In order to check what influence the research results and the consequential demands on foreign language lessons at primary level had on the currently used teaching material, I want to examine the popular books Playway 3 and Playway 4 (Klett, 2001 – Rainbow edition), which are used in the classes 3 and 4, and the additional material. There is a special edition for North-Rhine Westphalia, which differs slightly from the federal version. When English became an official subject in 2003 and the first provisional guidelines had been published, the State Government decided to use Playway only after a few changes would have been made. However, this paper is concerned with the federal edition, which was published in 2001 and is still used in many schools.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The components of the “Playway set”
3. The Pupil’s Books
3.1 Appearance, structure and general aspects of the Pupil’s Books
3.2 Distinctive features of book 3
3.3 Distinctive features of book 4
3.4 Evaluation of the findings
4. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper aims to analyze the "Playway 3" and "Playway 4" teaching materials, specifically the Pupil's Books, to evaluate their effectiveness and suitability for English language learning at the primary school level in Germany. The analysis investigates whether these materials successfully integrate communicative approaches, support the pupils' learning process through structured content, and address contemporary educational requirements such as intercultural learning and the promotion of social values.
- Design and structural analysis of the Pupil's Books
- Evaluation of the "SMILE" teaching methodology
- Assessment of auditory and oral skill development
- Analysis of age-appropriateness and learner motivation
- Examination of intercultural and social value representation
- Critique of autonomy and teacher dependence in the learning process
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Appearance, structure and general aspects of the Pupil’s Books
The first impression one gets of the books is that they are quite colourful and certainly appealing to children. The length of 60 (book 3) and 56 (book 4) pages and the measurements, which match roughly DIN A4, seem also suitable for children. Thus, the eight and nine years old children, for whom the books are designed, will surely have no problems with the weight, either. Probably because of the low number of pages, the books are published in paperback, which make the books rather appear as booklets.
A closer look at the design of the books reveals that every page contains at least one colourful drawing or colour photos, which present the tasks or show important information about them. Still, every picture serves a purpose and the number of colours represents a compromise between aiming at realistic depictions and creating an attractive atmosphere for children. The title Playway mirrors this compromise and expresses the intention of the authors who claim that the set helps learning English in a playful way. The aspect of playfulness will be looked at later in greater detail when the characteristics of the tasks are discussed. However, it must be mentioned that book 4 definitely contains more text than book 3, which indicates a shifting focus away from playful learning within the Playway set.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter contextualizes the introduction of English as a primary school subject and outlines the research objective, which is to analyze the "Playway" federal edition series.
2. The components of the “Playway set”: This section provides an overview of the various materials comprising the series, including the Teacher's Book, Pupil's Books, Activity Books, and multimedia equipment like CDs and puppets.
3. The Pupil’s Books: This core chapter presents a detailed analysis of the books' design, their specific features in both book 3 and book 4, and an evaluation of their pedagogical effectiveness and limitations.
4. Conclusion: The concluding section summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of the "Playway" set, noting its solid concept while highlighting deficits regarding intercultural learning and autonomous use.
Keywords
Playway, Primary School, English as a Foreign Language, Teaching Material, Pupil's Book, Communicative Approach, Intercultural Learning, SMILE Method, Language Acquisition, Education, Textbook Analysis, Didactics, Primary Level, Learning Motivation, Foreign Language Teaching
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this analysis?
The paper focuses on the analysis of the "Playway" (Rainbow Edition) teaching material, specifically the Pupil's Books for class 3 and class 4, used in German primary schools.
What are the central themes discussed in the publication?
The analysis covers the design, structure, teaching methodology (the "SMILE" method), content relevance, and the integration of intercultural and social values within the textbooks.
What is the primary research goal of this paper?
The goal is to evaluate whether the selected "Playway" books are suitable for young learners and if they meet contemporary educational requirements for foreign language teaching at the primary level.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author uses a qualitative textbook analysis approach, derived from a schoolbook analysis checklist, to assess the content, design, and teaching concepts systematically.
What is treated in the main part of the paper?
The main part focuses on an in-depth examination of the Pupil's Books, comparing the structural design, the language level, and the frequency of exercise types in books 3 and 4.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Playway, Primary School, English as a Foreign Language, Textbook Analysis, SMILE Method, and Intercultural Learning.
How does the author evaluate the "SMILE" method in relation to the books?
The author notes that while the "SMILE" method intends to promote learning with all senses, this is partially seen as exaggerated in practice, as the books lack sufficient exercises involving senses like tasting or smelling.
Why does the author argue that the materials have limitations regarding intercultural learning?
The author points out that intercultural aspects in the books are rare and isolated, failing to sufficiently interconnect the foreign culture with the pupils' own culture as required by modern didactics.
- Quote paper
- Sebastian Heinrichs (Author), 2005, An introduction and analysis of teaching material for English as a foreign language at primary level (Playway – Rainbow Edition), Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/74944
