Targeted language use in teaching materials

Research in foreign language pedagogy has shown that foreign language learning can be facilitated through the conscious and systematic, i.e. targeted, use of language in the classroom. This concerns not only the type of language use the teacher employs and elicits, but also the way language is employed and elicited in teaching materials. Given the central role teaching materials play in foreign language teaching (Guerrettaz & Johnston, 2013; Tomlinson, 2012), we investigate whether teaching materials integrate scientific insights regarding targeted language use. Based on prior research, this study formulates three so-called Principles of Targeted Language Use in teaching materials: These should (1) foster – not hinder – target language use, (2) incorporate learners' prior linguistic knowledge, and (3) expose the learner to intra-linguistic variation. We consider principles 2 and 3 particularly relevant for a more plurilingual and inclusive approach to the teaching neighbor languages. An instrument is presented to determine to what extent teaching materials align with the principles of targeted language use. Subsequently, we demonstrate the application of the instrument by exploring German FL textbooks from the Netherlands and Dutch FL textbooks from Germany. We will focus on the question whether these textbooks utilize the linguistic proximity of the two neighbor languages. Results show that German FL textbooks from the Netherlands make different choices than Dutch FL textbooks from Germany when it comes to the implementation of our three principles of targeted language use and the incorporation of prior language knowledge, in particular.  In addition to this, our analysis indicates that the instrument is an appropriate means to indicate the application of the three Principles of Targeted Language Use in teaching materials.  Guerrettaz, A.M., & Johnston, B. (2013). Materials in the classroom ecology. The Modern Language Journal, 97(3), 779–796. Tomlinson, B. (2012). Materials development for foreign language learning and teaching. Language Teaching, 45, 143–179.