A critical discourse analysis of gender representations in the content of 5th grade English Language textbook
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This study investigates gender representation in an English language textbook taught to the students of Grade-5 in public and private schools in Punjab (Pakistan) by applying Fairclough’s three-dimensional model. For this purpose, content and critical discourse analyses approaches were applied to check eight-factor gender discrimination in the said textbook. As a result, it was observed that the said textbook was highly gender biased which represented males more than females. It also appeared that the said textbook had been designed to maintain male dominance in implicit as well as explicit ways. Such state of affairs may lead to gender discrimination in practical lives. Therefore, the study suggests that both genders should be represented in an equalized proportion. This can be achieved by increasing the number of female authors and sensitizing the teachers about gender discrimination and asking them to highlight gender biased issues in education.
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At an international level, most CDA studies to date have focused on textbooks of English as a Foreign Language, resulting in gaps of knowledge with respect to other subjects.
“At an international level, most of the studies to date in the realm of CDA have focused on textbooks of English as a Foreign Language (Ahmad & Shah, 2019; Ariyanto, 2018; Lee, 2019; Lee & Collins, 2008; Setyono, 2018; Sunderland, 2000), resulting in gaps of knowledge with respect to other subjects.”
From The influence of school textbooks on the configuration of gender identity: A study on the unequal representation of women and men in the school discourse during the Spanish democracy (2022) · cites this paper as Ahmad & Shah, 2019
In the discussion in RIMCIS (2019, pp. 1–24), Ahmad and Shah describe ELT-material analysis as attracting scholarly interest, and their own study examines a Grade 5 English-language textbook. This makes the paper an example of the cited kind of study, but it does not establish that most CDA textbook studies internationally focus on EFL or that this has left gaps concerning other subjects. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredIn textbooks, males have a disproportionate presence in textual content.
“With regard to masculine representations, we find a disproportionate presence of males in their textual content (Ahmad & Shah, 2019; Lee, 2014; Lee, 2019; Sulaimani, 2017).”
From The influence of school textbooks on the configuration of gender identity: A study on the unequal representation of women and men in the school discourse during the Spanish democracy (2022) · cites this paper as Ahmad & Shah, 2019
Discriminations observed in the discourse of school textbooks can induce a limited understanding of the social role that females play in society.
“The discriminations observed in the discourse of school textbooks can induce a limited understanding of the social role that females play in society (Ahmad & Shah, 2019)”
From The influence of school textbooks on the configuration of gender identity: A study on the unequal representation of women and men in the school discourse during the Spanish democracy (2022) · cites this paper as Ahmad & Shah, 2019
Discriminations observed in the discourse of school textbooks can affect students' self-images concerning the perception of their own abilities and those of others.
“and, at the same time, affect students' self-images concerning the perception of their own abilities and those of others.”
From The influence of school textbooks on the configuration of gender identity: A study on the unequal representation of women and men in the school discourse during the Spanish democracy (2022) · cites this paper as Ahmad & Shah, 2019
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Cites
Islam, K. M. M., & Asadullah, M. N. (2018) · PLOS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0190807 · Cited by 196 · cited 6× · see citing works
“In Pakistani textbooks gender discrimination is prevalent (Azhar, Khalid & Mahmood, 2014; Durrani, 2008; Khurshid, Gillaniz & Hashmi, 2010; Islam & Asadullah, 2018; Mahmood, 2011; Masud, 2017; Mirza, 2004; Ram, 2008; Shah, 2012; Ullah & Haque, 2016; Ullah & Skelton, 2013; UNESCO, 2004).”
BackgroundResultInfluentialGender representation in the public sector schools textbooks of Pakistan
Ullah, H., & Skelton, C. (2013) · Educational Studies · doi:10.1080/03055698.2012.702892 · Cited by 141 · cited 9× · see citing works
“In Pakistani textbooks gender discrimination is prevalent (Azhar, Khalid & Mahmood, 2014; Durrani, 2008; Khurshid, Gillaniz & Hashmi, 2010; Islam & Asadullah, 2018; Mahmood, 2011; Masud, 2017; Mirza, 2004; Ram, 2008; Shah, 2012; Ullah & Haque, 2016; Ullah & Skelton, 2013; UNESCO, 2004).”
BackgroundInfluentialDurrani, N. (2008) · Compare A Journal of Comparative and International Education · doi:10.1080/03057920802351374 · Cited by 99 · see citing works
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De la Torre-Sierra, A. M., & Guichot-Reina, V. (2022) · Teaching and Teacher Education · doi:10.1016/j.tate.2022.103810 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
- Authors
- Ahmad, M., & Shah, S. K.
- Affiliations
- Government College University, Faisalabad (PK)
- ORCID
- Ahmad, Muhammad
- Venue
- International and Multidisciplinary Journal of Social Sciences
- Publisher
- Hipatia Press
- Published
- 2019-03-30
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1
- ISSN
- 2014-3680 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2945475247
- Cited by
- 73
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 3
- FWCI
- 12.23
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- International and Multidisciplinary Journal of Social Sciences (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) (submittedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Hipatia Press (University of Barcelona) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender Studies in Language
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Media, Gender, and Advertising
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender, Sexuality, and Education
- Keywords
- gender representation, gender bias, English textbooks, primary education, grade 5, Fairclough's three-dimensional model, male dominance, women writers, gender discrimination in education, textbook content analysis
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