Aspects of Vocabulary KnowleDGE in Year 6 and 7 EFL COURSEBOOKs

Abstract

This article presents a content analysis of vocabulary activities in selected lower-secondary coursebooks used in the Czech Republic in Years 6 and 7. The analysis is based on I. S. P. Nation’s classification of aspects of word knowledge that learners should acquire to master vocabulary knowledge. Accordingly, the aim is to discover which aspects of vocabulary knowledge are covered in the selected coursebooks. Levels 1 and 2 of Project Explore and Your Space are analysed, and vocabulary activities are classified based on the primary goal of each activity. The aspect of grammatical functions and that of form and meaning are covered most, whereas the aspect of concept and referents is not covered in Years 6 and 7 at all, and the aspect of constraints on use is not covered in Year 6. The present research can benefit the authors of coursebooks and other teaching materials and the teachers who use selected coursebooks.