International Textbooks Analysis Used for EFL Students: A Critical Content Analysis of Multicultural from Kachru’s Models

Reni Puspitasari Dwi Lestariyana(1), Joko Nurkamto(2),


(1) Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta, Indonesia
(2) Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta, Indonesia

Abstract

This study examines the multicultural contents in two international textbooks entitled New Interchange Fifth Edition used in Indonesia for English foreign language (EFL) students to underlying the multicultural values. Applying Kachru and Nelson’s model of English and their categorization into Inner, Outer and Expanding circles. This study also implemented both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The quantitative analysis refers to the quantitative data and to what extent multicultural values of race/ethnicity, gender/sexuality, social class, and people with are represented. The result showed that the representation of culture from three circles countries were unbalanced and stereotypical. The percentage shows from materials representation of inner, outer and expanding circles were 74,1 %, 23,3 % and 2,6% respectively. There were highly dominated inner circle culture even though these textbooks are used in expanding circles (e.g., Indonesia). Anchored from the research finding, it suggest that both textbook writers and designers should emphasized on balance multicultural values in international textbook materials particularly in expanding circle country (e.g. Indonesia) in order to help students recognize the cultural diversity.

Keywords

EFL students, international textbooks, kachru three circles, multicultural values

Full Text:

PDF

References

Atchison, A. L. (2017). Where are the women? An analysis of gender mainstreaming in introductory political science textbooks. Journal of Political Science Education, 13(2), 185–199. DOI: 10.1080/15512169.2017.1279549.

Banks, J. A., and Banks, C. A. M. (2014). Multicultural Education: Issues and Perspectives 5th ed. Update. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Barton, A., & L. N. Sakwa, L. N. (2012). The representation of gender in English textbooks in Uganda. Pedagogy, Culture & Society, 20(2), 173–190.

Caballero, B. (2007). The global epidemic of obesity: An overview. Epidemiologic Reviews, 29, 1 – 5.

Cho, Y. D., Park, Y. K., & Lee, J. W. (2007). Survey on the basic awareness for establishment of multicultural educational policy. Seoul: Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology. (in Korean).

Critsen, G. (2003). Fat lands: How Americans became the fattest people in the world. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

Davidson, R., & Liu, Y. (2020). Reaching the world outside: Cultural representation and perceptions of global citizenship in Japanese elementary school English textbooks. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 33(1), 32-49. DOI: 10.1080/07908318.2018.1560460.

Federal Register. (2011). Regulations to implement the equal employment provisions of the Americans with disabilities act, as amended (76FR16977). Accessed June 20, 2019. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2011/03/25/ 2011-6056/regulations-to-implement-the-equal-employment-provisions-of-the-americans-with-disabilities-act-as.

Gray, J. (2013). LGBT invisibility and heteronormativity in ELT materials. In Critical Perspectives on Language Teaching Materials, edited by J. Gray, 40–63. Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan.

Guo, B. X. (2014). Traditional culture in English curriculum: Perspectives from the comparisons of Chinese and Japanese textbooks. Quanqiu Jiaoyu Zhanwang, (1), 111–119.

Hua, X., Hu, G., & Liu, F. (2021). The cultural representation of Chinese-speaking groups in US-produced Chinese as a foreign language textbooks. Asia Pacific Journal of Education. DOI: 10.1080/02188791.2021.1889971.

Ji, W. (2011). A tentative study of culture hegemony in college English textbooks from the Perspective of Critical Discourse Analysis (Unpublished Master Thesis). Nanjing Normal University, China.

Jo, G. M. (2010). Content analysis of high school world history textbooks in the 7th national curriculum from a perspective of multicultural. The Korean History Education Review, 114, 47 – 114, (in Korean).

Kachru, B. B., & Nelson, C. L. (1996). World Englishes. In Sociolinguistics and Language Teaching, edited by S. L. McKay and N. H. Hornberger, 71–102. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Kang, J. Y. (2008). Analysis of some points of the text for ‘socio-culture’ subsequent to the change into multi-cultural society. Forum of Youth Culture, 18, 28 – 56, (in Korean).

Kemendiknas. (2011). Pedoman pelaksanaan pendidikan karakter [Handbook for character education]. Jakarta Puskurbuk.

Krippendorff, K. (2004). Content Analysis: An Introduction to its Methodology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Lee, K. Y. (2005). A Content Analysis of Korean Adolescent EFL Conversation Textbooks Regarding Their Treatment of Culture. English Teaching. 60(3): 139–166.

Lee, J. E. (2008). A study on high school English textbooks in terms of multiculturalism. Forum of Youth Culture, 18, 21 – 56, (in Korean).

Lee, J. F. K. (2019). In the pursuit of a gender-equal society: Do Japanese EFL textbooks play a role? Journal of Gender Studies, 28(2), 204–217. DOI: 10.1080/09589236.2018.1423956.

Lie, A. (2000). The Multicultural Curriculum: Education for Peace and Development. Human Rights Education in Asian Schools, 6 (1): 81–102.

