Probing into the Communicative Nature of Speaking Activities in Two Books: Vision 1 versus Solutions Elementary

Abstract

Since the emergence of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), textbooks in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) have sought to align with its principles in order to gain wider acceptance and credibility. On the other hand, enhancing speaking skills within the school context in Iran has become a pressing demand. A critical component in facilitating the attainment of this ambitious objective is the effective development and utilization of appropriate instructional materials. This study seeks to critically evaluate the efficacy of Vision 1, a domestically developed coursebook implemented in Iranian high schools, in comparison to the international standard exemplified by Solutions Elementary (E.). To this end, four evaluative criteria were utilized: the communicative nature of speaking tasks, alignment with the Weak or Strong version of CLT, the type of prompts used for eliciting speaking, and the frequency of speaking activities. Methodologically, content analysis was conducted, and the degree of inter-coder agreement was quantified using Cohen's Kappa. Subsequently, the obtained data underwent statistical scrutiny, encompassing both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. Non-parametric Chi-square goodness-of-fit tests were employed to discern statistically significant disparities between the two textbooks concerning the specified criteria. Outcomes indicated significant differences in all the four criteria used. Overall, Solutions E. exhibited superiority over Vision 1 in terms of both quantity and diversity of speaking activities. The activities in Solutions E. are more communicatively oriented, fostering willingness to communicate in the target learners. Recommendations were posited to ameliorate Vision 1, particularly in the sphere of speaking skill development in Iranian context.