Mitigating Face-Threatening Acts in Moroccan EFL Textbooks: A Case Study of Ticket to English 2

Abstract

Although Moroccan EFL textbooks are designed in alignment with communicative and functional language use, it has been noticed that there is a significant gap in how Textbooks address Face-Threatening Acts (FTAs) and provide learners with appropriate politeness and mitigation strategies.  This study aims to explore how EFL Ticket to English 2 textbook, designed for second year Baccalaureate level, provides strategies to mitigate FTAs appropriately. A quantitative content analysis is adopted to examine how FTAs such as refusals, complaints, apologizing, requests, and disagreements are presented in dialogues and communication activities, particularly within social and communicative functions. Additionally, it aims to assess the extent to which learners are exposed to appropriate politeness strategies based on Brown and Levinson’s (1987) Politeness Theory. The findings offer insights for Moroccan EFL textbook designers and educators to give greater priority for the integration of pragmatic competence and politeness strategies into teaching language functions and real-life interactions.