What is ‘global’ in an ELT global coursebook?
A linguistic analysis of the New Headway Upper‑Intermediate Student’s Book
The adjective ‘global’ has become a buzzword in recent years, not least in academia. Within the area of English Language Teaching (ELT) in particular, ‘global coursebooks’ have aroused a great deal of interest, but also much suspicion, as their content turns out not to be as universal as the adjective ‘global’ might literally mean. In this paper, I investigate the 2014 New Headway Upper-Intermediate Student’s Book and bring to light some of the ideological constructions underpinning this supposedly global course material. As a result of this analysis, I provide an expanded characterisation of the ELT global textbook, regarding it as a course built upon standard language ideologies rather than, as suggested by previous studies, as an artefact shaped by a predominantly neoliberal agenda.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.The global textbook in ELT research
- 2.1Elements of definition
- 2.2The global coursebook in John Gray’s words: Deterritorialisation, inclusivity, neoliberalism
- 3.A qualitative linguistic analysis of NH UI SB
- 3.1The linguistic segment as an under-researched constituent of ELT global textbooks
- 3.2Delving into the phonology of NH UI SB
- 3.3Unveiling assumptions in NH UI SB imparted by grammatical prescriptivism
- 3.4Sorting over-lexicalised words: Work, education, money, leisure activities, cars
- 3.5Aspirational content serving standard language ideologies
- 4.What is then ‘global’ in NH UI SB?
- 4.1Discussion of findings
- 4.2Further comments: Multiculturalism and deterritorialisation
- 5.Conclusion
- Acknowledgements
- Notes
-
References
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