2009 개정 교육과정에 따른 중학교 1학년 교과서 어휘 적정성 분석

Abstract

As we are foreign language learners, we have to acquire an adequate level of vocabulary knowledge to improve our communication skills. In Korea, most teachers and students depend on textbooks during English class. Thus, the vocabulary in the textbooks must be adequate and useful for students to study effectively. Also, students need to encounter useful vocabulary items repeatedly to acquire them naturally. The purpose of this study was to analyze the adequacy of vocabulary in Middle School English 1 textbooks based on the 2009 revised national curriculum. Since most of the new vocabulary items appear in the reading passages, this study focuses on the reading section. Three different Middle School English 1 textbooks were randomly chosen and analyzed using vocabulary analysis tools to explore the adequacy of vocabulary used in the textbooks. This study dealt with three questions: (1) Are new vocabulary items distributed evenly across units in each textbook? (2) Do textbooks vary in the number of new vocabulary items presented? (3) Are new vocabulary items repeated sufficiently and at regular intervals? It was found that units varied considerably in the number of new words. However, the three textbooks presented approximately the same number of new words. It was also revealed that new vocabulary items were not repeated enough. More importantly, only rarely were new words repeated at appropriate intervals. The findings of this study suggest that more care should be exerted in presenting new vocabulary items in textbooks. Pedagogical implications of the study are discussed, and suggestions for improvement in materials development are provided. Also, directions for future research is suggested.