Ideology and Hegemony of English Foreign Language Textbooks: Globally and Locally Written Practices
Abstract
This volume investigates ideological and hegemonic practices in globally and locally written English as a Foreign Language (EFL) textbooks, and explores whether these textbooks reflect the values, beliefs and norms of the native-speaker society by examining their ideological components and the hegemonic practices by means of which the source society or state seeks to influence learners of the language. It also attempts to clarify EFL teachers’ and students’ views on the underlying ideology and hegemonic practices in globally and locally written EFL textbooks.
Studies on the relationship between ideology, hegemony and textbooks in applied linguistics have become more prevalent in recent decades, as the emergence of critical theory, critical pedagogy, and critical thinking skills from the 1920s onwards has led scholars to adopt a more critical perspective towards EFL textbooks, especially with regard to elements of ideology and hegemony. These two terms encompass a plethora of components, ranging from nationalism to religion. At the same time, the importance of metanarratives originating from the tenets of modernism has declined from the 1960s onwards, the assumption being that the world has entered a new age called postmodernism and post-structuralism that emphasizes the role of individuals and rejects efforts to reinforce post-colonialism, the effects of which can be seen in EFL textbooks. Accordingly, taking the elements of ideology and hegemony into account remains a vital aspect in the analysis of EFL textbooks.
... So, school textbooks inevitably serve as commodities to represent and transmit political, social, economic and cultural views (Shannon, 2010). They are also sites for social and cultural bias to be represented (Ulum & Köksal, 2019), therefore becoming an object of criticism (Khodabakhshi, 2014). Even though designers and developers of textbooks put much effort on such a demanding work by taking a plethora of factors into account, such as age, ethnicity, class, gender, level, and purpose of the curriculum, some cultural aspects such as balanced and unbiased gender representation are frequently disregarded to date (Amerian & Esmaili 2013Ulum & Köksal, 2019). ...
... They are also sites for social and cultural bias to be represented (Ulum & Köksal, 2019), therefore becoming an object of criticism (Khodabakhshi, 2014). Even though designers and developers of textbooks put much effort on such a demanding work by taking a plethora of factors into account, such as age, ethnicity, class, gender, level, and purpose of the curriculum, some cultural aspects such as balanced and unbiased gender representation are frequently disregarded to date (Amerian & Esmaili 2013Ulum & Köksal, 2019). ...
The current study examines the representation of gender in four English as a Foreign Language (EFL) textbooks, Kid’s English, for elementary students produced in Uzbekistan. The study implements Fairclough's (2013) three-dimensional discourse approach: description, interpretation, and explanation for textbook analysis. The quantitative analysis of EFL textbooks unveiled an imbalance in gender representation depicting males more than females. Underrepresentation of females in the textbooks demonstrates that Kids' English EFL textbooks have a sexist ideology and stereotypical agenda. The study suggests that the sexist ideology of the textbooks perpetuates patriarchy and unfair gender societal values hindering the development of gender equality efforts in the EFL context of Uzbekistan.
... (2), December 2024 e-ISSN: 2549-8673, p-ISSN : 2302-884X https://erudio.ub.ac.id 250 The study findings also acknowledge the ongoing structural constraints and the force of symbolic power, with English remaining the dominant language of instruction and assessment despite policy shifts. This resonates with Bourdieu's ideas about the symbolic power of dominant groups and the persistence of social hierarchies, as well as research on the hegemony of English in postcolonial contexts (Al-Kahtany & Alhamami, 2022;Ulum & Köksal, 2020). ...
