The Hidden Grammar-Progression Gaps in New Headway Intermediate
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31185/wjfh.Vol22.Iss3/Pt3.1868Keywords:
communicative language teaching, grammar progression, materials analysis, second language acquisition, textbook evaluation,Abstract
This study examines grammar progression in New Headway Intermediate through the lens of second language acquisition (SLA) research. Using a qualitative descriptive-analytical approach, four textbook units representing different levels of grammatical complexity were analyzed. The study investigated how grammatical structures are sequenced, recycled, contextualized, and distributed, and assessed their alignment with SLA principles of gradual development, repeated exposure, communicative use, and cognitive manageability. Data were drawn from grammar presentations, practice activities, communicative tasks, and review materials, and analyzed using a framework informed by usage-based SLA theory, cognitive load theory, and communicative language teaching. Findings reveal a predominantly structural, unit-based progression with only partial alignment to SLA-informed principles. Limited recycling, inconsistent communicative integration, and high instructional density in some lessons may hinder acquisition. The study highlights the need to balance grammatical coverage with acquisition-oriented progression in ELT materials design.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Assst. Lect. Hussein Ibrahim Jaheed
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
