AVA 2 - Métodos e Abordagem do Ensino de Língua Inglesa

Prévia do material em texto

UNIVERSIDADE VEIGA DE ALMEIDA - POLO BANGU
LETRAS - HABILITAÇÃO PORTUGUÊS/INGLÊS
JULIANA DE OLIVEIRA AUGUSTO
20201301853
AVA 2 - MÉTODOS E ABORDAGEM DO ENSINO DE LÍNGUA
INGLESA
Analyzing Coursebooks
RIO DE JANEIRO - RJ
2022
Abstract
This study analyzes the first unit of the coursebook High Up I (approved by PNLD
2015), developed by Reinildes Dias, Leina Jucá and Raquel Farias according to the
principles of the PCNs, aiming to meet the needs of the Brazilian students in the first
year of high school. This analysis aims to examine the types of bias related to
gender, race, and culture present in the coursebook. The findings revealed that white
males were given priority over females and non-white people, showing a significant
inequality in gender and racial representation. Regarding cultural diversity it was
observed that there are little to no activities encouraging critical thinking and cultural
awareness.
Keywords: gender; ethnicity, cultural diversity
__________________________________________________________________
1. Introduction
Coursebooks are instrumental in EFL education as it is mainly through them
that teachers plan their lessons and learners get to know the target language.
According to PCN+ (2006) it is through language that knowledge is organized and
communicated in a social and cultural context so that learners become a part of the
world in a critical manner and according to personal choices in the field of cultural
possibilities.
[...] it has become increasingly important that English as a Foreign Language
be taught with accompanying communication skills including critical thinking,
intercultural knowledge and understanding as well as a heightened sense of
cultural awareness. (REIMANN, 2009, p. 85).
2. Aim of the study
The present study aims to analyze the first unit of the coursebook High Up I
(approved by PNLD 2015), which is taught in the first year of Brazilian high schools.
The unit was analyzed considering the development of critical thinking, equal
representation regarding gender and race, and cultural diversity awareness. This
analysis focuses on images, names, pronouns and the activities proposed.
3. Method
This study employs both qualitative and quantitative approaches in which
frequency counts of female and male names, pronouns and pictures, frequency of
white and non-white representation were analyzed. The activities were also analyzed
regarding cultural diversity and critical thinking.
4. Findings
The analysis regarding names and pronouns attributed to males and females
that are shown in this unit can be seen in table 1 below:
Table 1. Frequency of Names and Pronouns Attributed to Males and Females in Unit 1 of the
coursebook High Up 1
Book Unit Sex Names Pronouns
High Up 1 Unit 1 Female 5 (41.67%) 1 (10%)
Male 7 (58.33%) 9 (90%)
Source: Elaborated by the author
As table 1 shows, the percentage of names and pronouns of men are,
respectively, 58.33% and 90%, whereas those of women are 41.67% and 10% in Unit
1. It is clear that males were given priority over females in this unit. Being a unit that
aims to teach verb to be, it is surprising that the pronoun she was only used once.
Unit 1 was also examined in order to see the frequency in which males,
females, white and non-white people are represented in the book, which can be seen
in table 2 below:
Table 2. Frequency of Representation Regarding Gender and Ethnicity in Unit 1 of the Coursebook
High Up 1
Book Unit Sex White Non-white
High Up 1 Unit 1 Female 4 (28.57%) 2 (40%)
Male 10 (71.43%) 3 (60%)
Both (total) 14 (73.68%) 5 (26.32%)
Source: Elaborated by the author
As shown in table 2, the representation of white females (28.57%) is much
inferior than that of white males (71.43%). The difference between the representation
of non-white females (40%) and non-white males (60%) is a little lower but still not
very well distributed. When looking at both males and females, the frequency in
which white people are pictured is of 73.68%, while that of non-white people is
26.32%, showing that white males were given priority over females and non-white
people.
When analyzing the activities regarding cultural diversity, the unit shows a
variety of English-speaking countries, aiming to teach countries and nationalities.
One activity tries to relate English to the students’ daily lives, showing words in
English that are commonly seen on the streets, such as hot dog and pet shop, which
is a good way to get students interested and showing them that they already know
some vocabulary in English. However when talking about English-speaking countries
there is not much information about their cultures other than a quiz testing students’
knowledge about them. The information present in this quiz is random, out of context
and leads to no further discussion. Afterwards there is an activity asking students to
do some research about three English-speaking countries (Ireland, Kenya and
Singapore) and create some multiple-choice questions to add to the quiz and test
their classmates. Towards the end of the unit there is an activity asking students to
research about their favorite English-speaking country but in a superficial way, such
as asking for the colors of the flag and the country’s most popular dish, not giving the
students a chance of getting to know more about different cultures and have a
discussion about them.
5. Conclusion
This study was an attempt to analyze gender, racial and cultural
representation in Unit 1 of the coursebook High Up 1. The results showed that there
is a significant discrepancy between male and female representation, as well as a
substantial inequality in racial representation, where white males are the majority in
both instances. When it comes to cultural diversity the activities attempt to present
different countries and cultures but it does so in a very superficial way that requires
little to no critical thinking and leads to no cultural awareness and discussions.
As most language learning contexts are limited to the classroom
environment and communication opportunities with members of the target
language community are few, it is essential that texts and materials provide
this missing element of realism as accurately and objectively as possible.
(REIMANN, p. 85, 2009).
REFERENCES
BAHMAN, M.; RAHIMI, A. (2010). Gender representation in EFL materials: An
analysis of English textbooks of Iranian high schools. Procedia-Social and
Behavioral Sciences, 2010, volume 9, pages 273-277. Available on:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042810022548. Access on:
15 Sep. 2022.
BRASIL, Orientações Educacionais Complementares aos Parâmetros
Curriculares Nacionais (PCN+).Linguagens, Códigos e suas tecnologias.
Brasília: MEC, 2006. Available on:
http://portal.mec.gov.br/seb/arquivos/pdf/linguagens02.pdf. Access on: 14 Sep. 2022.
BRASIL, Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais: terceiro e quarto ciclos do ensino
fundamental: Língua Estrangeira. Brasília: MEC SEF, 1998. Available on:
https://cptstatic.s3.amazonaws.com/pdf/cpt/pcn/volume-09-lingua-estrangeira.pdf.
Access on: 14 Sep. 2022.
DIAS, Reinildes; JUCÁ, Leina; FARIA, Raquel. High up. Vol. 1, Unit 1. Cotia, São
Paulo: Macmillan, 2013. Available on:
http://www.macmillan.com.br/pnld2015/highup/arquivos/highup1.pdf. Access on: 15
Sep. 2022.
REIMANN, Andrew. "A Critical Analysis of Cultural Content in EFL materials."
2009, pages 85-101. Available on: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/80550997.pdf.
Access on: 15 Sep. 2022.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042810022548
http://portal.mec.gov.br/seb/arquivos/pdf/linguagens02.pdf
https://cptstatic.s3.amazonaws.com/pdf/cpt/pcn/volume-09-lingua-estrangeira.pdf
http://www.macmillan.com.br/pnld2015/highup/arquivos/highup1.pdf
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/80550997.pdf