Gender Representation in EFL Textbooks: A Case of ILI Pre-intermediate Series

Abstract

In textbooks, language functions as an ideology maker and social role determiner that lead sociolinguists to uncover reflection of gender roles and stereotypes. Numerous studies have addressed gender bias and stereotypes in ESL/EFL textbooks. The present study intends to define how social gender identity is reflected via adjectives and pictures in order to facilitate cross-cultural comparison of gender roles and to shed light on the perception and significance of gender as reflected in textbook images. The textbooks examined in this study are the ILI pre-intermediate series, a three level course. A combination of linguistic and visual analyses is used to examine the reflection of gender in the textbooks. The findings clearly indicate gender imbalance in favor of males. The findings have implications for material designers, teachers, and teacher trainers and provide suggestions for further research.