Liu, C. X. (2011). Culture and Chinese culture in the English Textbooks (Unpublished Master Thesis). East China Normal University, China.

May, S. (2003). Critical Multiculturalism. Counterpoints, 168: 199–212. Accessed July 12, 2018 14:19 UTChttp:// www.jstor.org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/stable/42977501.

McKay, S. L., & Bokhorst-Heng, W. D. (2008). International English in its Sociolinguistic Contexts. New York and London: Routledge.

Mitchell, B. M., & Salsbury, R. E. (1996). Multicultural education: An international guide to research, policies, and programs. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

Moss, M. (2013). Salt, sugar, fat: How the food giants hooked us. St. Ives, UK: W. H. Allen.

Namatende-Sakwa, L. (2019). Networked texts: Discourse, power and gender neutrality in Ugandan physics textbooks. Gender and Education, 31(3), 362–376. DOI: 10.1080/09540 253.2018.1543858.

Ookawa, K. (2015). Cultural education through high school level English textbooks. Journal of Language and Cultural Education, 3(3): 95–103.

Park, C. H. (2007). A critical study on the contents of elementary social studies and moral textbooks in the view of a multicultural education. Korean Journal of Sociology of Education, 17, 109– 129, (in Korean).

Pennycook, A. (1994). The cultural politics of English as an international language. London: Pearson.

Ping, Q. (2005). Ideologies in Primary English Textbooks in China. In Language, Ideology and Education: The Politics of Textbooks in Language Education, edited by X. L. Curdt-Christiansen and C. Weninger, 163–180. London: Routledge.

Puspitasari, D., Widodo, H. P., Widyaningrum, L., Allamnakhrah, A., & Lestariyana, R. P. D. (2021). How do primary school English textbooks teach moral values? A critical discourse analysis. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 70. DOI: 10.1016/j.stueduc.2021.101044

Rahim, H. A., & Daghigh, A. J. (2020). Locally-developed vs. Global textbooks: An evaluation of cultural content in textbooks used in ELT in Malaysia. Asian Englishes, 22(3), 317-331. DOI: 10.1080/13488678.2019.1669301.

Richards, J. C., Hull, J., & Proctor, S. (2017a). Interchange series: Students’ book 3 (5th ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Richards, J. C., Hull, J., & Proctor, S. (2017b). Interchange series: Students’ book 3A (5th ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Risager, K. (2018). Representations of the World in Language Textbooks. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.

Rodríguez, L. F. G. (2015). The cultural content in EFL textbooks and what teachers need to do about it. PROFILE Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development. 17 (2): 167–187.

Sarvarzade, S., & Wotipka, C. M. (2017). The rise, removal, and return of women: Gender representations in primary-level textbooks in Afghanistan, 1980–2010. Comparative Education, 53(4), 578– 599. DOI: 10.1080/03050068.2017.1348021.

Shin, J., Z. R. Eslami, & W. C. Chen. (2011). Presentation of Local and International Culture in Current International English-Language Teaching Textbooks. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 24 (3): 253–268.

Sleeter, C. E., & C. A. Grant. (1991). Race, Class, Gender, and Disability in Current Textbooks.†In The Politics of the Textbook, edited by M. W. Apple, and L. K. Christian-Smith, 78–110. New York: Routledge.

Sonntag, S. K. (2003). The local politics of global English. Oxford: Lexington Books.

Sulistiyo, U., Supiani, Kailani, A., & Lestariyana, R. P. D. (2020). Infusing moral content into primary school English textbooks: A critical discourse analysis. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 10(1), 251-260. DOI: 10.17509/ijal.v10i1.25067.

Widodo, H. P. (2016). Language policy in practice: Reframing the English language curriculum in the Indonesian secondary education sector. In R. Kirkpatrick (Ed.), English language education policy in Asia (pp. 127–151). Springer.

World Health Organization (1998). Obesity: Preventing and managing the global epidemic. Geneva: World Health Organization.

Wu, X. W. (2014). Research on cultural contents’ choosing and presentation of new senior English for China student’s books (Renjiaoban gaozhongyingyu jiaokeshu wenhuaneirongdexuanze jiqi chengxianfangshi yanjiu) (Unpublished PhD Thesis). North East Normal University, China.

Xiang, R., & Yenika-Agbaw, V. (2019). EFL textbooks, culture and power: a critical content analysis of EFL textbooks for ethnic Mongols in China, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, DOI: 10.1080/01434632.2019.1692024.

Xie, Q. (2014). The comparison of native language culture in the English textbook between Renjiao and Yuandong (Renjiaoban yu Taiwan yuandong chuban gaozhong yingyujiaocai zhong de muyuwenhua neirong duibi) (Unpublished Master Thesis). Master diss., East China Normal University, China.

Yamada, M. (2010). English as a multicultural language: Implications from a study of Japan’s junior high schools’ English language textbooks. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 31 (5): 491–506.

Yamada, M. (2011). Awareness of racial and ethnicity diversity in Japanese junior high schools’ English language textbooks. Critical Inquiry in Language Studies, 8 (3): 289–312.

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


View My Stats