Lipstick on pigs: Critical discourse and image analysis of non-humans in U.S. children’s ESL textbooks
Gender equality in language learning has received considerable attention in research on classroom policy and materials. Within studies of materials like language learning texts, most research focuses on content analyses of character roles and images, with sometimes purposeful exclusion of non-human...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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E-JournALL
2021-03-01
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| Series: | EuroAmerican Journal of Applied Linguistics and Languages |
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| Online Access: | https://e-journall.org/index.php/ejall/article/view/vol8-issue1-2021-2376905x-13-218/2375 |
| _version_ | 1797676456153710592 |
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| author | Amy Burden |
| author_facet | Amy Burden |
| author_sort | Amy Burden |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Gender equality in language learning has received considerable attention in research on classroom policy and materials. Within studies of materials like language learning texts, most research focuses on content analyses of character roles and images, with sometimes purposeful exclusion of non-human characters. However, non-humans in children’s picture books comprise almost 60% of the characters children read. Therefore, their representations of gender, including biases, overt sexism, and covert sexism should be examined. In this study, I examine gendering of non-human characters using corpus linguistics and critical discourse analysis. Additionally, I use critical image analysis to discuss pictorial gendering of non-human characters within 12 textbooks in two of the United States’ most widely used textbook series for language learning in elementary schools. Results indicate a strong preference for aggressive and adventurous male characters, male supremacist ideologies, and the suppression of female agency. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T22:29:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ed14e5d35c0c4d849ec0ede3d35f979b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2376-905X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T22:29:21Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | E-JournALL |
| record_format | Article |
| series | EuroAmerican Journal of Applied Linguistics and Languages |
| spelling | doaj.art-ed14e5d35c0c4d849ec0ede3d35f979b2023-09-23T15:59:25ZengE-JournALLEuroAmerican Journal of Applied Linguistics and Languages2376-905X2021-03-0181537510.21283/2376905X.13.218Lipstick on pigs: Critical discourse and image analysis of non-humans in U.S. children’s ESL textbooksAmy Burden0University of MemphisGender equality in language learning has received considerable attention in research on classroom policy and materials. Within studies of materials like language learning texts, most research focuses on content analyses of character roles and images, with sometimes purposeful exclusion of non-human characters. However, non-humans in children’s picture books comprise almost 60% of the characters children read. Therefore, their representations of gender, including biases, overt sexism, and covert sexism should be examined. In this study, I examine gendering of non-human characters using corpus linguistics and critical discourse analysis. Additionally, I use critical image analysis to discuss pictorial gendering of non-human characters within 12 textbooks in two of the United States’ most widely used textbook series for language learning in elementary schools. Results indicate a strong preference for aggressive and adventurous male characters, male supremacist ideologies, and the suppression of female agency.https://e-journall.org/index.php/ejall/article/view/vol8-issue1-2021-2376905x-13-218/2375corpus linguisticscritical discourse analysistextbook analysisgender and languageenglish as a second language (esl)critical image analysis |
| spellingShingle | Amy Burden Lipstick on pigs: Critical discourse and image analysis of non-humans in U.S. children’s ESL textbooks EuroAmerican Journal of Applied Linguistics and Languages corpus linguistics critical discourse analysis textbook analysis gender and language english as a second language (esl) critical image analysis |
| title | Lipstick on pigs: Critical discourse and image analysis of non-humans in U.S. children’s ESL textbooks |
| title_full | Lipstick on pigs: Critical discourse and image analysis of non-humans in U.S. children’s ESL textbooks |
| title_fullStr | Lipstick on pigs: Critical discourse and image analysis of non-humans in U.S. children’s ESL textbooks |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lipstick on pigs: Critical discourse and image analysis of non-humans in U.S. children’s ESL textbooks |
| title_short | Lipstick on pigs: Critical discourse and image analysis of non-humans in U.S. children’s ESL textbooks |
| title_sort | lipstick on pigs critical discourse and image analysis of non humans in u s children s esl textbooks |
| topic | corpus linguistics critical discourse analysis textbook analysis gender and language english as a second language (esl) critical image analysis |
| url | https://e-journall.org/index.php/ejall/article/view/vol8-issue1-2021-2376905x-13-218/2375 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT amyburden lipstickonpigscriticaldiscourseandimageanalysisofnonhumansinuschildrensesltextbooks |