A Critical Discourse Analysis of Family and Friends Textbooks: Representation of Genderism

Saeed Esmaeili ,Ali Arabmofrad

doi:10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.4n.4p.55

Abstract

The present study employed a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) approach to investigate the linguistic representation of male and female social actors in Family and Friends 4, 5 and 6 . To this end, van Leeuwen’s (1996) representational framework and Halliday and Matthiessen’s (2004) Transitivity Theory Model were adopted to reveal the ideology behind the constructions. The findings indicated a “sexist attitude” in favor of male social actors in which males were portrayed more than females and also had high activity. In addition, it was revealed that there was attempt to avoid traditional stereotypes of females in most parts of textbooks and women were not portrayed at home as housewives engaged in child care, however, it can be claimed that they suffered most obviously from low visibility. The findings may help EFL teachers, material developers and policy makers to be aware of equality/inequality issues in textbooks in order to make an equality perspective to learners.

Highlights

Despite the move towards technology, textbooks still serve as the most common educational tools in classroom content
It should be noted that textbooks consisted of grade 4, 5 and 6 and the reading sections of each specific textbook were analyzed to explore any trace of sexism bias or equal manifestation of men and women
With regard to transitivity model of Halliday, it was revealed that there was no equality between male and female social actors in process type and most of material, mental, relational and verbal processes belonged to men

Summary

Introduction

Despite the move towards technology, textbooks still serve as the most common educational tools in classroom content. Books are part of an appropriate system of education on which the social, cultural, scientific and mental growth of learners depend (Kemp, 1977). In this regard, Gershuny 150) claims that “textbooks purporting to teach the specifics of academic discipline have concomitantly taught secondary information gender roles and social values”. In this respect, the unconscious effect of textbooks on students especially in early ages lead to an oppressive and genderbiased attitude in students. The content of the textbooks helps reinforce gender as a social division and perpetuate inequalities between men and women

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion