TWO EFL TEACHERS EXPLORATIONS OF THEIR OWN COURSEBOOK

TWO EFL TEACHERS’ EXPLORATIONS OF THEIR OWN COURSEBOOK USAGE Ph. D Research Stefan Rathert strathert@gmail. com The Open University 17 July, 2020

Research idea UTILIZING REFLECTIVE PRACTICE AS A TOOL TO EXPLORE COURSEBOOK BELIEFS AND EXPLOITATION: A CASE STUDY 2

Research idea UTILIZING REFLECTIVE PRACTICE AS A TOOL TO EXPLORE COURSEBOOK BELIEFS AND EXPLOITATION: A CASE STUDY • What do English language teachers think about coursebooks? • How do they use coursebooks? 3

Research idea UTILIZING REFLECTIVE PRACTICE AS A TOOL TO EXPLORE COURSEBOOK BELIEFS AND EXPLOITATION: A CASE STUDY • What do English language teachers think about coursebooks? • How do they use coursebooks? 4 • recent criticism towards reflective practice: not data-led; lack of cooperation • own interest in teacher development

Research Questions 1. What beliefs do the teachers hold about English as a foreign language coursebooks and their own coursebook exploitation? 2. How do the teachers exploit the coursebook? a. What reasons do they provide for their exploitation? b. Do stated beliefs about coursebooks and coursebook exploitation resonate with realised practices? 3. How does the reflective practice promote the exploration of the teachers’ beliefs and practices? 4. How do the teachers perceive reflective practice for their own professional development?

pre-study Methodology: data collection tools and procedures metaphor elicitation task (A coursebook is…) pre-study interview observation 1 Alice intervention observation 1 Fiona pre-lesson interview post-lesson journal stimulated recall 1 Alice stimulated recall journal stimulated recall 1 Fiona stimulated recall journal reflective practice session 1 y journal practice journal (Fiona) reflective (Alice) (6 lessons) practice

Methodology: Research design and theoretical framework formative intervention research methodology (Penuel, 2014; Engeström, Sannino and Virkkunen, 2014) � participants engaged in an activity that expands their professional knowledge so that they “learn something that is not yet there” (Engeström & Sannino, 2010, p. 2) � method of double stimulation (Vygotsky, 1987): an aspect of practice (the first stimulus) is explored through an intervention (the second stimulus) first stimulus: the teachers’ coursebook beliefs and exploitation second stimulus: reflective practice

Methodology: Research design and theoretical framework qualitative research with constructivist/interpretivist orientation � “inquirer and research participants act together to cocreate knowledge and create a new, shared reality” (Lincoln & Guba, 2013, p. 41)

Methodology: Research design and theoretical framework qualitative research with constructivist/interpretivist orientation � “inquirer and research participants act together to cocreate knowledge and create a new, shared reality” (Lincoln & Guba, 2013, p. 41) case study (Yazan, 2015; Yin, 2015)

Data preparation and analysis 2004; Saldana, 2009; Schmidt, 2004) Observed data � identification of key events � coding with preestablished codes (Lankshear & Knobel,

Coursebook exploitation adaptation • omission • addition • substitution • modification

Coursebook exploitation “a headache-inducing variety of adaptation alternative terms and • omission categorization” (Mc. Grath, 2013, p. 63) • addition • substitution • modification

Exploitation: framework of the study main category subcategory example omission: subtracting (Mc. Donough, Shaw & reduction in length Masuhara, 2013, p. 72) omission of some minimal pairs in pronunciation practice (Mc. Donough et al. , 2013, p. 72) (language) : reduction in length without impact on methodology (quantitative reduction) abridging (Mc. Donough et al. , 2013, p. 72): qualitative reduction with impact on methodology discussion questions at the end of a unit are omitted (Mc. Donough et al. , 2013, p. 72) (process/content)

