Abstract:

As a result of the ubiquitous use of language learning textbooks and their global impact on language teaching, it is useful to explore the perspectives adopted by language textbook designers and writers. In general, the views on the functions and usefulness of language learning textbooks vary considerably. Nevertheless, the essential role that they play in language learning contexts cannot be disputed. Therefore, it is worth analysing the extent to which research has impacted on the underlying theories or approaches that writers of commercially available language textbooks consciously or unconsciously adopt.

In terms of underlying approaches, there has been a significant body of literature in the past few decades related to the importance of adopting a discourse-based (DB) approach to language teaching. A DB approach to teaching languages is a potential option for textbook writers to incorporate. This paper explores the extent to which the writers of a globally popular Japanese language learning textbook series titled ‘GENKI I: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese’ [1] and ‘GENKI II: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese’ [2], have incorporated elements of a DB approach to their textbook design.

The paper, furthermore, provides examples of supplementary materials used by one of the authors, an experienced teacher of the Japanese language, to illustrate how a discourse-based approach may be made more explicit when using the ‘Genki’ series, thus enhancing learner motivation and success.

References:
[1] Banno E, Ikeda, Y., & Ohno, Y. (2011). GENKI: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese I (2nd ed.). The Japan Times.
[2] Banno E, Ikeda, Y., & Ohno, Y. (2011). GENKI: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese II (2nd ed.). The Japan Times.

Keywords:

Foreign language, textbooks, text types, discourse modes, coherence, cohesion.