Sobia Arshad SAP ID:70177215

Sania Sajid SAP ID:70173954

Professor: Mam Tabassum Saba
Tittle: Framing Gender: Discourse Analysis of Grade 5 English Textbooks in Pakistan
Abstract
Textbooks have a big impact on how young people think because they shape their perceptions of social
norms and ideals, such as equality and gender roles. Educational resources have the power to either support or
contradict patriarchal traditions in Pakistan, since social institutions frequently reflect them. This study uses
Fairclough's three-dimensional critical discourse analysis (CDA) paradigm to critically examine how gender is
portrayed in the fifth-grade English language textbook published by the Punjab Textbook Board. The study looks at
language, visuals, and textual material to reveal the ideological underpinnings of gender representation. It focuses
on how roles are assigned to male and female characters, how often they appear, and what they do. The results
indicate a notable gender disparity, with male characters predominating in terms of frequency and variety of roles,
frequently portrayed in leadership and professional capacities, while female characters are limited to domestic
responsibilities and a limited selection of occupations. Traditional gender stereotypes are further emphasized
through verbal content and visual representations. These results demonstrate how students' views of social duties
are influenced by gender-biased narratives in textbooks that uphold patriarchal notions. Gender equity in
educational materials is still a crucial issue, even if women's roles and societal views are changing in Pakistan. In
order to guarantee equitable and inclusive gender representation, advance equity, and create a more just society,
this study emphasises the necessity of curricular reform. For young students to develop progressive attitudes,
textbooks must address these discrepancies.

1. Introduction
Textbooks are one of the main ways that young minds are influenced by education, which is crucial
in forming social norms and values. Children's conceptions of gender roles and equality are greatly influenced by the
representation of gender in textbooks. In Pakistan, where societal structures are frequently dominated by traditional
gender norms, educational materials' content can either support or contradict preconceptions by advocating for
equity and inclusivity. The gender portrayal in the Punjab Textbook's fifth-grade English language textbook is the
subject of a critical discourse analysis in this study.

The study investigates the representations of male and female characters, the roles that are given to them, and the
wider ramifications of these representations for gender parity. The study investigates textual content, images, and
language to reveal the ideological foundations of gender portrayal using Fairclough's paradigm for critical discourse
analysis. Whether the text presents a more progressive and balanced picture of gender roles or perpetuates
traditional gender stereotypes is the aim of the investigation.
In Pakistan, where ingrained patriarchal structures frequently mould social dynamics and impact educational
materials, this research is especially pertinent. This study intends to add to the conversation on gender equity and
educational reform by drawing attention to the subliminal messages that textbooks carry. The results will provide
information about how to enhance textbooks to encourage fair and inclusive gender portrayal, which will ultimately
help create a society that is more balanced and just.

According to Turner-Bowler (1996), the textbooks instruct the students on what conduct is suitable or wrong for
them. Furthermore, the aforementioned works serve as a source for the learners' acquisition of gender stereotypes.
These gender-based preconceptions are evident in a variety of fields, including politics and the business. Numerous
actions have been taken to close the gender gap. W 4. Ahmad and Shah: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Stereotypes
in an ELT Textbook. However, it is clear from the findings of several gender-related studies, such as Ram (2008),
Samadikhan and Shahrokhi (2014), Shah (2012), Hamdan and Jalabneh (2009), Khurshid, Gillaniz, and Hashmi (2010),
Kobia (2009), Lesikin (1998, 2001), Blumberg (2008), Durrani (2008), Gharbavi and Mousavi (2012),.

Many elements, including ethnicity, age, class, mental level, gender, and purpose, must be taken into account while
designing a textbook, especially one that is intended for ELT. It goes without saying, though, that a textbook's
contents can be examined to reveal patterns of inclusion and exclusion that conceal or emphasise certain aspects.
This study intends to investigate how men and women are portrayed in the English language textbook used by Grade
5 students in the Province of Punjab, Pakistan, in all public and some private schools, using Fairclough's (1989, 2001)
three-dimensional model. This is done in recognition of the seriousness of the claims based on reliable findings from
the aforementioned studies.

