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Table 2 Frequency of references to outer and expanding circle countries

From: Representation of inner, outer and expanding circle varieties and cultures in global ELT textbooks

Book

Country

Frequency

Percentage

International cultural themes

Interchange Third

Edition

Book 2

Outer Circle:

Singapore (2) Malaysia (1) India (4)

Expanding Circle:

Argentina (2) Brazil (3) China (4) Egypt (3) Columbia (1)

The Czech Republic (1) Japan (5) Korea (5) Mexico (3) Paraguay (1) Ecuador (1) Taiwan (China) (1) France (2) Italy (2) Vietnam (2) Peru (1) Chile (1) Germany (2)

Greece (1)

48

57.83

social, humanities/arts,

politics, environment

(Examples: transportation system and solution to traffic in Singapore, travel to Ireland, capsule hotels in Tokyo, Chinese food and parsley, a vacation in Mexico, an Indian tribe in Paraguay, marriage in Malaysia, Great Wall of China, talking about Colombia and its capital city Bogota, a vacation in Italy, Greek philosophy, etc.)

English Result

Book 3

Outer Circle:

India (5) Kenya (1) Zambia (2) Tanzania (1)

Expanding Circle:

Mexico (2) Japan (5) Germany (2) France(1) Korea (3) China (2) Chile (2) Saudi Arabia (1) Egypt (2) Indonesia (1) Hong Kong (China) (3) Italy (4) Thailand (3) Taiwan (China) (2) Venezuela (1) Spain (1) Morocco (1) Bolivia (1) Austria (1) Brazil (2) Bulgaria (1) The Netherlands (1) South Africa (2)

53

54.08

social, arts/religion,

environment, politics

(Examples: How to greet in China, Korea, Japan, France and Saudi Arabia; Prado museum in Madrid; The life of a Muslim in Morocco; Reference to Lake Titicaca in Bolivia; Arabian desert; Beijing visa rules; Mountains in Austria; Eiffel Tower and Louvre museum; Pieces in museum from Zambia, Ireland and Brazil; Anecdotes in Spanish; Cultural shock in Japan; Bombay Palace; President Mandela; president of Tanzania; Vincent Van Gogh; Carnival in Brazil; etc.)

American English File Second Edition

Book 3

Outer Circle:

Singapore (2) Uganda (1)

Expanding Circle:

China (3) France (3)

Spain (4)

Rwanda (1) Myanmar (1) Poland (1) Vietnam (1) Japan (2)

Germany (2) Brazil (1)

Poland (2) Greece (1) Italy (2)

27

36.98

social, arts, religion,

environmental, political

(Examples: Trips to Uganda and Rwanda to visit mountain gorillas, Malaria, teaching to orphans in least developed African countries, trying traditional food in informal places and restaurants in Spain, meeting a friend from Burma- Myanmar, Burmese culture, a Polish producer in film industry and Polish actors, a play about Romans, Eiffel Tower, talking about famous painters like Picasso and Matisse, Sydney Airport, a house which smelled like old Chinese food and dirty clothes, Hamburg, travel to Tokyo and Singapore, etc.)