Foreign Languages
Ahmad Ramezani; Atoosa Rostambeik Tafreshi
Volume 15, Issue 36 , November 2015, , Pages 53-68
Abstract
Abstract The present study is conducted to analyze Prospect 1 (7th grade) according to functional approach. So, different processes will be categorized and compared based on the experiential metafunction introduced in systemic functional grammar (Halliday and Matthissen, 2014). The ...
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Abstract The present study is conducted to analyze Prospect 1 (7th grade) according to functional approach. So, different processes will be categorized and compared based on the experiential metafunction introduced in systemic functional grammar (Halliday and Matthissen, 2014). The research follows a descriptive-analytic method. The text of the book (instructions, conversations, and lessons) is classified into six process types including material, mental, relational, behavioral, verbal and existential. Then, the usage pattern of each will be demonstrated. For a better comparison the book is divided into four parts (each consisting of two lessons, exercises and the review). The results show that among 509 processes in the book, relational (36 %) is the most frequent one. The percentage frequencies of other processes are as follows: material (27%), behavioral (19%), verbal (14%), mental (4%), and existential (less than 1%). In the last two parts of the book, the percentage frequency of the relational process decreases. On the contrary, that of material process increases. The use of behavioral process is decreased to the end of the book while mental process reaches its highest occurrence in the last part of the book. In general, 60 different verbs (types) have been used in the book: material (35 verbs), mental (7 verbs), relational (4 verbs), behavioral (6 verbs), verbal (7 verbs), and existential (1 verb)
Foreign Languages
Parviz Alavinia; Maryam Zeinolabedini
Volume 15, Issue 36 , November 2015, , Pages 159-177
Abstract
The current study was conducted to evaluate 7th grade English course book entitled Prospect 1, which is the most recently designed English textbook intended as the initial instructional material for Iranian schools. To this end, Cisar’s (2000) model which is used to evaluate language books and ...
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The current study was conducted to evaluate 7th grade English course book entitled Prospect 1, which is the most recently designed English textbook intended as the initial instructional material for Iranian schools. To this end, Cisar’s (2000) model which is used to evaluate language books and reflects the principles of American Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) was applied. Furthermore, to run a more comprehensive analysis of the book, Basturkmen’s (2006) framework was utilized, as well. The findings of the current research indicate that though the authors of Prospect 1 have succeeded, to a large extent, in alleviating the pitfalls of the previous series, it seems that the entire book configuration still suffers from a number of serious drawbacks. Among these ostensible shortcomings mention can be made of the partial inadequacy of audiovisual resources used in the book. Furthermore, the occasional inclusion of some aspects of target culture in addition to those of Iranian culture might help ameliorate the efficiency of the book. Finally, using more variety in designing the book exercises might help augment learners’ motivation.
