earticle

영어

This study aimed to investigate nine English functors’ order and input frequency in the current five series of elementary English textbooks. Key expressions in each lesson were scrutinized to determine the order in which the nine functors were introduced in the textbook series. As for the input frequency of each functor, two main dialogs from the 3rd to 6th grade, scripts for role-playing in the 3rd and 4th grade, and reading texts in the 5th and 6th grade were scrutinized. The findings of this study were as follows: First, the five textbook series introduced the nine functors in the same order, introducing the five functors in the 3rd grade and the remnant functors in the 5th grade, using similar key expressions. Second, the nine functors showed a large variance in input frequency in accordance with the order that they were introduced: The earlier the functors were introduced, the more frequently they occurred in the textbook series. Third, the functors’ order and input frequency might contribute to explaining the disparity of the plural ‘-s’ in the ESL and EFL morpheme order and the difference in the emergence of the auxiliary ‘be’ between elementary and middle school students in EFL settings. Suggestions were made concerning materials development for EFL child learners and teaching English functors to them.