The author-initiated discourses in the selected English textbooks in Southeast Asia: a World Englishes paradigm

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn pedagogy, English textbooks in Southeast Asia are an integral part of propagating the use of English among the Asian learners. True to many ESL and EFL instruction, the use of textbook is an important tool for effective language teaching and learning. Language teaching in itself is closely tied to textbooks use since the latter is utilized for independent learning in culturally and pluralistic Southeast Asian contexts (Williams, 1983; Rivers, 1981). This research is particularly interested in analyzing the author-initiated discourses in the selected English textbooks for high school students in Southeast Asia. It is exploratory and illustrative anchored on a grounded theory. The authorial-initiated discourses refer to the author’s instruction demonstrated in the presentation of the lesson, citing of examples, recall of the previous lessons, and instruction for the activities. The objectives of the study are to find out the evidence of World Englishes (WE) perspectives on pedagogy in the selected English textbooks in Southeast Asia, and illustrate their indicative features that concretize these WE perspectives. Two (2) English language textbooks for Junior/Senior High school students in either public/government or private schools were used from each of the four (4) Southeast Asian countries prescribed by their respective Ministry/Department of Education. Purposely, the country-selection got these textbook from two (2) countries from the Outer Circle, and two (2) countries from the Expanding Circle.Based on the analysis, it will generate implications on pedagogy (whether the instruction is framed after ‘Native-Speakers/Westerners Norms,’ or to the ‘Local-Speaker Norms’), on cross-cultural communication, on language policy in textbook use, and on the current development of the ‘new’ Englishes illustrated in the author-initiated discourses in the selected English textbooks in Southeast Asia.