Exploitation: framework of the study main category subcategory example addition: extemporisation (Mc. Grath, 2016, p. paraphrasing rubric of an exercise (process) increase in the length of material 70) : addition of information or an explanation as a response to a perceived or anticipated problem extending (Mc. Donough et al. , 2013, p. 70; Mc. Grath, 2016, pp. 71 -72) minimal pairs added to pronunciation exercise (Mc. Donough et al. , 2013, p. 70) (language) “supply more of the same” (Mc. Donough et al. , 2013, p. 70) expanding (Mc. Donough et al. , 2013, p. 71): adding a new component leading to a change of the methodology exploiting (Mc. Grath, 2016, p. 71): use of material for different purpose supplementing (Mc. Grath, 2013, p. 71): adding a new component to the coursebook content without changing the after gap-filling activity related to should, the teacher reads sentences containing problems (e. g. I’m tired) to elicit recommendations from the learners (You should drink coffee) (process) picture attached to a reading text used to prompt learners to generate their own questions to be answered in the reading text (process) a photo (not existing in the coursebook) used to introduce vocabulary related to a reading text (Mc. Donough et al. , 2013, p. 71; Mc. Grath, 2013, p.

Exploitation: framework of the study main category example substitution: a reading text is replaced with another reading text (language) replacing a component with another component (for approximately the same purpose) (cf. Maley, 2011, p. 382) main category subcategory example modification: restructuring: change of language, process or content in a coursebook (cf. Mc. Grath, modification of texts and exercises with an impact on modality and/or task administration listening text turned into reading text (process) 2016, pp. 71 -72) rewriting: modification of the language in texts or exercises (sentence structure, lexical content, grammatical structure or cultural content) reordering: the internal order of a text or the order of components in the coursebook is changed a role play foreseen to be acted out in a pub is acted out in the context of a café (Gray, 2000) (content) different grammatical means to express the future (will, be going to, present continuous, present simple) spread over different units in a coursebook covered in a lesson (Mc. Donough et al. , 2013, pp. 75 -76)

Data preparation and analysis (Lankshear & Knobel, 2004; Saldana, 2009; Schmidt, 2004) Observed data � identification of key events � coding with preestablished codes Spoken and written data � open coding/first cycle coding methods � assembling initial codes into coding categories (second cycle coding methods) � allocating coding categories to themes

Coding of written and transcribed data (adapted from Schmidt, 2004) 17 transcriptio n of spoken data repeated reading through the data open coding/first cycle coding methods assembling initial codes into coding categories (second cycle coding methods) re-coding of the data by applying the coding categories to the data

Validity and reliability piloting triangulation establishing mutually exclusive coding categories (Stemler, 2001) respondent validation (Bryman, 2012) thick description of the research context (Miles & Huberman, 1994)

Validity and reliability ethical issues: � participants not "subjects at risk" (Fraekel & Wallen, 2006, p. 55) � transparency in terms of explaining rationale, aims and procedures (Miller & Bell, 2002/2005) � consent forms (from participating teachers and learners observed) � institutional permission

Findings: Realised exploitations (Alice) Realised adaptations Frequency extemporisation 7 restructuring 5 supplementation 5 expanding 3 abridging 2 exploitation 2 rewriting 2 substituting 2 subtracting 1 Total 29

Alice's justifications for realised coursebook exploitations: Teaching environment 13% Learner 13% Teacher 14% Immediate lesson or course context Coursebook 26% 33% I choose the topics according to my own preferences. I’m not very sure about that. (Stimulated Recall Journal 4 Alice) .

Topics addressed throughout the reflective practice Theme Topics instructional practice classroom discourse questioning seating arrangement (…) learner autonomy proficiency level affective needs (…) teacher preference colleagues professional dissatisfaction (…) material content functions of coursebook content Teacher's Book (…) planning written plan learning objectives compulsory lesson planning (…)

Reflective practice: Functions noticing discussing evaluating alternative agenda setting uptake collegiality

Reflective practice: Perceptions appreciation discomfort observation effect observing oneself

Limitations reduced generalisability of results: � specific school context � low number of participants � coursebook (global ELT coursebook) � duration