Analyzing English Foreign Language Learners’ Lexical Input and Output Through Word Prototypicality

Introduction: Studies on the relationship between ideology, hegemony and textbooks in applied linguistics have been incremental in recent decades because emergence of critical theory, critical pedagogy, and critical thinking skills from the 1920s on has led scholars to develop a critical perspective towards EFL (English as a Foreign Language) textbooks taking the elements of ideology and hegemony into consideration. These two terms encompass an innumerable number of elements or compounds ranging from nationalism to religion. The importance of meta-narratives originating from the tenets of modernism or modernization has been downgraded from 1960s on because it has been postulated that the world has entered a new age called postmodernism and post-structuralism that have emphasized the role of individuals and criticized the efforts to reinforce post-colonialism, the effects of which can be seen in EFL textbooks. Therefore, it remains crucial to analyze EFL textbooks taking the main elements of ideology and hegemony into account. The aim of this study is to investigate the ideological and hegemonic practices included in globally and locally written EFL textbooks. Methods: Using a mixed method research design, ideological and hegemonic representations included in EFL textbooks were examined qualitatively through descriptive content analysis technique employed to make valid assumptions by interpreting and coding content of textual materials. For the qualitative data, based on a descriptive research design, textbook analyses, documentary analysis, were conducted. As for the inductive content analysis, both globally and locally EFL textbooks were examined. The themes were extracted with the help of the experts since this study entailed inductive content analysis. Each theme was analyzed and perused by the experts. After a rigorous analysis, each theme was compared, and in the last stage common themes were formed. Results: The findings of the present study show that ideology and hegemony of inner and expanding circle cultures are dominant in EFL textbooks. While the expanding circle culture is dominant in the locally written EFL textbooks, the inner circle culture is extensively included in the globally written ones. However, outer circle countries are excluded and marginalized. Besides, while specific ideologies such as economy and history were highly included in both globally and locally written textbooks, some of them such as law and gender were weakly detected. Discussion: This present study showed that locally written textbooks dwell more on expanding circles, whereas globally written textbooks except for national geographic textbooks, to a large extent, mention only inner circle. Correspondingly, Abdullah (2009) scrutinized the textbooks in Malaysia and concluded that their textbooks covered local cultures from expanding circles. A similar finding was detected in various textbooks in Chile also including the local culture instead of the target one (McKay, 2003). In our study, the most dominant ideological component was culture (75.87% in global textbooks and 77.80% in local textbooks) whose components contain social norms, traditions, beliefs, social values (Williamson, 2000). Surprisingly, in both locally and globally written textbooks, the ideology of culture was prevalent (75.87% in global textbooks and 77.80% in local textbooks). This component was both implicitly and explicitly presented in the textbooks analyzed in this study. Limitations: Taking the extent of the study into consideration, specific limitations already subsist in hand. Initially, choosing textbooks for the analysis of the existing ideological and hegemonic practices in the materials is a difficult task; hence, a particular and convenience selection criterion was selected. Additionally, as the scope of the study is constructed on English as a foreign or second language - a lingua franca, the selection was built on textbooks written globally and locally. Conclusion: In locally written textbooks, multiculturalism and law-related issues were barely mentioned, while few religion, politics and gender-related issues were directly mentioned. Some topics, although they were very pivotal across the globe, were never mentioned. The topics of poverty, slavery, and racism were by no means focused on in the textbooks. Thus, it can be said that some topics are underrepresented or never represented owing to the fact that these topics might be too risky. As for the ideology of language, this element was emphasized in both global and local textbooks. The element of education was moderately stressed. Another important element is sport that is prevalent in both global and local EFL textbooks.

