A proverb in need is a proverb indeed: Proverbs, textbooks and communicative language ability

2020-02-01
Hatipoğlu, Çiler
Show full item record
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
169
views
126
downloads
In the study reported here we focus on proverbs in English Language Teaching (ELT) coursebooks and how the pithy structure and the "wisdom"-loaded content of proverbs can contribute to the development of foreign language learners' communicative competence as defined by Bachman (1990). We discuss how the most frequently used coursebooks in the context of English as a foreign language (EFL) were identified through a questionnaire administered to 127 first and fourthyear EFL pre-service teachers. We also show how these popular coursebooks were scrutinised for the inclusion and presentation of proverbs by using content analysis and an analysis form to uncover (1) the number of the proverbs incorporated, (2) whether or not the presentation of the proverbs in the coursebooks would foster the development of the competencies identified by Bachman (1990), and (3) whether they were among the most known and frequently used proverbs in present-day English (i.e., currency). The findings reveal a number of problems related to the frequency and currency of the included proverbs, and to the adequacy of the presentation of the proverbs in the examined coursebooks to help students' develop their communicative competence.
Education, Communicative competence, ELT textbooks, Proverbs, Teaching English
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/40599
SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION
Department of Foreign Language Education, Article

Suggestions

A proverb in need is a proverb indeed: Examination of the proverbs in the coursebooks used in high schools in Turkey
Hatipoğlu, Çiler (Education Association of South Africa, 2020-04-01)
In the study reported here we focus on proverbs in English Language Teaching (ELT) coursebooks and how the pithy structure and the “wisdom”-loaded content of proverbs can contribute to the development of foreign language learners’ communicative competence as defined by Bachman (1990). We discuss how the most frequently used coursebooks in the context of English as a foreign language (EFL) were identified through a questionnaire administered to 127 first and fourthyear EFL pre-service teachers. We also show ...
EFL instructors’ cognitions and actions in relation to foreign language learning and teaching processes
Öztürk, Mustafa; Yıldırım, Ali; Department of Educational Sciences (2014)
The purpose of this study is to investigate EFL instructors’ language learning cognitions regarding linguistic aptitude, priorities in language learning, and good language learners; and language teaching actions with respect to pedagogical inclinations, instructional planning, error correction, learner-centeredness, and personal and professional development. The study also aims to describe the patterns of the relationships existing among those variables and examine the sources contributing to teachers’ cogn...
What makes an EFL textbook effective?: learner perceptions about characteristics of effective EFL textbooks
Hopa, Merve; Savaş, Perihan; Department of English Language Teaching (2019)
This study was carried out to investigate learner perceptions as to what constitutes an effective EFL textbook generally, in terms of grammar and vocabulary, four basic skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking), and communicative content. To this end, a mixed method of inquiry was adopted, and 117 participants (93 male, 24 female; mean age: 19.78) participated the study by filling out a questionnaire that was prepared by the researcher in addition to 12 people who took part in the semi-structured inter...
Standardized testing for transition to high schools: teachers ́ perceptions of how national tests influence teaching and learning in middle schools english classes
Ekiz, Hatice; Yıldırım, Ali.; Department of Curriculum and Instruction (2019)
The purpose of this research study is to identify the impact of national tests on teaching and learning in middle school English classes through teachers’ perceptions. Through a phenomenological design, semi-structured interviews were used to gather data with 24 in-service teachers working in public and private middle schools in Denizli. The data were analysed through the emerging themes and codes within the scope of research questions. Similarities and differences between public and private middle schools ...
Using Grice's cooperative principle and its maxims to analyze problems of coherence in Turkish and English essays
Zor, Bayram Mustafa; Ruhi, Şükriye; Department of Foreign Language Education (2006)
Coherence in written discourse has been a problematic concept for many English Language Teachers when teaching to write in English. It is considered as a crucial part of academic written discourse, which students are expected to master to be able to pursue their academic studies. This study aims to examine how much the coherence-related difficulties/problems of Turkish EFL students in writing English essays are related to writing Turkish essays. The subjects for this study were chosen from the upper-interme...
Citation Formats
Ç. Hatipoğlu, “A proverb in need is a proverb indeed: Proverbs, textbooks and communicative language ability,” SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION, pp. 0–0, 2020, Accessed: 00, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://hdl.handle.net/11511/40599.
METU IIS - Integrated Information Service open@metu.edu.tr