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TESL-EJ 27.1, May 2023 Xiong, Feng & Hu/ Ifadloh & Yonata
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The Electronic Journal for English as a Second Language
Cultural Knowledge and Values in English Language Teaching
Materials: (Multimodal) Representations and Stakeholders
May 2023 – Volume 27, Number 1
https://doi.org/10.55593/ej.27105r2
Cultural Knowledge and Values in English Language
Teaching Materials: (Multimodal) Representations and Stakeholders
Authors:
Tao Xiong, Dezheng Feng, Guangwei Hu (Eds.)
(2022)
Publisher:
Springer
Pages
ISBN-13
Price
181 pages
9789811919343 (hardcover)
$98.80 U.S.
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.
TESL-EJ 27.1, May 2023 Xiong, Feng & Hu/ Ifadloh & Yonata
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The book consists of nine chapters divided into two parts. The first part of this book discusses
the representation of culture and values in language teaching materials and the multimodal
analysis of ELT textbooks, casting light on empirical studies of the sociocultural values and
language ideology in textbooks situated in English language education for general and specific
purposes. In the opening chapter, the meanings of culture and values adopted in this book
contain a broad cultural understanding consisting of knowledge and community heritage which
can be both material (tools, food, clothes) and intellectual (values, beliefs). Moreover, the
multimodal analysis of ELT textbooks here consists of two broad categories, namely (1) studies
on the multimodal construction of pedagogical knowledge and (2) studies on the multimodal
representation of gender, culture, moral values, and ideologies. Anchored in a multimodal
approach, Chapter 2 reveals that the values in texts and images depicted in a mandated business
English coursebook for China tertiary students comprise business-, culture-, and society-
oriented values. From different methodological lenses rooted in a social semiotic approach,
Chapter 3 discovers some possible elements of EFL textbooks that inculcate values: reading
passages with problem-solution discourse patterns to deliver values, the lexical choice to
convey implicit and explicit meanings, and visualization of expressions of positive values.
Considering the broader scope of learning and teaching materials involving introduction
videos, coursebooks, and the content of an online English course, Chapter 4 arrives at a
conclusion toward western cultural hegemony in China, such as treating native-speaker-like as
a norm. In Chapter 5, the textbook analysis echoes the issue of gender bias, such as the
relatively disproportionate and stereotypical portrayal of women in workplace environments.
The authors suggested designing language textbooks with a focus on diversity, equity, and
inclusion. Additionally, a content analysis study of culture in college textbooks is reported in
Chapter 6 and portrays the domination of native-speaker-related content.
The second part considers stakeholders or the people involved in the production and
consumption of textbooks, such as publishers and their editors, content writers, teachers, and
students. Chapter 7 identifies three orientations involved in writing textbooks, namely language
orientations, issue orientations, and ideological orientations. A multiple-case study revealed
that teachers' beliefs and visions about the business English curriculum, the scope and design
of topics, and related activities greatly influence their agency in implementing and designing
cultural teaching in the classroom. In Chapter 8, a content analysis was used to discuss the
process and rationale for writing ELT materials that are pedagogically, morally, culturally, and
ideologically meaningful to learners from the authors' perspective of a series of tertiary EFL
textbooks published in China. It revealed that the writing team had internal and external
constraints in compiling tertiary English textbooks. The authors pinpointed the challenges and
the complexity of combining values in ELT materials in multicultural societal contexts, such
as Asian countries, and it needs cautious attention. Finally, Chapter 9 integrates multimodal
and ethnographic methods to close the book by presenting two cases in the Uruguayan ELT
context regarding the process of producing English textbooks and their use in the classroom.
The authors call for methodological innovations considering how textbook writers, teachers,
and students negotiate heterogeneous visual representations of gender in textbooks.
