Presentations of Gender and Gender-biased Language in EFL Textbooks

Representations of gender can affect students as language learners and users. For many students, the most important and immediate links to the target culture and language are teachers and textbooks. Therefore, their presentations of gender can provide influential messages. In Japan, the emphasis on teacher and textbook-centred learning increases the impact that materials used and characters presented in the classroom can have on students and their opinions and perceptions of society. Performance in the classroom is an essential part of student development and a pathway to a successful career in the future. If student performance is affected by stereotyped portrayals, helping teachers become more aware of the issue and ways of avoiding gender-biased representations will be of great benefit to students around the globe. This book investigates the presentation of gender in the Japanese education system using a systematic content analysis.