It is commonly assumed that the social and cultural values of societies are always ingrained in their educational systems, particularly in teaching and learning materials. Textbooks are one of the materials in which gender stereotypes have been documented worldwide. In the Moroccan context, children's EFL (English as a foreign language) textbooks used in primary schools may transmit typical patterns and discriminatory images about gender, which perpetuate more gender disparities. To this end, this research aims to determine the way gender is depicted in four EFL textbooks for the 4th grade published between 2012 and 2020 in Morocco. It also tends to exhibit the major differences between EFL textbooks used at language centers (Super Minds 4 and Let’s Go 4) and private primary schools (English Pass Pack 4 and Passport to English 4). The research is conducted both qualitatively and quantitatively. The results of this study show that there are equal gender representations in EFL textbooks used at language centers compared to textbooks used at primary schools in terms of nouns and proper names, pronouns, non-human character representations, and roles associated with males and females.

English as a Foreign Language (EFL) has constituted a major part of the curriculum in private and public institutions in Saudi Arabia for over eight decades. More recently, the emergence of English as a global language has made it a socially desirable language in Saudi society, as elsewhere in the world. However, despite the long history of English teaching in Saudi Arabia and the growth of the profession over the years, the overall English proficiency level of the majority of students is low and unsatisfactory. Saudi researchers have reported many reasons for the ineffectiveness of English Language Teaching (ELT) including, but not limited to, low levels of student motivation, negative attitudes toward English, a substandard English as a Foreign Language (EFL) curriculum, and inefficient teacher pedagogical practices. These problems fall into two major categories: problems related to the lwhyr of teaching and learning of EFL, and problems related to the lhowr of teaching and learning EFL. In investigating these issues, much of this research has been carried out within individual/psychological/structuralist/positivist frameworks, which has failed not only to problematize the complexity of such constructs but also to appreciate the fact that all realities are produced/(re)produced via ldiscourser. Hence, the present study investigated EFL teaching and learning practices by employing Foucauldian and poststructuralist frameworks. This study used poststructuralism not only as a theoretical lens per se, but also established it through the implemented analytical tools and textual representations of the collected data. Employing a poststructuralist discursive perspective made it possible to view EFL teaching and learning as complex social practices, interacting with the discourses of English and ELT practices available in the global as well as the local context(s). These discourses create the nexus between power and knowledge and impact on what an EFL teacher/ learner does within a classroom setting by constructing perspectives of reality through which he or she comes to understand the EFL teaching and learning process in certain ways which constitute epistemological spaces and generate particular practices. Drawing on policy documents, EFL textbooks, classroom observations, interviews with two Saudi EFL teachers, and focus group discussions with Saudi EFL students in two rural areas, the study identified seven discourses circulating within and competing across the examined discursive spaces. The first three discourses are related to English and its values, including: English as a universal language; English as the language for better employment opportunities; and English as the language for spreading religion. The remaining four discourses centred around ELT with exams as an important aspect of EFL learning and ELT; CLT as the key to success in ELT; L1 as a barrier to successful EFL learning; and EFL textbooks as an essential aspect of the processes of EFL learning and ELT. In exploring the production and (re)production of these discourses through the examination of how visibilization, normalisation, exclusionary/inclusionary acts, classification, and subject positioning as discursive strategies are employed, it was found that whether a particular discourse was made visible or invisible depended on other discourses operating across the examined discursive spaces: the social context, the policy, the textbook, the classroom, and the teachers and students. The analysis of the connection(s) and misconnection(s) between these discursive spaces demonstrated that the interplay between the different discourses constructed discursive battlegrounds, which impacted the processes of EFL teaching and learning. Through the investigation of this interplay, it was found that there was a disconnect and an ambivalent relationship between the study participantsr espoused discourses of English and their EFL teaching and learning practices, suggesting that EFL teachers and learners should not be considered lstabler figures, but rather as social agents with discursively constructed ever changing subjectivities. Furthermore, the analyses of the constructions of the discourses operating within the examined policy texts demonstrate an intra disparity and fragmentation. This was manifested in the difference between the ideals of the EFL curriculum and the institutionally imposed regulating techniques, that is, examinations and teachersr assessment practices which had negative effects on EFL teaching and learning dynamics. Additionally, as a consequence of the competition between the different sources of discursive constructions, I found that there was a gulf between the EFL policies and the enactment of these policies in EFL teaching and learning dynamics in the observed EFL classrooms. The findings of this study also indicate that if a discourse promoted through the policy is mediated by discourses operating in the larger societal context, it became more visible in teaching and learning practices as compared to other discourses that did not have social moorings. This suggests that taking the prevailing social expectations into account at the stage of developing any policy is of paramount importance.nThe study concludes with a discussion of the implications of the interplay of connections and misconnections between competing discourses across different spaces in Saudi educational settings for improving the EFL teaching/learning environments in Saudi Arabia and other similar contexts.n

