The article deals with the problem of foreign language textbook analysis as a way of reconstructing teaching methodology. Modern textbook analysis schemes reflect requirements of modern language pedagogy and are not applicable to textbooks of the 19th century. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a scheme that would match peculiarities of language pedagogy of that time.
The purpose of the study is to develop a scheme for analyzing foreign language textbooks of the 19th century and carry out its approbation. Research methods are the following: (1) analysis of foreign language textbooks of the 19th century to identify their typological features and create a scheme of textbook analysis; (2) approbation of this scheme by analyzing one chosen foreign language textbook; (3) comparison of the textbook analysis results with the author’s methodological views.
The designed scheme is based on the following typological features of textbooks: theoretical or practical orientation, use of translation, peculiarities of linguistic and socio-cultural content, way of organizing the learning content in the textbook and its lessons, presence of pictures, adaptation to the students’ needs and possibilities. This scheme was tested in the analysis of the French language textbook for Russian students "Initial rules for learning French" (1832) by J. H. Ph. Seidenstücker. The study revealed that the textbook presented a variant of grammar-translation method. It was aimed at developing speaking skills based on the ability to build sentences. Comparison of the textbook analysis results with descriptions of Seidenstücker’s methodological views revealed their coincidence in many aspects. It confirms the validity of the applied scheme as a means of reconstructing teaching methodology reflected in foreign language textbooks of the 19th century.
The results of the study are significant not only for the history of teaching foreign languages. A modified version of this scheme could be used in university pedagogical courses for analyzing modern foreign languages textbooks.