A critical discourse analysis of communicative teaching in nonnative contexts in language pedagogy textbooks.

A critical discourse analysis of communicative teaching in nonnative contexts in language pedagogy textbooks.

To explore ways to improve the relevance of language teacher education to the aim of teaching for communication in Korea, the present study examines discursive patterns in passages on communicative teaching of nonnative-speaking teachers in non-Western contexts and related ideologies that are from four popular language pedagogy textbooks. The study draws on the critical discourse model proposed by Fairclough in examining how the texts normalize communicative teaching, and how they advocate its key features, which may be at least partially incompatible with local instructional situations like those of the non-West. The methodology of the study involved content analysis focusing on relevant passages concerning communicative teaching (including CLT), various teaching contexts, and nonnative-speaking teachers. The findings of the analyses revealed three major discursive patterns: representation of communicative ability as the universal goal, advocacy of communicative language teaching as the general method for achieving it, and implied negative presuppositions about nonnative teachers and their contexts. Informed by findings, this study concludes with two suggestions for language teacher educators: carefully use the texts so novice readers could contextualize the pedagogical knowledge, and address critical issues early in training to prevent reproducing the existing prejudice against nonnative speakers and their contexts. (197 words)