This paper investigates the relationship between gender bias and educational materials for teaching and learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in the Saudi EFL context by drawing on critical discourse analysis (CDA). The paper's objective is twofold: first, to explore the extent to which females are biased in the discourse of four EFL textbooks and the various reasons and ways of this biased gender representation. Second, to show the extent to which the disproportion of female gender representation is due to cultural values or to the gender bias of the textbooks’ authors. The study uses a qualitative critical discourse analysis to investigate four EFL textbooks used in Saudi Arabia. The analytical focus is on five topics: (a) gender visibility, (b) gender importance in sequences, (c) gender representation in occupations, (d) gender-attributed traits and (e) the relationship between both genders. Findings reveal that the selected EFL textbooks contain gender-stereotyped scenarios that are in favor of the male gender. Women are portrayed as stereotyped and marginalized as a result of this disparity. The study concludes that the four EFL textbooks used in Saudi Arabian schools displayed gender-biased content and recommends reevaluating the EFL textbooks to be gender-biased-free.

University English as a foreign language (EFL) programs in expanding circle communities often pressure instructors and students to use globally published EFL textbooks for reasons more socio-political than pedagogical. While some critical studies underscore multimodal discourse to be an under-appreciated source of dominant social narratives in EFL textbooks, few have investigated their live negotiation in classrooms. To address the challenges negotiating potentially harmful social narratives in EFL textbooks, the present study proposes a two-step model for achieving a zone of prioritized curricularivity (ZPC). The model informs reflexive teaching practice in EFL instruction because it necessitates an understanding of a) the curricular commonplaces of a particular EFL program and b) the power and ideologies in the multimodal discourse of their textbooks, to mitigate perceived social injustices in the textbook lessons as they are negotiated “in situ.” Demonstrated in vignettes, featuring two EFL courses at Chung-Buk National University in Cheong Ju city, Korea, two instructors used the ZPC framework to inform their reconstruction of multimodal discourses in their EFL textbooks to inculcate student involvement and participation. A novel, multimodal interactional analysis of video recordings looked at proxemics, gaze, spoken language, head movement, auditory emphasis, and gesture and discovered that each instructor recontextualized, neutralized, or skipped much of the multimodal discourse in the lessons. The findings suggest that a ZPC is achieved when the efforts by instructors to recontextualize textbook lessons in situ is met with positive feedback from students in the classroom – noted as heightened attentiveness, happy or cheerful participation, and enthusiastic discussion. The implications suggest a ZPC can help instructors and students and in EFL programs in any expanding circle culture because it can simultaneously improve student learning/acquisition in the classroom, diminish dominant, culturally marginalizing textbook content, while raising the value of student investment in EFL learning.

This article examines the cultural values conveyed via texts and illustrations in EFL (English as a foreign language) textbooks currently in use in China. The large number of cultural values represented include patriotism, respect, diligence, collectivism, and equitable gender roles. These show that the national curriculum has been implemented in EFL textbooks. At the same time, the “common sense” design of textbooks also reflects textbook editors’ and writers’ cultural values.

Due to the growing importance of English as a foreign language (EFL) writing and its teaching, this study aims to understand how EFL writing instruction has developed in Saudi Arabia. Aside from its historical development, this study also aims to investigate features and practices associated with teaching EFL writing over time using two qualitative methods: 1) semi-structured interviews with 11 expert educators from Saudi Arabia, and 2) Qualitative Content Analysis of the pre-existing body of content related to teaching EFL writing in Saudi Arabia. Clarke and Braun’s reflexive thematic analysis using MAXQDA software was used to analyse the interviews, while Roller and Lavrakas’ Total Quality Framework using Excel Worksheets was used to analyse the qualitative content. It was found that teaching EFL writing in Saudi Arabia has undergone three periods of historical development, each with their own various features and practices. The study can contribute to existing research on EFL writing instruction in general, and in Saudi Arabia in particular. Moreover, the study provides a focus for evaluating the difference between actual teaching and learning practices, and the outcomes expected from the EFL textbooks. This can help teachers and policy makers in implementing and designing more useful EFL learning approaches.