This volume does suffer from some drawbacks. As the edited book comprises some cases
related to cultural values, namely “sociolinguistics, political economy, and citizenship
education” (p. 14), the existing chapters seem to fail to represent specific globally recent issues
such as neoliberalism and inclusivity. If there is a second edition, it would be a complete book
with additional chapters to cater to neoliberalism, minority groups, and disabled discourses in
TESL-EJ 27.1, May 2023 Xiong, Feng & Hu/ Ifadloh & Yonata
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ELT classroom materials. Additionally, the studies of countries other than China would offer
unique and insightful reports for other language practitioners in the broader region of Asia.
For the book's strengths, the collection of chapters is written concisely and reader friendly.
Teachers and student teachers can easily grasp the theoretical considerations and teaching
methodology suggestions regarding incorporating cultural values and their selection in the
development of language materials. Moreover, for language researchers, some steps in the
methodology section of each chapter can be replicable for further similar studies.
Once again, this book is a must-have reference for language practitioners and stakeholders.
Some empirical reports of textbook studies can inspire teachers to understand that language
materials are value-laden. This book can be a research-based evaluation of sociolinguistics for
coursebook authors, revealing other hidden issues beyond the selected written, visual, and
audio texts. Additionally, for everyone involved in language education, the book emphasizes
the engagement of more inclusive, diverse, equitable, critical, and multimodal global citizens
(Gaudelli, 2016; Oxley & Morris, 2013) with language textbooks.
To Cite this Review
Ifadloh, N. & Yonata, F. (2022). [Review of the book Cultural Knowledge and Values in
English Language Teaching Materials by T. Xiong, D. Feng, & G. Hu (Eds.)]. Teaching
English as a Second Language Electronic Journal (TESL-EJ), 27 (1).
https://doi.org/10.55593/ej.27105r2
References
Curdt-Christiansen, X. L., & Weninger, C. (2015). Language, ideology, and education: The
politics of textbooks in language education. Routledge.
Feng, W. D. (2019). Infusing moral education into English language teaching: An
ontogenetic analysis of social values in EFL textbooks in Hong Kong. Discourse:
Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 40(4), 458–473.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01596306.2017.1356806
Gaudelli, W. (2016). Global citizenship education. Routledge.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315683492
Gray, J. (2010). The construction of English: Culture, consumerism and promotion in the
ELT global coursebook. Palgrave Macmillan.
Oxley, L., & Morris, P. (2013). Global citizenship: A typology for distinguishing its multiple
conceptions. British Journal of Educational Studies, 61(3), 301–325.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2013.798393
Setyono, B., & Widodo, H. P. (2019). The representation of multicultural values in the
Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture-Endorsed EFL textbook: A critical
discourse analysis. Intercultural Education, 30(4), 383–397.
https://doi.org/10.1080/14675986.2019.1548102
Ulum, Ö. G., & Köksal, D. (2019). Ideology and hegemony of English foreign language
textbooks. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35809-9
Acknowledgment
TESL-EJ 27.1, May 2023 Xiong, Feng & Hu/ Ifadloh & Yonata
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The authors would like to express the deepest gratitude to Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan
(LPDP) for sponsoring their doctoral study and supporting this article's publication.
About the reviewers
Nur Ifadloh is a doctoral candidate in the Language Education study program at Universitas
Negeri Semarang, Indonesia, and a lecturer of English language education at STAI
Rasyidiyah Khalidiyah (Rakha) Amuntai, Indonesia. His research interests include language
material development, textbook analysis, formulaic communicative competencies, and
applied linguistics. ORCID ID: 0009-0004-1743-956X nurifadloh@gmail.com
Fadhila Yonata is a doctoral candidate in the Language Education study program at
Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia, and a lecturer of English language education at
STAIN Sultan Abdurrahman Kepulauan Riau, Indonesia. His research interests include
language material development, textbook analysis, cultures and values in textbooks,
intercultural citizenship education, and critical discourse studies. ORCID ID: 0000-0002-8983-
9771 fadhilayonata92@gmail.com
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