EVALUATING ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEXTBOOKS IN BOSNIAN PRIMARY EDUCATION: STRUCTURE, LEARNER ENGAGEMENT, CULTURE, AND CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT

نویسندگان

  • Melisa Bureković Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Senad Mujičić Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Edina Rizvić-Eminović Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v12i7.6064

کلمات کلیدی:

textbook assessment, curriculum alignment, culture-based material, textbook comparison, primary school

چکیده

This study offers a comprehensive evaluation of two English language textbooks, Way to Go 8 and Challenges 4, widely used in primary schools in the Canton of Central Bosnia. Utilizing Littlejohn's analytical framework for material analysis and Xiao's model of cultural categorization, the research investigates the structural design, learner engagement strategies, curriculum alignment, and cultural content integration in both textbooks. The findings reveal that Challenges 4 exhibits greater coherence in design and organization, while Way to Go 8 demonstrates a fragmented presentation of topics and grammar. Both textbooks predominantly emphasize individual written exercises, focusing on information decoding and selection, while offering limited opportunities for developing functional skills such as problem-solving, communication, and critical thinking. Although both textbooks align with the official curriculum regarding topics, grammar, and vocabulary, the integration of cultural content is minimal and lacks depth, with cultural references being sporadic and not thoroughly embedded within the learning material. The study suggests that enhancing the incorporation of functional skill development activities and more substantial cultural content could improve the effectiveness of these textbooks in fostering comprehensive language proficiency among learners.

 

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بیوگرافی نویسندگان

  • Melisa Bureković، Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Melisa Bureković (PhD) is an Associate Professor in the Department of English Language and Literature at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. She obtained both her MA and PhD in Linguistics from the University of Sarajevo. Her teaching career began in primary and secondary schools before transitioning to higher education, where she has accumulated nineteen years of experience. Her research focuses on descriptive and theoretical syntax of English, corpus linguistics, and contrastive analysis, with a particular emphasis on their practical applications in language learning and teaching.

    ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-4036-9729

  • Senad Mujičić، Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Senad Mujičić earned his BA and MA degrees in English Language and Literature from the University of Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he is currently working as an external associate and pursuing a PhD. He is also employed as an English teacher in a primary school and as a freelance interpreter.

  • Edina Rizvić-Eminović، Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Edina Rizvić-Eminović (PhD) is an Associate Professor in the English Language and Literature Department at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. She earned her MA and PhD degrees in Linguistics from the University of Sarajevo. Her research interests and published articles revolve around contrastive analysis, ELT methodology and corpus linguistics. She is an active member of the Society for the Advancement of Applied Linguistics in Bosnia and Herzegovina (SAALinBiH) and the Society for the Study of English in Bosnia and Herzegovina (DAuBiH).

    ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7629-3984

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دانلودها

چاپ شده

2025-06-09

شماره

دوره 12 شماره 7 (2025)

نوع مقاله

Articles

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