The English language curriculum (ELC) in China has undergone numerous changes since its modernisation movement in the late 1970s. The recent English language syllabus (2001) marks a new direction by incorporating ‘emotion and attitude’ as one of the ELC’s key domains. The implication is that the deep-rooted principle of learning a western language solely for instrumental purposes is extended to embody an integrative and intrinsic orientation as well. This paper explores the shaping of this new domain by studying the 2001 English language syllabus for what the domain entails. A prestige EFL (English as a foreign language) textbook, PEP Primary English 6A, is also analysed to examine the extent the domain is addressed in the textbook in three aspects, namely the types of activities included, the language forms presented and the teaching strategies recommended. It is found that the target objectives of the domain are addressed adequately through the range of affect-related activities in the textbook. The language presented in the textbook is, however, relatively ‘emotion-free’ and the recommended teaching strategies in the accompanying teacher’s guide do not reflect all the strategies advocated in the syllabus for developing positive affective factors. Implications of the findings are discussed.

This study proposes a novel framework for integrating architectural imagery in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education to foster oral communication, using Panofsky’s iconological model of visual interpretation. Visual input plays a critical role in enhancing comprehension, vocabulary development, and communicative competence in EFL contexts, yet current textbooks often lack a structured approach to leveraging visual progression for language output. Analyzing the Headway EFL textbook series (Beginner to Advanced), this qualitative visual content analysis classified architectural visuals into Panofsky’s three levels—Pre-iconographic, Iconographic, and Iconological—based on complexity, interpretive demand, and symbolic depth. The findings reveal a general alignment between visual complexity and language proficiency levels, supporting the concept of visual scaffolding in oral development. However, inconsistencies were noted, with some visuals misaligned with corresponding CEFR oral tasks. Drawing on these insights, a visual progression model was developed, offering textbook writers and educators practical strategies for aligning imagery with oral competencies. The framework advances EFL pedagogy by emphasizing the narrative and symbolic potential of architectural visuals as tools for critical thinking and communicative interaction. Future research should test the framework across digital platforms and diverse textbook contexts to explore its broader applicability in visual-literate language teaching.

Although numerous studies have explored cultural elements in EFL textbooks, there is a lack of research on the inclusion of Indonesian local culture in EFL textbooks following the autonomous curriculum. Thus, this study utilizes the autonomous curriculum English as a Foreign Language (EFL) textbook employed in Indonesia to examine the portrayal of local culture within it. Through Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) (Fairclough, 2013), researchers want to know the extent of local cultural representation contained in EFL textbooks. This research employs systemic functional analysis, a method that Halliday and Matthiessen (2014) originally devised, to analyze textual data (dialogue, worksheet instruction, and article) contained in EFL textbooks. In addition, visual data is analyzed in accordance with Kress and Van Leeuwen's Visual Grammar Theory (2021). The scope of this research is limited to the depiction of Indonesian local culture in a selected Indonesian EFL textbook that is officially published and utilized within the nation. The results show that local Indonesian culture is integrated in EFL textbooks visually and textually, with elements of local culture that are often found in textbooks, as it mainly focused on the traditions, values and symbols of Indonesian life.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to evaluate the vocabulary settings in two English textbooks used in Mainland China and Hong Kong respectively, and provide useful suggestions for teachers to choose or adapt English as a foreign language (EFL) textbook. The study centers on two English textbooks for grade-nine/ JS3 EFL learners in Mainland China and Hong Kong. Methods The two textbooks will firstly be compared and contrasted at the macro-level, covering perspectives such as organization, visual aids, glossary, and supplementary materials. Next, to study the treatment of vocabulary further at the micro-level, the study will focus on one unit in the two selected textbooks sharing the same theme. Results At the macro-level, the two textbooks are both clear and colored printed, theme-based, glossary included, visual aids provided, and practice given. They mainly differ in module components and word load in the glossary. At the micro-level, both of them give pre-teaching of new words before reading/listening, present words in context, provide scaffolding, follow a sequence of difficulty, integrate well with the development of other language skills, but they are different in some ways. Conclusion In terms of vocabulary treatment, results showed that both textbooks generally follow similar organization and presentation but differ in suggested teaching approaches. The textbook used in Mainland addresses on the word meaning while the textbook in Hong Kong follows a more implicit approach. In order to facilitate the evaluation of the vocabulary section in EFL textbooks, a new checklist and teaching implications for teachers are proposed in the thesis.

