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A case study of the presentation of indirect complaints in an ELT textbook unit in Hong Kong: Its pedagogical implications
Author(s)
Date Issued
2019
Publisher
The Open University of Hong Kong
ISBN
9789888439607
Citation
Kwan, Y. H. (2018). A case study of the presentation of indirect complaints in an ELT textbook unit in Hong Kong: Its pedagogical implications. In by The Open University of Hong Kong (Ed.). 2018 International conference on bilingual learning and teaching e-proceedings. 2018 International Conference on Bilingual Learning and Teaching, OUHK Jockey Club Campus (pp. 63-68). The Open University of Hong Kong.
Type
Conference Paper
Abstract
Previous studies on ELT materials design have identified some limitations in the presentation of speech acts in commercially-produced textbooks. Yet, rarely do these studies suggest possible ways for frontline teachers to adapt textbooks to teach a target speech act. This paper intends to fill this niche through a case study which aims to evaluate the presentation of indirect complaints – which abound in daily conversations – in ELT textbooks, and draw pedagogical implications from the evaluation. In connection with the first aim, a unit selected from a popular junior secondary (Grades 7 to 9) ELT textbook series in Hong Kong was surveyed in detail through a page-by-page content analysis, with a focus on the ways the textbook unit introduces learners to indirect complaints. The evaluation of the unit revealed that, while it displayed relative strengths, three key issues merit attention. First, the explanation of the nature of complaining, as well as the distinction between direct and indirect complaints, appears to be insufficient. Second, the typical pragma-linguistic resources used in complaining are much neglected, as the language items introduced in the unit are by and large unrelated to complaint-making. Third, the unit falls short in drawing learners’ attention to the socio-pragmatic variables which may influence complainants’ strategy preferences and linguistic choices. After the evaluation of the unit, this paper addresses its second aim by presenting a sample unit plan and related teaching and learning activities to demonstrate how the surveyed textbook unit could be improved, with reference to the ideas of concept-based instruction, the noticing hypothesis and socio-
cultural theory. It is hoped that this paper will stimulate discussion on how ELT practitioners may gain insights from second language learning theories on how to modify textbook resources for teaching speech acts, including indirect complaints.
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