An introduction and analysis of teaching material for English as a foreign language at primary level (Playway – Rainbow Edition)

Inhaltsverzeichnis (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

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper examines the popular English teaching materials, Playway 3 and Playway 4 (Klett, 2001 - Rainbow Edition), used in classes 3 and 4, to determine their suitability for teaching English as a foreign language at the primary level. The analysis focuses on the Pupil's Books and evaluates their content, methods, design, and structure, while also considering the integration of additional materials.

• The influence of research results and demands on foreign language lessons at primary level on current teaching materials.
• The effectiveness and appropriateness of Playway for teaching English as a foreign language at the primary level.
• An assessment of the Pupil's Books' content, methods, design, and structure, including implicit depictions of values.
• The role of additional materials in the Playway set and their integration with the Pupil's Books.
• A comprehensive evaluation of the Playway set, considering its advantages and disadvantages for primary level English language teaching.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The first chapter provides background information on the introduction of English as a foreign language in German primary schools, highlighting the debate surrounding its implementation and the advantages of early language learning. It also discusses the aims, content, and methods of English lessons at this level.

Chapter two offers a detailed overview of the components of the "Playway set," including the Teacher's Book, Pupil's Book, Activity Book, videocassettes, audio CDs, Picture Cards, Word Cards, Story Cards (Playway 3 only), and the hand puppet Max.

Chapter three focuses on the Pupil's Books. It begins by analyzing the similarities between Playway 3 and Playway 4, examining aspects such as their appearance, structure, and general characteristics. The chapter then delves into the distinctive features of each book, highlighting their individual content, exercises, and language levels.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

Key terms and concepts explored in this paper include: English as a foreign language, primary education, teaching materials, Playway, Pupil's Books, content analysis, methods, design, structure, additional materials, intercultural learning, values, ethical issues, communicative language skills, and the SMILE method.