2007 개정 교육과정에 따른 초등 국정 영어 교과서와 검정 영어 교과서의 어휘 비교

Abstract

To be able to fluently communicate in a foreign language, it is necessary to know the vocabulary. When Elementary School students learn English, they face vocabulary earlier than grammar and communicative skills. Therefore, to select the adequate words for learning English is the foundation of communicative competence of the students. This study analyzes Authorized Elementary School English textbooks and compares them with the results of the previous analysis by Jeong(2010), which analyzes Government-Designed Elementary School English textbooks. The purpose of this comparison is to see if the Authorized English textbooks are improved for learners, in terms of the following: ⅰ) the number of the basic words used; ⅱ) the number of new words for each lesson; ⅲ) the frequency and distribution rate of each word and intervals in which words appear; ⅳ) connection between 3rd and 4th grade. The results of the analysis are follows: First, the number of the basic words used is high in both Government-Designed textbooks and Authorized textbooks. Second, the distribution of new words per lesson is irregular and uneven in both textbooks. Third, the frequency of words is higher in Authorized textbooks. Words appearing more than six times in textbooks accounts for 83.9% in the 3rd grade, 57.2% on the 4th grade in Authorized textbooks; they increase about 6% in the 3rd and 12% in 4th grade, compared with those in the Government-Designed textbooks. Distribution rates of words are similar with those in both textbooks. Distribution rates of words over 4 accounts for 35.5% in the 3rd grade, and 10.7% in 4th grade. The intervals of repetition for each word are more effective in Government-Designed textbooks; they decrease about 15% in the 3rd and 7% in 4th grade in Authorized textbooks. Forth, Authorized textbooks connects between 3rd and 4th grade similar with Government-Designed textbooks. The selection of words needs to be in full consideration of frequency, distribution rate, and intervals of repetition. This can help students to learn a foreign language and to develop the communicative competence. As such, textbooks should be designed only after careful consideration of these factors.