1. English 343
Week 8: Cultural representations: Culture and teaching materials
S

2. Agenda
S Discussion of Cultural Representation in Media (Holliday
et. al.)
S Cultural representations in EFL/ESL textbooks (Taylor-
Mendes)
S Analysis of ESL/EFL Textbooks
S Analyzing interview questions, how to conduct successful
interviews.

3. The goal of this session
S Discuss the various sources of cultural representations
(e.g. media, textbooks)
S Examine cultural representations that exist in media and
understand the desire to essentialize.
S Raise your awareness on the construction of race as a
“discursive practice”

4. Your voices
S

5. Lyundmilla’s experiences with
EFL textbooks in Russia
S The way I viewed my society was strongly influenced by the images and
text brought by media and textbooks. In terms of race, I hardly remember
African-American people in our textbooks. This picture is still in my mind:
some Mr. Smith, white, sitting comfortably in his living room and reading a
newspaper with a pipe in his hand. Or some Ms. Lucy, also white, a
student or a teacher, wearing business clothes and with some papers in
her hands. As for media, Russian television is strongly influenced by
Western movies to the extent that some of my friends would say criticize
Russian movies as lacking the same effects that make a movie seem real.
So, I remember my university groupmates and I discussing Beverly Hills
which was a popular series among the youth back in 1997. Thus, I can
confirm that media and text bring a strong message to societies who rules
the world. As a result, I strongly believe that constant text and media
should and must be used as instruments for social development, not
social prejudice.

6. Joe comments on Mendes
article
S The introductory comments of a student named Fatima on page 64
represents much of the sentiment expressed in this article. Fatima
describes the differences in how black people and white people are
represented in textbooks. She wonders why black people are usually
depicted as poor and desperate while white people are portrayed as
powerful and happy. Based on depictions in textbooks, some students
may wonder if black people are capable of succeeding and if white people
can fail. Unfortunately, textbooks and other classroom resources, and
even teachers, can convey these false stereotypes to even elementary
school students (65). For example, a white elementary student may
consistently see white people portrayed as rich and powerful and black
people shown as poor and helpless. This white student may begin to think
that all white people are rich and all black people are helpless. These
false beliefs often turn into racist attitudes and even discriminatory actions.

7. Annie says
S A quote that was really influential in my reading was in Tayler-
Mendes’ piece when he mentioned the necessity to raise
awareness “about power inequality hidden behind taken for
granted knowledge and transforming society so that the
powerless become agents of changing their own world”. I think
this sentence was formed so beautifully because it really slaps
you in the face and tells you that there is something that
everyone can be doing to change the way stereotypes litter this
earth. Not only is it the “powerless” or minority groups that
need to be reacting, its everyone that needs to start caring
more about the images we portray.

8. Annie’s comments on the
show “That 70’s”
S When I think about hit television shows that have a main
character that is defined through their being an English
language learner, the only show that I could think of is
“That 70’s Show”. The character “Fez” is not only
portrayed as dumb and perverted, but also he is the least
liked character among the friends in the group. In
reality, this image being displayed doesn’t really surprise
me yet it does make me feel guilty about the subliminal
messages I have been receiving strictly from watching
television since during a really critical time in my
development.

9. Aurlie comments on Mendes
article
S In one of the textbook, an image (the only image) that could
potentially represent South America or Latin America is from a
Hollywood film, which about just killed me. Because I know these
movies are not all true. Many of you watch the Discovery Chanel
which explores different types of cultures. (Just speaking about
what is shown about Africa) the TV makes it seem appeared like
Africa is uncivilized, where everyone lives in huts and hunt for
meat. What does this do or bring to the viewers? Absolutely
nothing, it just reinforces what they already know. This ties
perfectly with what the book mentions on page 41, this makes is
easier for other cultures not to know that “Arabs do not wear the
Kufiyah, … many people do not live in traditional souks, or war-
torn streets with livestock,… that there are cars and computers
much like “we do”. Many people do this both young and old, they
ask these types of questions and I began to wonder; do I have the
right to be mad at people who ask me such questions? Is it their
fault? Shouldn’t it be their job to use deductive reasoning before
formulating questions such as “do you have cars in Africa”?

10. Curt comments on textbook
adoption committees

11. Sarah Johnson’s comments on
the use of vocabulary in media
S The most interesting part of this article was the discussion of the ever-so-
subtle ways in which the news media can sort of put minorities in their
place while not really appearing to do so. For example, most news stories
that involve minorities feature them in negative situations, and news staff
will make purposeful lexical choices depending on the race/ethnicity of the
subject (e.g. “riot” vs. “urban unrest” or “terrorist” vs. “freedom fighter”).
This author also provided the clever use of syntax choices: minorities are
often in the passive role in sentences (i.e. the direct or indirect object)
unless they are the agents of negative actions, in which case they are the
subject of the sentence. This was fascinating data that I had never
considered before but immediately realized as true. This type of subliminal
messaging has the potential to be eerily effective to even the most open-
minded of observers. I wonder how much of these linguistic strategies are
done with intent, and how much of it happens more as an unconscious
reflex. I was a journalism major in college for three years, and we were (of
course) never told to use these strategies, so where do they come from?
Do they just grow out of the inherent racism of the writer?

12. Holliday A 3.1: Cultural
Representation
S Vignette A.3.1.1: Martha and Reza’s story
Who is Martha? Who is Reza? What are some of the
cultural representations Martha developed? What is wrong
with such cultural representations?

13. Martha and Reza: Cultural
Misunderstanding due to
otherization
S Martha is working with Reza, a refugee in her language
class. Martha represents Reza as other by presuming
that the way he behaved in the hospital was a
misogynistic. She thought Reza seemed to resent having
a female teacher, or having a female nurse when he
needed a treatment.

14. In reality…
Martha’s projection on Reza’s lived experience
Reza in Kabul, Afghanistan
S No decent medical health care system S In fact, excellent hospitals in
in Kabul. Kabul where they won’t treat
Reza as a refugee.
S Mistreating woman. (due to his
reactions after his visit to a hospital) S His discomfort derives from his
difficult social circumstances.
S Cultural stereotypes of Afghanistan:
all male population being entirely in
support of limiting women’s right. S He speaks with pride: His sister is
a university professor in the
She relies on selected-images of still- U.S., and his daughter
bearded men in streets. She may not specializing to be gynecologist in
have any direct evidence to support Moscow. His teenage daugher
Reza’s misogyny. does well in school.

15. Where does Martha’s
prejudging come from?
S Media Images: Radio, press, newspapers, television—explicit forms
documenting current affairs.
S Material about Afghanistan has largely been about “war on terrorism” :
Little evidence of urban facilities.
Bracketing popular representations: Most hegemonic beliefs derive from a set
of images which produce a foreign “Other”
Something happens which makes us bracket the easy answer and look at
alternative explanations (remember Parisa’s and The smith examples)
Look at the the figure A 3.2.1: Forces of representation. How do you think this
figure can raise greater cross-cultural sensitivity in our classes?

16. How to move beyond such
representations?
S Raise your awareness of the media and political influences which
lead you to see people from other cultural backgrounds in a
certain way (mostly, in negative ways).
S Move beyond the images and fictions when you encounter people
from other cultural backgrounds.
S Consider alternative representations. Look for counter-evidence.
Think of a similar situation.
What do you need to do as future educators to better understand your
students like Reza?

17. B 3.3.1 The New racism (P.
196)
S Not as explicit as old racism: Different from the old racism
which included systematic
discrimination, segregation, apartheid, of white superior
feelings.
S New Racism: Minorities are not biologically inferior, but
different. They have a different language and
culture, although in many respects they are deficiencies
(e.g. lacking achievement, portraying non-native accents
as deficiencies, ESL language “issues” that need to be “
corrected”)

18. The role of discourse
S New racism is discursive. They are expressed, enacted
and confirmed by talk and text, such as everyday
conversations. Board meetings, job interviews, policies,
textbook etc.
S They are not mere talk—they are as bad as the old
racism which marginalize ad exclude minorities. They
may be even more dangerous as they are “normalized”.
Those who engage in such discourses are seen as
“neutral” and “normal”

19. Discourse analytic approaches
S Systematically describe the various structures and
strategies of text or talk, and relate these to the social or
political contexts.
S Semantic analysis, syntactic form of sentences.
Rhetorical devices such as metaphors.

20. The role of media
S The power of media is DISCURSIVE and SYMBOLIC.
S The power of media image is the primary source of
people’s knowledge, attitudes and ideologies. It lacks
alternative sources., and through showing one-sided
images, ir establishes discursive and cognitive
hegemony. READ PAGE: 197

21. Major topics covered in media
S Illegal immigrants
S Social problems (welfare, housing, employment etc.)
S Focus on thread: violence, crime and drugs.
S Negative characterization: How are they deviant from the
“norm”?
These topics, although crucial, are portrayed as “threats” or
“deviance”

22. Let’s analyze Arizona’s SB
immigration law
S The Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act (introduced as
Arizona Senate Bill 1070 and thus often referred to simply as Arizona SB 1070) is a
legislative Act in the U.S. state of Arizona that at the time of passage was the
broadest and strictest anti-illegal immigration measure in recent U.S. history.[2] It
has received national and international attention and has spurred considerable
controversy.[3][4]U.S. federal law requires all aliens over the age of 14 who remain
in the United States for longer than 30 days[5] to register with the U.S.
government,[6] and to have registration documents in their possession at all
times.[7] The Arizona Act additionally makes it a state misdemeanor crime for an
alien to be in Arizona without carrying the required documents,[8] requires that state
law enforcement officers attempt to determine an individual's immigration status
during a "lawful stop, detention or arrest" when there is reasonable suspicion that
the individual is an illegal immigrant,[9] bars state or local officials or agencies from
restricting enforcement of federal immigration laws,[10] and cracks down on those
sheltering, hiring and transporting illegal aliens.[11] The paragraph on intent in the
legislation says it embodies an "attrition through enforcement" doctrine.[12][13]
Source: Wikipedia

