Biography of an English language textbook in Kenya : a journey from conceptualization to the classroom
This biography tells the life story of a secondary school English coursebook in Kenya following market liberalization (1998) and curriculum review (2002). In ELT, Gray (2007, 2010) first applied the âcircuit of cultureâ model to global English coursebooks; in contrast, I examine the case of a single local publication. The textbook has been described as a politico-economic, socio-cultural, and curriculum product. I focus on it primarily as a curriculum product and delink the circuit of culture from its original application in textbook studies in the service of a sociocultural perspective. I posit that the model has the explanatory power to capture the various research focuses that textbook studies may take. The circuit of culture has five processes or âmomentsâ: representation, identity, regulation, production and consumption. Following preliminary work, my âjourneyâ begins in the representation moment, using Littlejohnâs (1992, 1998) framework for materials analysis. In the regulation moment, I interview three participants linked to the curriculum development body (KIE). In the production moment, I interview four authors, the editor and the publishing manager of the selected coursebook. In the
Kiai, Alice Wanjira
LB1603 Secondary Education. High schools ; PE English
Biography of an English language textbook in Kenya : a journey from conceptualization to the classroom. This biography tells the life story of a secondary school English coursebook in Kenya following market liberalization (1998) and curriculum review (2002). In ELT, Gray (2007, 2010) first applied the âcircuit of cultureâ model to global English coursebooks; in contrast, I examine the case of a single local publication. The textbook has been described as a politico-economic, socio-cultural, and curriculum product. I focus on it primarily as a curriculum product and delink the circuit of culture from its original application in textbook studies in the service of a sociocultural perspective. I posit that the model has the explanatory power to capture the various research focuses that textbook studies may take. The circuit of culture has five processes or âmomentsâ: representation, identity, regulation, production and consumption. Following preliminary work, my âjourneyâ begins in the representation moment, using Littlejohnâs (1992, 1998) framework for materials analysis. In the regulation moment, I interview three participants linked to the curriculum development body (KIE). In the production moment, I interview four authors, the editor and the publishing manager of the selected coursebook. In the
biography english_language textbook kenya journey conceptualization classroom biography tell life story secondary_school english kenya follow market curriculum review elt first apply circuit culture model global english contrast examine case single local publication textbook describe politico_economic socio_cultural curriculum product focus_primarily curriculum product circuit culture original application textbook study service sociocultural perspective posit model explanatory_power capture various focus textbook study may_take circuit culture process moment representation identity regulation production_consumption following preliminary work journey begin representation moment use framework material analysis regulation moment interview participant link curriculum development body production moment interview author editor publishing manager select