JALT2025 - Tokyo

Frequency and accuracy of reported speech in ELT textbooks

Nov 2, 2025, 1:45 PM

30m

National Olympics Memorial Youth Center / 国立オリンピック記念青少年総合センター

Research-oriented Presentation (30-minutes) Materials and Assessment Room 507

Speakers

Cameron Romney (Kyoto Women's University) John Campbell-Larsen (Kyoto Women's University)

Description

Reported speech is a key language skill and this presentation reports on a survey of 220 ELT textbooks’ treatment of reported speech. Findings are that reported speech is often ignored or dealt with in a superficial manner. This presentation will review the relevant literature and explain the rationale and findings of the study. Participants should come away with a better understanding of the importance of reported speech and the inadequacies of many textbooks.

Summary

Reported speech is a key language skill and this presentation reports on a survey of 220 ELT textbooks’ treatment of reported speech. Findings are that reported speech is often ignored or dealt with in a superficial manner. This presentation will review the relevant literature and explain the rationale and findings of the study. Participants should come away with a better understanding of the importance of reported speech and the inadequacies of many textbooks.