중등 영어교과서의 연계성 연구

Abstract

This study is based on data from 20 English textbooks from the 1st grade of middle school to the 1st grade of high school. The purpose of this study is to analyze the connectivity of English textbooks and discover problems therein based on readability. This study collected a total of 240 text samples from 5 kinds of textbooks from 4 grades between the 1st grade of middle school and the 1st grade of high school. The samples were taken from the reading section of each unit, excluding dialogue, listening comprehension and exercises. The results of the analysis are as follows: 1. Differences in each grade are desirable in most areas including vocabulary and syllable count. This suggests that during the writing and preparation phase of English textbooks connectivity must have been taken into consideration. 2. Some textbooks have very large quantitative differences between year levels: In textbook A, between the 3rd grade of middle school and the 1st grade of high school; in textbook B, between the 2nd grade of middle school and the 3rd grade of middle school; and in textbook C, between the 3rd grade of middle school and 1st grade of high school. 3. Certain textbooks were poorly organized with reference to connectivity, as in the case of textbook D. The number of sentences doubled in textbook D between the 1st grade of middle school and the 2nd grade of middle school. 4. Some textbooks were very systematically organized with reference to connectivity, as in the case of textbook E. Textbook E was the only series that showed a flawless increase in regards to quantitative aspects of the reading sections. Suggestions based on the results of this study are as follows: 1. Connectivity should always be considered during the process of publishing textbooks so that differences in readability display desirable gradations. 2. Even when textbooks are published by the same publisher, if the writer (or group of writers) for the textbooks in question is different, communication between the writers is recommended. 3. There should be a standard of readability. If there were a criterion for the degree of difficulty of vocabulary and grammar of sentences, publishers could set up a systematic degree of difficulty for textbooks during the process of writing a textbook.