It aims to find the answer to the following query for this purpose:

Have both gender been fairly represented in Punjab, Pakistan's state and private fifth-grade English language
textbooks?

The study's concentration on a single textbook is one of its limitations. As a result, its findings cannot be applied
generally. Another study with a bigger sample size would be necessary for this aim.

2. Literature Review
Numerous studies have examined how gender is portrayed in educational materials, especially textbooks,
as a crucial component in forming societal attitudes and beliefs. Islam and Asadullah (2018) conducted a quantitative
content study on English-language textbooks used in public secondary schools in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia,
and Pakistan. They used 21 categories of representation and exclusion to identify gender stereotypes in both
quantity and quality. Their research found that textbooks were biased in favour of men. The representation of
women was found to be of lower quality. Their professions were seen to be more conventional and less prestigious,
and they tended to exhibit introverted and submissive personality qualities. According to the survey, 40.4% of
women are represented in the textbooks of the aforementioned countries, and they are also seen to be participating
in domestic Critical Discourse Analysis of an ELT Textbook as Indoor Activities by Ahmad and Shah. The selection of
grade-, province-, and subject-specific textbooks, as well as the kind and variety of categories, were found to have a
significant impact on the under-representation of women in Pakistani textbooks, both in terms of number and
quality. Rehman and Aslam examined the ideological foundations of language textbooks in 2020 in order to build on
these findings. Their study demonstrated how patriarchal narratives are frequently given priority in textbooks,
influencing pupils' early views of social roles. By using instances of strong female characters and non-traditional
gender roles, the authors argued for a more balanced approach.

One of the most important areas of inquiry worldwide has been how gender is portrayed in instructional materials.
More and more recent research (2021–2023) has highlighted how crucial it is to examine textbooks for how they
influence how society views gender roles. Textbooks frequently reflect societal views, and the information they
contain has a big impact on young students. Research has shown that gender differences in educational resources
are still present in Pakistan. For example, a research by Khan et al. (2021) emphasized how Punjabi textbooks
frequently depicted males as dominant figures and females as restricted to domestic responsibilities, highlighting the
dominance of traditional gender norms. Similar findings were made by Ahmed and Ali (2022), who studied English
language textbooks in Pakistan and observed that stories and images usually uphold patriarchal standards. According
to a systematic review by Fatima (2023), this kind of content reinforces preconceptions and restricts the goals of
young students, especially girls. Addressing gender inequalities in educational materials has not advanced
significantly, despite continuous discussions about curriculum reform.

Together, these findings highlight the importance of critically analyzing textbook rhetoric in order to identify subtle
ideological trends. By concentrating on Punjab's Grade 5 English textbook and assessing current works via a modern
lens, this study adds to the corpus of extant literature.

3. Research Methodology
Two fifth-grade ELT textbooks have been reviewed. The Punjab government is in charge of publishing
them. These books were created in accordance with the curriculum wing of Pakistan's recommendations. There are
thirteen lessons or modules in each volume. The "Three-Dimensional Model" of CDA developed by Fairclough served
as the basis for the corpus analysis. With minor changes, the process was adapted from American and Esmaili (2015).
They looked into how gender is portrayed in textbooks using Fairclough's (2015) checklist. Because the remaining
five elements "deal with semantic and syntactic gender analysis," which is outside the scope of this study, the
current research focuses on the four items from the checklist. Four parts of the description stage analysis were
examined. These include the frequency of gender-related activities involving men and women, pectoral
representations, and the social and domestic duties associated with men and women. The frequencies and numbers
were patterned twice to ensure that the collected data was consistent. The study then switched to a qualitative
explanation and analysis of these "aspects in relation to the social context" after compiling quantitative data for
these qualities.

