A Comparative Analysis of English Vocabulary Input in EFL Textbooks for Young Learners

master's thesis

• Title (croatian): Usporedna analiza rječnika engleskog jezika u udžbenicama engleskog jezika za niže razrede
• Author: Antonia Klarić
• Mentor: Lovorka Zergollern-Miletić (mentor)
• Committee member: Kristina Cergol (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Lidija Cvikić (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Lovorka Zergollern-Miletić (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Teacher Education; Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2021-02-16, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Anglistics
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Interdisciplinary Humanistic Studies; Teaching Methods in the Humanistic Sciences

Abstract

Teaching and learning is one the most significant components in textbooks. The topic of this thesis discusses the importance of teaching vocabulary in learning a foreign language, presented through research done on a series of EFL textbooks. The aim of this paper was to present the findings from the comparative analysis of the series of EFL textbooks used in Croatia in teaching English to young learners. the research consisted of an analysis of the chosen series of textbooks New Building Blocks, grade 1 to grade 4. The paper touched on the following topics: the difference between the terms mother tongue, first language and second language; approaches to Second Language Acquisition; the usage of textbooks in the classroom. The introductory part sets a theoretical framework, presenting theoretical views on the mentioned topics. Teaching vocabulary is a topic that has preoccupied views many theorists, as well as practitioners, and research on vocabulary is an inseparable part of any language learning. Informed with a framework considering SLA, the author of this paper used a qualitative analysis of the content of a series of textbooks with the aim of collecting relevant data. The findings show that the vocabulary presented in the series of textbooks mostly equip learners with incidental vocabulary learning, so they need further improvements to create optimal learning opportunities for vocabulary retention.

Abstract (croatian)

Učenje i poučavanje vokabulara jedna je od najznačajnijih sastavnica udžbenika. Tema ove teze proizlazi iz važnosti poučavanja tječnika u učenju stranog jezika, a razrađena je kroz istraživanje srije udžbenika za učenje stranog jezika. Cilj ovog rada bio je predstaviti rezultate komparativne analize serije udžbenika za učenja stranog jezika koji se u Hrvatskoj koriste u nastavi engleskog jezika u nižim razredima osnovne škole. Istraživanje se sastojalo od analize odabrane serije udžbenika New Building Blocks, od 1. do 4. razreda. Rad se dotaknuo sljedećih tema: razlika između pojmova materinski jezik, prvi jezik i drugi jezik, pristupi usvajanju stranog jezika, te korištenje udžbenika u učionici. Uvodni dio rada postavio je teorijski okvir, to jest, predstavio je teorijske poglede na spomenute teme. Poučavanje vokabulara tema je koja zaokulja mnoge teoretičare, ali i praktičare te istraživanja o usvajanju vokabulara imaju dugu tradiciju u području primijenjene lingvistike. upoznata s okvirom koji uzima u obzir usvajanje stranog jezika, autorica ovoga rada pristupila je kvalitativnom analizom sadržaja seriji udžbenika s ciljem prikupljanja relevantnih podataka. Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da vokabular predstavljen u seriji analiziranih udžbenika uglavnom poučava učenike usputnim učenjem rječnika, tako da su potrebna daljnja poboljšanja pri učenju/poučavanju, kako bi se stvorile optimalne mogućnosti usvajanja vokabulara.

• Keywords: vocabulary; SLA; foreign language teaching; EFL; textbook
• Keywords (croatian): vokabular; usvajanje stranog jezika; poučavanje stranog jezika; udžbenik stranog jezika
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:147:512735
• Study programme: Title: Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate University Programme of Study of Primary Teacher Education and Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate University Programme of Study for Primary Teacher Education with English and German Language; Study programme type: university; Study level: integrated undergraduate and graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra primarnog obrazovanja (magistar/magistra primarnog obrazovanja)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2021-03-05 12:15:01