Eliciting Pre-Service EFL Teachers’ Views on Coursebooks Through Metaphorical Language

Abstract

Unearthing pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards coursebooks might well have important implications both for pre- and in-service teacher education since of all the wide range of materials used in English language teaching (ELT), coursebooks are still the most widely used materials in school settings. In this regard, this study aims to surface pre-service English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ beliefs on coursebooks through metaphorical language. Data gathered from 129 Turkish pre-service teachers of English are presented and discussed in the present study. Qualitative content analysis was employed in this study to analyze the metaphors provided by the pre-service EFL teachers. The participants produced 70 different metaphors for coursebooks and data analysis revealed seven conceptual categories: Guidance, Resource, Support, Access to New Opportunities, Worthlessness, Restrictions and Boredom. The participants produced mostly positive metaphors for coursebooks and saw coursebooks as a support and guide for language education.