Post-apartheid policies aimed to promote African languages in higher education, yet lecturers face lack of institutional support and resource scarcity. This qualitative study explores experiences of African language lecturers at South African universities, using Bourdieusian theory to understand broader discourses around language, identity, and power shaping efforts to revalue these languages. In-depth interviews were conducted to gain insights into lecturers' journeys and lived experiences. The findings revealed that their habitus was oriented towards language teaching by familial, socio-political, and educational contexts. In addition, accumulating cultural capital through credentials facilitated academic lecturers' progression while leveraging social capital through professional networks provided them crucial access and advocacy. Within competitive academia, lecturers continuously pursued prestigious positions and various forms of capital. Collaborating with language communities enabled developing localized, culturally validating pedagogies to counter institutional barriers. Technology access empowered effective role performance, research publishing, and career advancement. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by African language lecturers and highlights the need for institutional support, resource availability, and community engagement to promote and sustain African language education in higher education institutions.
... The study of culture and values in language education is crucial since the cultural identity of speakers may be reflected in how they use the language, and the language itself can be a tool for learning cultures and values. In the context of language learning resources, research has previously shown that language teaching materials potentially mediate sociocultural values (Gray, 2010;Setyono & Widodo, 2019), moral values (Feng, 2019), and ideologies (Curdt-Christiansen & Weninger, 2015;Ulum & Köksal, 2019). Yet, past studies have lacked a focus on cultural issues from the perspective of critical curriculum studies, critical applied linguistics, politics, economy, and multilingualism. ...
[First paragraph] The study of culture and values in language education is crucial since the cultural identity of speakers may be reflected in how they use the language, and the language itself can be a tool for learning cultures and values. In the context of language learning resources, research has previously shown that language teaching materials potentially mediate sociocultural values (Gray, 2010; Setyono & Widodo, 2019), moral values (Feng, 2019), and ideologies (Curdt-Christiansen & Weninger, 2015; Ulum & Köksal, 2019). Yet, past studies have lacked a focus on cultural issues from the perspective of critical curriculum studies, critical applied linguistics, politics, economy, and multilingualism. Tao Xiong, Dezheng Feng, and Guangwie Hu set out to address these gaps in Cultural Knowledge and Values in English Language Teaching Materials: (Multimodal) Representations and Stakeholders. This book contains a collection of prevailing core issues, approaches, and debates in English language education materials design and development by highlighting how to consider the representation of the content critically, the need to integrate other types of learning media (multimodal), and what the stakeholders of language education can contribute to a more inclusive and equal learning environment.
... The second pattern tackles the global text features and promotes individualistic productivity, entrepreneurial skills, and economic success as the pillars of pervasive phenomena such as capitalism, globalisation, and neoliberalism. These conditions enslave human beings to consumerism on a global scale, precluding cultural, social, and pedagogical values, and regularising misery and injustice (Bauman, 2007;Block, 2017;Kubota & Lin, 2006;Ulum & Köksal, 2019). Teachers and authors manifested that references to North American celebrities, the ideal family, and successful young people constitute not only an untrue dream for our students in their local contexts but also a detached referent that associates the learning of English to wealthiness, affordability and luxury. ...
The use of Colombian-authored EFL textbooks as subalternation instruments, the instrumentalization of grammar and foreign methodologies, and the imperialism of a profit-driven publishing industry perpetuates colonial links. This article reports a critical content analysis of six Colombian-authored EFL textbooks from local and foreign publishers. It was framed within a sociocritical paradigm, which included interviews with four authors, six teachers, and two editors. Findings reveal three triads of decolonial criteria: (a) The triad of ontological criteria unsettles the reproduction of foreign beliefs, behaviours, values, and ideologies; (b) the triad of epistemological criteria subverts North and West dominant knowledge and culture, and (c) the triad of power criteria withstands globalised and neoliberal discourses imposed through teaching methods, curricula, materials, testing, training, and standardised English varieties. The findings also indicate that there are still colonial traces in the representation of gender, races, sexual orientations, capacities, and social classes. Thus, developing efl materials from a decolonial perspective contests the commercial, standardised, and colonised textbooks to build contextualised and decolonised efl materials otherwise that are sensitive to cultural diversity. This academic endeavour exhorts teachers to assume a critical stance towards EFL materials content, learning activities and strategies, underpinning language pedagogies, iconography, language policy, and assessment practices, and to exert their agency to contest hegemony and recreate situated EFL pedagogical practices.
