Gendered Hegemony in the Visual Discourse of Moroccan EFL Textbooks: A Quantitative Content Analysis

https://doi.org/10.36892/ijlts.v2i1.103

Authors

  • Driss Benattabou Department of English, faculty of Arts and Humanities, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes

Keywords:

Gender bias, visual images, content analysis, textbooks, gender representation

Abstract

This study analyzes the portrayal of women and men in the visual discourse of Moroccan English as a Foreign Language (MEFL, henceforth). Nine of these textbooks have been sampled to serve this purpose. Although past research has been extensively undertaken to examine the textual discourse of school textbooks, there is up to now a dearth of research geared to analyze their visual contents. This research adopts the analytical techniques of quantitative content analysis to examine the numerical distribution of the two sex groups throughout their pictorial representations. Mapping the visual content of the sampled textbooks, it has been shown that, unlike men, women have been misrepresented both in terms of their visibility (frequency of appearance) as well as in terms of the occupational roles assigned to them. The use of frequency counts, percentages, ratios and chi-square tests have helped unveil imbalanced gender disparities favoring men. The paper ends up presenting the conclusion of this study along with some recommendations.

Author Biography

Driss Benattabou, Department of English, faculty of Arts and Humanities, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes

Prof. Driss Benattabou, Ph.D.

Professor of Applied linguistics and Gender in Education,

Faculty of Arts and Humanities,

Moulay Ismail University,

Meknes, Morocco.

d.Benattabou@gmail.com

Author Biodata:

 Driss Benattabou, Ph.D., is Professor of Applied linguistics & Gender in Education. He obtained his Ph.D and ‘Doctorat d'État’ in Applied Linguistics & Gender in Education from the Department of English Studies, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes, Morocco. He has over thirty-two years experience in teaching Applied linguistics and Gender Studies. He has also been teaching Applied Linguistics, General Linguistics, Research Methods, Oral Communication, Public Speaking, Professional and Academic Writing. He has a number of publications and papers presented at national and international conferences on Languages in Contact, Gender & Education, and Media and Information Literacy. He is a member of the following Networks/ Associations: Research Laboratory of “Applied Linguistics & Language Development", Member of Doctoral Program: "Applied Linguistics," School of Arts and Humanities Moulay Ismail University of Meknes, Morocco, and member of the Moroccan Inter-University Network of English (MINE). Dr. Benattabou is also a member of the scientific committee of the International Journal of Linguistic Studies. Koubali, J; Ouahidi, M and Bettach, I (eds). 

Professional Experience:

1987-1994: Assistant Professor (Professeur de L’Enseignement Superieur, Assistant) ;  Department of English, Faculty of letters and Humanities, Beni- Mellal.

1994-2010: Assistant Professor (Professeur de L’Enseignement Superieur, Assistant); Department of English, Faculty of letters and Humanities, Meknes.

2010-2015: Associate Professor (Professeur Habilite’); Department of English, Faculty of letters and Humanities, Meknes.

2015- Present: Senior Professor; Department of English, Faculty of letters and Humanities, Meknes.

Detailed description of his experience:

Dr. Benattabou has been working as a teacher at the university level since 1987. He has over 33 years of teaching experience in higher education. He is a member and coordinator of a number of programs at the Department of English Studies at Moulay Ismail University, Meknes. He is a member of the PhD Program in Applied Linguistics and a member of the Research Group on Applied Linguistics & Language Development (ALLD). Dr. Benattabou holds an MA in Applied Linguistics from Sidi Mohamed Benabdellah University, Fes (1987). He also holds a DES degree (Doctorat National: PhD) in Applied Linguistics, from Sidi Mohamed Benabdellah University, Fes (1990). He obtained a national certificate of ‘Habilitation’ in 2011, from Moulay Slimane University Benimellal. Since 2011, Dr. Benattabou has been working as an Associate Professor in the Department of English, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes. In 2015, Dr. Benattabou obtained a ‘Doctorat d'État’ from Moulay Ismail University, Meknes; and since then he has been working as a senior professor of Applied Linguistics and Gender in Education.

