Challenges in textbook use at the university level

an exploratory empirical analysis of acceptance of aspects related to vocabulary, grammar and exercises in the DaF Kompakt textbook

Abstract

Among the many available foreign language (FL) resources, textbooks have undoubtedly been one of the core elements in teaching-learning mechanisms in classrooms for many decades (RÖSLER; SCHART 2016). This paper extends current discussions on the use of textbooks for teaching German as a Foreign Language, specifically within the context of Brazilian universities. The purpose here is to present and provide a critical discussion – based on an exploratory-interpretive survey (CASPARI; HELBIG; SCHMELTER 2007) – of student perceptions of the textbook DaF Kompakt, used by one university in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, that offers Portuguese and German Language and Literature Studies. This paper opens with an initial discussion of the role of the textbook and student beliefs and perceptions about teaching and learning German as a Foreign Language; it then presents and analyses the data collected through a qualitative survey of university students; finally, it suggests a research agenda exploring possibilities of critical analyses of foreign language textbook use, together with a comparative investigation in greater depth, exploring the limits and possibilities of the materials used in German language courses at universities in Brazil.