4. Results and findings

The first step (description) in the Fairclough model is where data interpretation begins. The two coursebooks that
discuss the four previously mentioned features are where the explanation and description of the corpus start at this
point.

4.1 Male and Female Occurrences:

The primary characteristic examined in textbooks was the frequency of male/female occurrences. Figure No. 1 did
not show women as equally represented as men. While 321 occurrences of male occurrence were documented in
the textbooks, only 101 symptoms of female occurrence were. It demonstrates that "more than two out of every
three-gender representation focused on males."

4.2 Ratio of Male to Female Activity:

Another aspect that was looked at was the kind of activities that both sexes engaged in. In Table No. 1, males were
shown participating in activities more often than females. More over two-thirds of these activities were performed
by men. The investigation even found that the activities were gender-specific. For instance, women took care of the
home while men worked outside, in offices, in the army, building structures, playing sports, etc. These texts only
show teaching and nursing as professions.

4.3 Visual Representations of Men and Women

Seeing all genders represented in pictures was the next factor. as depicted in Figure 2. Both textbooks have relatively
few illustrations or images. There are 20 photographs of women and 30 pictures of men. In this case, it may be said
that there is a ratio difference, but it is not very noticeable. There were just ten photos with an equal number of
each gender.

4.4 Social and Domestic Roles

The final area of investigation was the relationship between male and female roles in the home and in society. The
roles in Table No. 2 were likewise gender-specific. Given that women were portrayed as "nurses," they were
obviously biased. Males, on the other hand, were leaders, doctors, traders, and military heroes.
Male and female activity (frequency) is seen in Table 1.

Activity Male frequency Female Frequency

Shopping. 0 2
Work in office 3 0
Playing/Sports 18 1
House chores. 0 12
Watching TV 1 1
Travelling 1 0
Outdoor activities others 187 97
Total 321 101

Table 2: Male and Female Domestic and Social Roles

Domestic and Social Roles Males Frequency Females Frequency

Parents 7 4
Student 9h 3
Doctor 1 2
Children(son/daughter) 5 2
Nurse 0 2
Friend 5 2
Teacher 4 1
The data is explained in "relation to the social context" in the following two phases of the "three-dimensional
model." Two key themes emerged from the main findings: male-controlled dogma and gender imbalance and bias in
textbooks.
In general, women's situation in Pakistan is improving quickly, the government is taking notice of this significant
issue, and as Pakistan is an Islamic state, Islam strongly encourages harmony for all people. As a result, the process
of women's empowerment impeded the unequal portrayal of gender in textbooks. The choice of textbooks at this
level is equally crucial. The pupils in this age range (10–13) are developing abstract concepts. This is the critical
period when individuals begin to think independently and form concepts, according to Piaget. The notion of female
demoting among female students is supported by gender-biased texts and ideologies found in textbooks.

3. Conclusion
The current study looked at how gender was portrayed in two Pakistani fifth-grade ELT textbooks. In order to
improve the field of significant evaluation and gender roles, it suggested understanding gender biases and roles in
such schoolbooks. Studies that tackle the problem in this manner are still extremely rare. The primary goal was to
examine gender disparities in an effort to improve and change them. Fairclough's (2015) "Three-Dimensional Model"
of CDA is applied. In favour of men, the examination of these works revealed gender inequity. Women are portrayed
as prejudiced, limited, and marginalize as a result of this imbalance. It also highlighted that women's marginalization
could result in a wrong. It also implied that this kind of marginalization of women can create a false perception of
women and impede efforts to achieve equality for all living things. It is crucial to address the limitations of the
current study. For instance, examining a large sample would lead to an oversimplification of the findings to all
Pakistani ELT textbooks, which could provide new conclusions because different topics are covered. Students' direct
use of these textbooks and their position are crucial in determining how these textbooks are perceived. An intriguing
comparative study between "ELT textbooks created for the Pakistani Context and the international varieties of the
same textbooks" could be a fascinating next step.

4. References
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