Certificates & Degrees:

Benattabou,D.(1985).  A Phonological Approach to the Study of Kabliyine Dialect. A paper submitted in fulfillment of the Requirements of the BA Degree. Faculty of Letters, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fes.

Benattabou,D.(1987). On the Significance of the Age Factor in Second Language Learning.  Unpublished Dissertation C.E.U.S (M.A in Applied Linguistics) Faculty of Arts, Fes.

Benattabou,D.(1990). The Significance of the Factors of Age and Sex in the Learning of a Second Language. A Case Study of Moroccan Learners.  Unpublished PhD. thesis (D.E.S Degree, Doctorat National). Faculty of letters.  Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fes.

Benattabou,D.(2011). A Scientific File Submitted in fulfillment of the Requirements for the “Habilitation Certificate”. Moulay Slimane University, Beni-Mellal.

Benattabou, D. (2015). Sex Differences and Foreign Language Learning: A Content Analysis of Sex Stereotypes in Moroccan EFL Textbooks. Unpublished ‘Doctorat d'État’ Dissertation, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes, Morocco.

Publications:

Benattabou, D. (2011).“ Communication Studies and the Importance of Developping Cultural Awareness”. Revue de la faculté des lettres Meknes V. 21.

Benattabou, D. (2011). “On The Feasibility of a Learner-centred Approach in the Moroccan Educational System: The Teaching of English as a Case Study”. MATE Newsletter 29 (Issue 3- 4).

Benattabou, D. (2013).“Gender Imbalances in Moroccan EFL Textbooks: From ‘Survival of the Fittest’ to ‘Survival of All’”. A paper presented in the International Conference on Media, Culture and Education, held in 23-25 November 2010 at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Meknes.

Benattabou, D. (2014). “The Representation of Women in Language Teaching Materials: A Discourse Analysis of Gender-Bias in Moroccan EFL textbooks”. A paper presented in the International Conference   on “Discourse in/and
Cultures in Contact”, December 22-23, 2010 at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Sais-Fès.

Dr. Benattabou is co-editor of the International Conference proceedings on Media, Culture and Education, held in 23-25 November 2010 at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Meknes.

El Ghouati, A. Khoumich, and Benattabou, D. (2020). Application of Multiple Intelligences-Based Approach in TEFL: English Teaching in Morocco as a Case Study. Intenational Journal of Innovation and Scientific Research. Volume 47, Issue 1, February 2020, Pages 11–16.

 Benattabou, D. (forthcoming). Gendered Discourses in Moroccan EFL Textbooks: A Critical Discourse Analysis. 

Benattabou, D. (forthcoming).  Developing Cross-Cultural Awareness among Moroccan EFL    Students: Focus on Nonverbal Intercultural Competence. 

Benattabou, D. (forthcoming).  On the Teaching and Learning of Culture-Loaded Words: TheCase of Moroccan Learners of EFL. 

Benattabou, D. (forthcoming).  Gender Bias in the Visual Depictions of Women and Men in Moroccan EFL Textbooks: A Quantitative Content Analysis. In Koubali, J; Ouahidi, M; and Bettach, I (eds). The International Journal of Linguistic Studies.

Dr. Benattabou is a reviewer of the International Journal of Linguistic Studies. Koubali, J; Ouahidi, M and Bettach, I (eds).

 

Published

2021-01-24

How to Cite

Benattabou, D. (2021). Gendered Hegemony in the Visual Discourse of Moroccan EFL Textbooks: A Quantitative Content Analysis. International Journal of Linguistics and Translation Studies, 2(1), 40–61. https://doi.org/10.36892/ijlts.v2i1.103

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 1 (2021): January Issue

Section

Articles
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