 145–177). Palgrave Macmillan.
Mishan, F. (2021). The global ELT coursebook: A case of Cinderella’s slipper? Language Teaching, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444820000646
Mishan, F., & Timmis, I. (2015). Materials Development in TESOL. Edinburgh University Press.
Pouromid, S., & Amerian, M. (2018). Iranian and Japanese language teachers' operationalization of materials mode and their pursuit of immunity. Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 15(1), 5–22. https://e-flt.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/pouromid.pdf
Rathert, S., & Cabaroğlu, N. (2021). Teachers as slaves or masters to their coursebooks: An in-depth study on two English language teachers’ coursebook utilization. Language Teaching Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/13621688211036239
Richards, J. C. (2001). The role of textbooks in a language program. http://www.professorjackrichards.com/wp-content/uploads/role-of-textbooks.pdf
Richards, J. C. (2017) Curriculum development in language teaching (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Seferaj, K. (2014). Coping with new teaching approaches and materials: An East-European EFL teacher’s interpretation of communicative teaching activities. In S. Garton & K. Graves (Eds.), International perspectives on materials in ELT (pp. 89–103). Palgrave Macmillan.
Smart, A., Sinclair, M., Benavot, A., Bernard, J., Chabbott, C., Russell, S. G., & Williams, J. et al. (2020). Learning for uncertain futures: the role of textbooks, curriculum, and pedagogy. Background paper for the futures of education initiative. UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000374078
Taggart, G.L., & Wilson, A.P. (2005). Promoting reflective thinking in teachers. 50 action strategies. Corwin Press.
Tasseron, M. (2017). How teachers use the global ELT coursebook. In H. Masuhara, F. Mishan, & B. Tomlinson (Eds.), Practice and theory for materials development in L2 learning (pp. 290–311). Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Thornbury, S. (2013). Resisting coursebooks. In J. Gray (Ed.), Critical perspectives on language teaching materials (pp. 204–223). Palgrave Macmillan.
Tomlinson, B. (2015). Challenging teachers to use their coursebook creatively. In A. Maley & N. Peachey (Eds.), Creativity in the English language classroom (pp. 24–28). British Council.
Tomlinson, B. (2018). Making typical coursebook activities more beneficial for the learner. In D. Bao (Ed.), Creativity and innovations in ELT material development (pp. 21–34). Multilingual Matters.
Tomlinson, B., & Masuhara, H. (2004). Developing language course materials. SAEMO Regional Language Centre.
Tomlinson, B., & Masuhara, H. (2018). The complete guide to the theory and practice of materials development for language learning. Wiley Blackwell.
Ur, P. (2015). Using the coursebook: A teacher’s perspective. The European Journal of Applied Linguistics and TEFL, 4(2), 1–17.
Vitta, J. P. (2021). The functions and features of ELT textbooks and textbook analysis: A concise review. RELC Journal. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F00336882211035826
Walterman, E., & Forel, C. (2015). Why and how to include textbook analysis in language teacher education programs. English Language Education and Development Journal, 18, 43–48. http://www.elted.net/uploads/7/3/1/6/7316005/elted_vol_18_paper_6_waltermann___forel.pdf
Zheng, X.-M., & Davison, C. (2008). Changing pedagogy: Analysing ELT teachers in China. Continuum.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors are confirming that they are the authors of the submitted article, which will be published online in the Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal (for short: CEPS Journal) by University of Ljubljana Press (University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education, Kardeljeva ploščad 16, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia). The Author’s/Authors’ name(s) will be evident in the article in the journal. All decisions regarding layout and distribution of the work are in the hands of the publisher.
- The Authors guarantee that the work is their own original creation and does not infringe any statutory or common-law copyright or any proprietary right of any third party. In case of claims by third parties, authors commit themselves to defend the interests of the publisher, and shall cover any potential costs.
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
