THE CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF GENDER REPRESENTATION IN ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS OF IRANIAN HIGH SCHOOLS:

Abstract

The present study adopted an exploratory critical discourse analysis (CDA) approach to examine gender representation in Iranian government mandatory high school ELT textbooks using Fairclough model. Considering the model, female and male characters’ visibility, semantic, domestic, and social roles, activities, and pictorial representations in the textbooks were scrutinized. These factors were described, interpreted, and explained both qualitatively and quantitatively. Additionally, a semi-structured interview was conducted with 30 experienced high school educators and their responses were coded, scrutinized, and interpreted. The findings revealed the permanence of male dominance in the textbooks and that the gender bias in educational materials would have strong socio-cultural effects on students’ mind sets, future careers, and fields of study. The findings highlight the must to address gender inequalities as one of the most crucial socio-cultural concerns of Iran EFL educational textbooks.