... Due to the hegemony of English, ELT materials have suddenly turned into a cornerstone international business with huge financial investment. Ulum and Köksal (2020) found a strong correlation between the ideological and hegemonic practices included in globally and locally written ELT textbooks. ...
Linguistics hegemony, linguistics imperialism, and linguistic colonialism are serious issues that have not gained enough attention in applied linguistics research. English as a medium of instruction (EMI) in non-anglophone countries is a type of linguistics imperialism (Phillipson, 2018). EMI policy has led to adverse outcomes in several aspects such as low achievement of learning outcomes, challenges to students' identity, limited access to educational resources, unjust treatments, and unfair assessment in undergraduate programs. This research study investigates the views of students and academic experts using questionnaires and interviews. The data were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The findings of this study demonstrate the lack of educational justice and the strong connection between linguistic hegemony and the colonization of consciousness. The findings show that participants in EMI programs do not engage in authentic, rigorous, and fun learning. Decisions to use EMI are either based on fallacies regarding the nature of language, on fuzzy assessment of educational priorities, or both. We strongly encourage applied linguists, language policymakers, and university administrators to play significant roles in challenging English hegemony and English supremacy to promote educational justice, equal opportunities to learn, and fair treatment in EMI undergraduate programs around the globe, especially in non-anglophone countries.
Textbooks can be one of the means to construct gender roles. Therefore, gender discrimination and equality can be produced and perpetuated through textbooks. This paper wants to examine the construction of the representation of the roles of men and women and the social context surrounding the writing of the textbook al-'Arabiyyah baina Yadaik published in Saudi Arabia. The researcher uses critical discourse analysis to track the representation of the gender division of women and men. Text construction and visualization of male and female roles are analyzed at the macro, meso, and microstructure levels. In the end, the researcher concluded: First, the division of gender roles in the al-'Arabiyyah baina Yadaik textbook is represented in a discriminatory manner. Male gender roles are described as very dominant compared to female roles. The dominance of men over the relationship can be seen at the level of visualization, their role in the family realm, their role in public work, sports activities, and physical activities. Second, the discriminatory depiction of gender roles in the textbook al-'Arabiyyah baina Yadaik is inseparable from the author's social cognition, which is dominantly influenced by the fatwas of Salafi scholars of Saudi Arabia who domesticate the role of women. The access and dominance of strong Salafi scholars in organizing the realm of education in Saudi Arabia affect the construction of discriminatory gender roles, including at the level of textbook preparation. Abstrak Buku ajar dapat menjadi salah satu sarana untuk mengkonstruksi peran gender. Oleh karena itu, diskriminasi dan kesetaraan gender dapat diproduksi dan dilanggengkan melalui buku ajar. Tulisan ini hendak mengkaji konstruksi representasi peran laki-laki dan perempuan dan konteks sosial yang melingkupi penulisan buku ajar al-'Arabiyyah baina Yadaik yang diterbitkan di Arab Saudi. Peneliti menggunakan analisis wacana kritis dalam melacak bentuk-bentuk representasi pembagian peran gender perempuan dan laki-laki. Kontruksi teks dan visualisasi peran laki-laki dan perempuan dianalisa pada level struktur makro, meso, dan mikro. Pada akhirnya peneliti menyimpulkan: Pertama, pembagian
This study investigates the ideological orientations of teachers and the potential transformation of these orientations over 14 weeks, focusing specifically on their conceptualizations of educational ideologies within conservative and liberal frameworks. The research employs an inventory-based assessment to capture participants’ ideological stances. Initial findings revealed participants’ tendency to associate ideological labels with political dualities, reflecting simplified views on educational ideologies. Throughout the study’s second phase, participants engaged in critical reading assignments and reflective discussions designed to expand their awareness and understanding of various educational ideological paradigms. Findings indicate a notable shift in ideological positioning, primarily driven by exposure to foundational texts and structured reflection sessions. In the final phase, participants re-took the initial inventory, allowing for a direct comparison of ideological stances. The comparative analysis demonstrated subtle yet significant shifts, particularly regarding participants’ views on the interrelations between educational ideology, social equity, and the intellectual demands of modern pedagogy. This study underscores the transformative potential of immersive engagement with diverse ideological perspectives, highlighting the need for professional development models that prioritize reflective dialogue and critical exploration of ideological content.