23. What negative words and phrases
are used in the media to describe
the actions of immigrants?

24. Reel Bad Arabs (A
documentary)
S http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4157QYY3o4

25. So, what are some of the images we
see in EFL/ESL textbooks that
contribute to our construction of racial
stereotypes?
Cosette Taylor-Mendes
S

26. What are the goals of this
article?

27. Why do we care about the
ideologies of textbooks?

28. What are the research
questions of this study?

29. Describe methods and
procedures

30. What are the findings?

31. The US is portrayed as the land of the
White elite
Fatima:
“I think it’s better than Brazil, for example the pictures show
the streets are clean..beautiful things, beautiful
buildings…When the books want to show violence, they
show Afganistan, show the war for example”

32. Blacks are consistently represented as
poor or powerless.
Vinicius says:
“ I think they should have more pictures of the things that happen
in Brazil. They don’t have any. Even the characters are not similar
to Brazil. Everybody is white and you know…in a beautiful suit”
Kaka says:
The majority of pictures are of whites. The blacks or Japanese in
my English class do not find themselves represented in these
books”

33. S What does an American look like continually in and
through the images in EFL textbooks.
S The images reinforce past and present racial biases. The
books are filled with stereotypes, and do not challenge
students’ p[perceptions of American, themselves, or other
races.

34. Write down three important
implications of this study.

35. Implications for praxis
S Teachers should consider the images in ESL/EFL
textbooks.
S Preservice teachers should be asking important
questions about white privilege. (See Peggy Mcintosh’s
article)
S To develop greater sensitivity to race and
power, teachers need to draw students attention to such
images and need to initiate discussions about issues of
cultural representation.

36. Group Work (Textbook
analysis)
S What images attract you? Which images do you like? Which
pictures do you think represent American or British culture?
S What is it about the picture that makes it British or American?
S What are you seeing in these pictures about lifestyles?
S Who has power in these pictures? Who has status?
S What does the clothing communicate to you?
S Whose interests are being served by the things images are
portrayed?

37. Sharing your Interview
questions
S Exchange your interview questions with your neighbor. Read
your neighbor's interview questions to your neighbor and ask
feedback:
What are the strengths of the questions? What are the limitations?
Do you think these questions can prompt long answers? What
other types of questions can s/he add to this list? Are the
questions focused? Are they intriguing? Are the question reveal
enough information about the interviewee’s language and culture
experiences? Do the questions focus on a specific context and
specific area of research?

38. What is Data Analysis?
Steps of Data Analysis
S Get to know your data
Good analysis starts with getting to know your data very well.
Write down your impressions about your data. What can you find so far?
Identify your main questions again AND look for answers in your data
S Identify themes and patterns (look at the language being
used, phrases, words, photos etc…)
S Organize them into coherent cathegories

39. Emerging categories
 Rather than bringing your own assumptions or preconceived
categories and themes, you need to reread your data and find
themes that recur in your data.
 So, categories are defined AFTER you worked on your data.
Example # 1: What is the benefit of youth mentoring program?
Responses to this question were sorted out: Benefits to youth,
benefits to family, benefits to community.
Example # 2: What makes a quality education program?
Responses to this question were sorted out: Staff, relevance,
participation, time , content

40. Some key language you can
use…
S The interview results…the survey results…my analysis of
media…my analysis on women’s photos….
suggest that….reveals…shows…demonstrates…
Indicates….
S Some of the common themes emerging in the data
includes:….
S One of the most intriguing responses that X gave is…

41. Question categories
S Opening questions
Could you please describe…?
Can you tell me about…?
Please discuss…
I am interested in….What can you tell me about this subject?
S Follow-up Questions
Really? How so? Can you elaborate on X point?
S Probing Questions
Can you tell me more about…? Could you please give me an
example…?

42. Tips!
S Avoid loaded questions: Do you think it is wrong to kill unborn
babies? A REVISION: Do you support or oppose providing
women the option to abort a pregnancy during the first twenty
weeks?
S Avoid Vague Questions: Do you support or oppose the strict
laws on illegal immigration? The policies on illegal immigration
changed drastically in the last decade in the U.S. Today, we
see that…. Still, many companies continue to employ illegal
immigrants. Do you support or oppose this policy?
S Avoid asking only close-ended questions: Is it morally wrong
to bully?

43. Major touristic sites in
Afghanistan

44. Image of Afghanistan

45. Kabul

46. # 1 Touristic attraction

47. Assignment
S Cross-cultural Analysis DUE date: March 20th
S Proposal Due date is also pushed forward. New DUE
date: March 27
HAVE A GREAT SPRING BREAK! DO NOT HESITATE TO
EMAIL ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR
ASSIGNMENTS.