January 2025
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ELLA - utdanning litteratur språk
This study seeks to assess the degree of heteronormativity found in the English textbooks that are currently used in Norwegian schools. For this purpose, gender and sexuality are highlighted as dimensions of inclusion in foreign language education. It is argued that a non-, under-, or misrepresentation of marginalized or minoritized social groups forms a representational linguistic barrier that puts successful language learning at risk. At the theoretical level, a queer approach is adopted that fosters a critical discussion of heteronormativity in educational practices. Against the backdrop of the Norwegian curriculum, a multimodal critical discourse analysis of books in the Norwegian textbook series Link (catering to years 1 to 7) is carried out that foregrounds the representational aspects that construct gender and sexuality in heteronormative ways. This is done to raise awareness among English teachers as well as to give both teachers and textbook creators a chance to develop more inclusive learning materials. The analysis uncovers that the material targeting the youngest age groups (years 1 and 2) evinces a heteronormative erasure of non-heterosexual people and stereotypically binary, polarized gender constructions. The material created for year 7 is more inclusive in its representation of gender and sexuality but still shows certain weaknesses in how these social categories are constructed.