Two Decades of Research on ELT Textbook Content: A Bibliometric and Content Analysis
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| Title: | Two Decades of Research on ELT Textbook Content: A Bibliometric and Content Analysis |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Jinfen Xu (ORCID |
| Source: | Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching. 2026 16(1):165-190. |
| Availability: | Adam Mickiewicz University Department of English Studies. Faculty of Pedagogy and Fine Arts, Ul. Nowy Swiat 28-30, 62-800 Kailsz, Poland. e-mail: ssllt@amu.edu.pll; Web site: http://pressto.amu.edu.pl/index.php/ssllt |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 26 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Information Analyses Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Textbook Evaluation, Content Analysis, Bibliometrics, English (Second Language), Language Teachers, Educational Trends, Educational Research, Linguistic Input, Culturally Relevant Education |
| ISSN: | 2083-5205 2084-1965 |
| Abstract: | Using high-quality articles obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection, this paper seeks to offer an overview of research on ELT textbook content spanning from 2003 to 2022. We first identify publication trends, prolific journals, highly cited papers, and influential references. Then, we code the collected data across four dimensions: research topics, analytical tools, textbook types, and textbook levels. Key findings reveal that there is growing academic interest in this field, with "vocabulary" and "gender ideology" as prominent themes, alongside emerging topics like "task," "linguistic complexity," and "environmental values"; and we find that "corpus-based" and ("critical") "content analyses" are widely used methods. Furthermore, the distribution of research efforts appears uneven across primary school, secondary school, and university levels, as well as in the study of general English textbooks and English textbooks for specific purposes. This paper will be valuable for stakeholders involved in ELT textbook development, particularly those new to the field and seeking guidance on current research trends, methodological approaches, and emerging themes in textbook content analysis. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 20260101 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1513444 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Using high-quality articles obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection, this paper seeks to offer an overview of research on ELT textbook content spanning from 2003 to 2022. We first identify publication trends, prolific journals, highly cited papers, and influential references. Then, we code the collected data across four dimensions: research topics, analytical tools, textbook types, and textbook levels. Key findings reveal that there is growing academic interest in this field, with "vocabulary" and "gender ideology" as prominent themes, alongside emerging topics like "task," "linguistic complexity," and "environmental values"; and we find that "corpus-based" and ("critical") "content analyses" are widely used methods. Furthermore, the distribution of research efforts appears uneven across primary school, secondary school, and university levels, as well as in the study of general English textbooks and English textbooks for specific purposes. This paper will be valuable for stakeholders involved in ELT textbook development, particularly those new to the field and seeking guidance on current research trends, methodological approaches, and emerging themes in textbook content analysis. |
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| ISSN: | 2083-5205 2084-1965 |
