A Forensic Study of Vocabulary Load and Distribution in Five Malaysia Secondary School English Textbooks (Forms 1 - 5 )

Many Malaysian learners have limited English language vocabulary It is difficult for them to communicate in English because they lack the vocabulary to embody their thoughts. It is assumed that part of the problem lies in our textbooks. The apparent failure to achieve elementary proficiency maybe linked to lack of vocabulary. Therefore, the objective of this study is to identify the probable pedagogical considerations in relation to the teaching of vocabulary in five Malaysian English language textbooks.The researchers conducted a systematic evaluation of these textbooks in order to find out to what extent and why they debilitate instead of facilitate the learning of English in classrooms. This study aims to identify the features of the textbooks vocabulary loading in one entire Malaysian secondary school programme. This study looks at five secondary school English language textbooks that were used at schools for 12 years starting from 1990 to 2002. These textbooks were photocopied, scanned and converted into computer text files before they were analyzed using three WordSmith Tools namely the KeyWord, WordList and Concord tools. The findings showed that although there was a gradual increase in the vocabulary load from Form 1 to Form 5, there were serious irregularities in the loading and recycling of vocabulary throughout the textbooks. Some vocabulary items suggested in the respective syllabi were either non-existent or appeared in textbooks of other levels. The study also revealed weaknesses in the textbooks published for the school system.