Fostering communicative competence through reading: An analysis of a current EFL textbook

Abstract

Reading is one of the most challenging skills and it is also a crucial factor for the attainment of communicative competence (Hymes 1971). For readers to achieve success in this task, they must be able to comprehend what they read, that is, reading comprehension is the expected and desirable outcome of reading. For this to be done, and since reading is a process, a series of steps need to be followed to eventually achieve reading comprehension. In this regard, some researchers emphasise the importance of a series of aspects in the reading process. For example, Usó-Juan (2007), states that effective reading comprehension should address the following five areas: i) automaticity development, ii) vocabulary development, iii) background knowledge development, iv) development of strategic readers, and v) extensive reading development. The way reading was viewed has changed a great deal since the past decades (Usó-Juan & Martínez-Flor 2006). Accordingly, reading material has been improved. However, we do not know to what extent EFL (English Foreign Language) readers are provided with textbooks which really help them in the difficult task of comprehending what they read. Little attention has been paid to reading material used in the EFL classroom. For this reason, the aim of this study is to analyse an EFL textbook currently used in secondary schools in Castellón de la Plana to determine whether it follows a communicative perspective for the development of reading comprehension. Specifically, this study checks if the five above-mentioned areas are addressed in the textbook, and also if they are organised in pre-, while-, and post-reading activities (Aebersold & Lee Field 1997). Results are discussed and pedagogical implications are suggested.