In an era of globalization, effective language education must transcend mere linguistic proficiency to cultivate deep cross-cultural awareness. This study proposes the integration of visual narratives into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) textbooks through a multimodal lens, combining Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA) with Sociocultural Theory (SCT) and Vygotsky’s Zone of Proxi-mal Development (ZPD). By analyzing the use of composition, color, and char-acter interactions within visual narratives, the research reveals that tradi-tional EFL textbooks often provide superficial cultural representations, whereas dy-namic visual narratives offer a more immersive and cognitively engaging learn-ing experience. The findings indicate that scaffolded instructional strate-gies leveraging these multimodal resources can significantly enhance both cul-tural understanding and second language acquisition, suggesting a promising frame-work for future curriculum design in EFL contexts.

This review synthesizes the role of applications designed for vocabulary learning in Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) in previous studies in the EFL (English as a Foreign Language) context from 2010-2022, according to a set of criteria: (quasi) experimental studies, open access peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, types of applications installed on smartphones, vocabulary learning in the EFL context, students, and publication period (2010-2022). Specifically, the paper emphasizes the role that vocabulary learning-tailored applications have played in impacting learners’ EFL vocabulary learning (henceforth EFLVL) process. The papers that have met the criteria (51 out of 146) were examined using a set of categories: context of the study, level of education, types of applications, learning impact, major, and gender. The analysis showed that specifically designed mobile applications play an important role in boosting learners’ EFL vocabulary knowledge, motivation, attitudes, and perceptions. Research gaps and future recommendations are suggested based on the findings.

In the context of English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching, textbooks play a crucial role in the classroom as the primary source of lexical input for learners. Thus, it is essential that textbooks can sufficiently facilitate learners in their overall comprehension and vocabulary learning, especially with the most frequent words in English. The study examined the vocabulary load of a locally-published EFL textbook in Vietnam for high school students focusing on the vocabulary coverage in relation to the 95% and 98% thresholds for text comprehension and the coverage of high-frequency word families in the textbook. To fulfil these objectives, a frequency-based analysis of word families using the Vocabprofilers on the https://www.lextutor.ca/ website was conducted with the 41,137-word textbook corpus. It is revealed that students need to have a vocabulary size of 3,000 and 5,000-word families to reach the coverage of 95% and 98% of the whole textbook, which would be too challenging for Vietnamese high school students. Moreover, the textbook was found not to represent the second 1,000-word list very well with the appearance of just over half of the second most frequent 1,000-word families. These findings highlight the role of teachers in adapting the textbook for more effective vocabulary learning and general comprehension of the materials.

This study explores young learners’ intelligibility of English vocabulary for young learners in the EFL (English as a Foreign Language) context using Digital Books vs Printed Books which focus on listening and pronunciation skills. The intelligibility was measured from listening tests. The research is an experimental study with a pretest–posttest control group design. Sixty-one out of 156 elementary level from grade 4th were taken randomly thirty students belonged to the control group while another thirty belonged to the experimental group. This study applied the Mann-Whitney Test. The result showed that young learners with digital books outperformed listening and pronunciation for young learners in the EFL context. In short, digital books with listening and pronunciation are very beneficial for young learners in acquiring EFL vocabulary.