Orthographic and Phonological Features of English Textbooks in Junior High School in Japan

Yoko Ichiyama

Abstract: Although the acquisition of English graphophonemicsthat is, knowledge of the relationships between letters and soundsrequires explicit instruction, especially for learners of English as a foreign language (EFL), English textbooks in Japan rarely address that aspect of language. To partly overcome such neglect, this paper reports an analysis of the orthographic and phonological features of 964 words included in Japanese English textbooks. The results indicate that more than a third of letters in those words have sounds that do not exist in Japanese pronunciation. In response, English education in Japan, especially at earlier stages of learning, should pay greater attention to the explicit instruction of English graphophonemics in EFL classrooms.

Keywords: raphophonemics, Orthographical and phonological features, English textbooks, Japanese junior high school, explicit instruction