Grade-level classification of grammar items in English textbooks based on the 2015 revised English curriculum.

This study aimed to categorize grammar items in English textbooks used across Korean elementary, middle, and high schools by specific grade levels. To achieve this, we developed an automated grammar item analyzer using natural language processing techniques, which analyzed 52,964 sentences from the textbooks. We selected 173 grammar items from the 2022 revised national curriculum and classified them according to the methodology used to determine CEFR levels in the English Grammar Profile. The classification results are as follows: 18 items for Grade 3 of elementary school, 6 for Grade 4, 11 for Grade 5, 8 for Grade 6, 29 for the first year of middle school, 43 for the second year, 22 for the third year, 29 for the first year of high school, and 7 for the second year. Based on these findings, this study discusses pedagogical implications, focusing on practical applications such as refining assessment tools, more precisely defining curricular objectives, and developing grade-specific instructional materials.