An Analysis of Australian and Pakistani English Language Textbooks in Terms of Acquiring English as a Second Language by Underprivileged Students in Both Countries at the Pre-Intermediate Level

4 September 2025 5:30pm – 6:30pm AEST, Online

This session will cover key research on three theories: Equity Theory, Cognitive Load Theory and Universal Design Learning while designing a textbook for English as a second language learners. It provide opportunities to interpret language learning resources used in Australia and Pakistan. Discussion will ask how the Australian curriculum might benefit from a comparison with other international contexts, and vice versa.

Speaker

Sameera Ayub Bhatti is a PhD candidate and English and Writing at the University of Sydney. She has 12 years’ experience teaching ESOL in both Australia and Pakistan. She has many publications on English language learning, teaching, pedagogy and curriculum, etc. Her current research presents a comparison of language learning resources in both countries, informed by current educational theories.

Abstract

English is an international language and is used as a way of communication all over the world. English as a second language learners struggle to enhance their language skills due to many factors. The current study explores some of the factors they encounter. It is a comparative research analysis of the textbooks taught in Australian language colleges and Pakistan at the Pre-Intermediate level. It explores the gaps and limitations in accessing textbooks by the underprivileged learners. Underprivileged students’ affordability is taken as a dependent variable of the research, whereas the analysis of Australian and Pakistani English Language textbooks is the independent variable. This research further aims to identify any disparities or similarities in the educational materials and assess their relevance in fostering language proficiency in not only four skills, reading, writing, listening, and speaking, but also in grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation among underprivileged learners in diverse sociocultural contexts. In  ESL classrooms of colleges and universities in Australia, the Cutting Edge 3rd Edition Pre-Intermediate textbook and DVD Pack  – 18 January 2013 by Sarah Cunningham (Author), Peter Moor (Author), Araminta Crace (Author) is taught, which is analysed in our research. Whereas, in Pakistan, the higher education board gives the course outline to teach four skills of language and grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary, with specific topics. According to those topics, management or the faculty create handouts by taking content on each topic from the recommended textbooks to teach. Three primary theories are used as a conceptual framework to check the value of the construction of textbooks. Those theories are: Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) by John Sweller (1988), Equity Theory by John Stacey Adams (1963) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) developed by CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology). This research proves productive for future curriculum designers in designing an accessible English Language curriculum for ESL learners.

Keywords: English as a Second Language Learners (ESL), Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)

Cost

$10 – VicTESOL members (including members of other state TESOL associations)
$30 – Non-members
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