Critical Pedagogy (CP) which was introduced by Paulo Freire in 1968 has started to become visible in the context of Turkish ELT, recently. Emergence of CP in this academic field has also accelerated the crucial discussions regarding various ELT components across Türkiye. In this paper, the focus is on CP with the motivation of exploring how it is exploited in numerous Turkish ELT settings and the gap in the relevant field of research. Designed as a scoping review, the research specifically outlines the studies conducted between January 2015 and May 2022. Analyses of a total of 34 publications comprising of theses/dissertations, books/book chapters and peer-reviewed articles display that CP has been used in four research strands (i)beliefs and perspectives about CP, (ii) critique of ELT/Teacher education curriculum, (iii) course content, methodology and material analysis, and (iv) course design. As for the gap, derived from recommendation and implications of the studies, four main suggestions including CP integration into ELT curricula, opening CP-based new courses in teacher education programs, re-designing ELT materials considering CP and the use of CP-based methodologies. Last but not least, studies do not mention what does not work well with the CP-use in context. Also, very few theoretical but no policy papers are found, which might be interpreted that CP as a theory is still not quite in the agenda of the relevant authorities.
The worldwide spread, diversification, and globalization of the English language in the course of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries has significant implications for English Language Teaching and teacher education.
We are currently witnessing a paradigm shift towards Teaching English as an International Language (TEIL) that aims to promote multilingualism and awareness of the diversity of Englishes, increase exposure to this diversity, embrace multiculturalism, and foster cross-cultural awareness. Numerous initiatives that embrace TEIL can be observed around the world, but ELT and teacher education in Germany (and other European countries) appear to be largely unaffected by this development, with standard British and American English and the monolingual native speaker (including the corresponding cultural norms) still being very much at the center of attention. The present volume addresses this gap and is the first of its kind to showcase recent initiatives that aim at introducing TEIL into ELT and teacher education in Germany, but which have applicability and impact for other countries with comparable education systems and ‘traditional’ ELT practices in the Expanding Circle. The chapters in this book provide a balanced mix of conceptual, empirical, and practical studies and offer the perspectives of the many stakeholders involved in various settings of English language education whose voices have not often been heard, i.e., students, university lecturers, trainee teachers, teacher educators, and in-service teachers.
It therefore adds significantly to the limited amount of previous work on TEIL in Germany and bridges the gap between theory and practice that will not only be relevant for researchers, educators, and practitioners in English language education in Germany but other educational settings that are still unaffected by the shift towards TEIL.
Turkey has adopted a new trend regarding English-medium education in recent decades. The development of capitalism has also affected Turkey and the Turkish education system. The Turkish Council of Higher Education has aspired to make higher education in Turkey more global and international. Therefore, the British Council has prepared a report to show the situation of English in Turkey. It has been found that Turkey needs serious ameliorations in many ways in the sphere of English-medium instruction. The report findings show that Turkey can develop economically more if it can endorse English-based education. The popularity of neoliberalism has shown its effects in Turkish higher education. Therefore, English has been prioritized as a result of neoliberalism. In the future, the situation of English can be evaluated by teachers, scholars, students, policymakers, and international organizations. The findings also show that The Turkish Council of Higher Education believes that the British Council has contributed to the development of English in Turkey following neoliberal policies.
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