73 research outputs found

    (Re)Storying Obama: An Examination of Recently Published Informational Texts

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    American publishers have published numerous childrenā€™s books about Barack Obama over the past several years; most take the form of informational biographies. This article reports on a research project aimed at how these books incorporate sociohistorical narratives, particularly those related to the civil rights movement. Though the features of the books might cause the reader to presume political neutrality, the books link readers to distinct Discourses (Gee, 1996), suggesting particular ideologies. In this article, we identified the following differences: (1) specific happenings from Obamaā€™s life were included in some texts while omitted in others; (2) when the events were included, how they were framed differed; and (3) the narrative constructions of the events varied. We use the differences amongst these texts to argue for the importance of critical literacy in elementary classrooms

    Confucian Principles: A Study of Chinese Americansā€™ Interpersonal Relationships in Selected Childrenā€™s Picturebooks

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    [[abstract]]There has not been enough critical analysis of childrenā€™s literature by and about Chinese Americans, especially when compared to other minority groups in the United States. In particular, Chinese American historical books lack extensive analysis. It is important to reflect cultural accuracy in literature and to help children develop clear concepts of self and others by providing precise cultural and physical characteristics of people. While cultural authenticity allows children the opportunity to see a reflection of real experiences within a book instead of seeing stereotypes or misrepresentations, obtaining correct information about a certain time period can help children to see images of immigration accurately represented in literature. Using the Confucian delineation of interpersonal relationships as the major criterion of cultural authenticity, this article examines three currently available childrenā€™s picturebooks set in the historical period between 1848 and 1885. In addition to exploring how Chinese Americansā€™ interpersonal relationships are portrayed in these childrenā€™s historical books, this article argues for more proactive inclusion of the diversity in selection of picturebooks.[[notice]]č£œę­£å®Œ

    Gendered Representations of Male and Female Social Actors in Iranian Educational Materials

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    This research investigates the representations of gendered social actors within the subversionary discourse of equal educational opportunities for males and females in Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) books. Using critical discourse analysis (CDA) as the theoretical framework, the authors blend van Leeuwenā€™s (Texts and practices: Readings in critical discourse analysis, Routledge, London, 2003) ā€˜Social Actor Network Modelā€™ and Sunderlandā€™s (Gendered discourses, Palgrave Macmillan, Hampshire, 2004) ā€˜Gendered Discourses Modelā€™ in order to examine the depictions of male and female social actors within this gendered discourse. The gendered discourse of equal opportunities was buttressed by such representations within a tight perspective in proportion to gender ideologies prevailing in Iran. Resorting to CDA, we can claim that resistance against such gendered discourse in Iranian EFL textbooks militates against such gender norms. These representations of male and female social actors in school books are indicative of an all-encompassing education, reinforcing that the discourse of equal opportunities is yet to be realized in the education system of Iran

    A comparative analysis of the cultural representation of disability in school textbooks in Iran and England

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    The paper details the findings of a study which focused on the analysis of the cultural representation of disability in school textbooks in Iran and England. The paper argues that whilst inclusive education could facilitate the incorporating of disabled pupils into mainstream schools, there needs to be deeper examination as to how this transition should take place for children aged 3-13. The paper suggests that in such examinations school textbooks might be of significance in familiarizing non-disabled pupils, teachers and authorities with the issues related to disability and disabled pupils

    Constructing impairment and disability in school reading schemes.

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    This paper examines the cultural construction of disability detailed within school reading schemes. The study by the employment of proto text analysis followed the ā€˜reading journeysā€™ that a four and five year old child experienced during the course of one academic year. The study examined 61 reading books that contained 2199 illustrations, 100 photographs and 1006 pages of text. The major finding of the research is that the reading schemes contained a limited construction of disability and one which was contextualised within medical deficit and narrative prosthesis. The research concludes that school reading schemes are potentially acting as a Trojan horse to introduce a page thin hegemonic that inculcates young children into the systems of dominance and ā€˜ableistā€™ agendas which are seemingly replete in our society
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