Proposed Framework for enhancing Intercultural Communicative Competence in Bangladeshi ELT textbooks

Abstract

In an attempt to address the commercial, instrumental, and generalizing aspects of the English for Today (EfT) textbook series, the official ELT textbooks locally produced for Class 1-12, this paper proposes an intercultural communicative framework for their construction and improvement. This framework builds on the elements of previous recommended frameworks from different nations, incorporating essential elements that are crucial in the Bangladeshi context. This study seeks to make clear which components of ELT textbooks should be added in order to enhance Bangladeshi students’ intercultural and communicative competencies based on the shortcoming of the present English for Today textbooks. The framework suggests the textbook should be divided into sections such as pre-text, text, images, and post-text activities. Here the pre-text should be based on knowledge, abridged extracts or authentic texts need to be included from multicultural contexts aligned with comprehensive images and finally post-text activities are intended to develop skills, attitudes and cultural awareness. The authors clearly outlined the roles of the teachers, students, and potential threats in every step of pre-text, text, images, and post-text exercises. To our knowledge, such type of framework has not yet been prepared or published for ELT textbooks in Bangladesh.