Philippine E-Journals

When Genders are Not Stated Equal: A Textual and Visual Analysis on Selected Grade 1 Textbooks

Shaen Kyle A. Jacinto | Daniella Dimaano | Sophia Marie Ramos | Gerby Muya

 

Abstract:

Textbooks serve as one of the fundamental media which constructs the benchmarks and norms demonstrated inside a classroom. The images of male and female portrayals in a book solidify children's ideologies of gender roles influencing their own self-image, attitude, behavior, expectations, and ambitions (Mirza, 2004. Using quantitative and qualitative textual analysis, this study examined four grade one textbooks were examined namely 1) Essential English: Worktext in Language and Reading; 2) Filipino: Paglalayag sa Wika at Pagbasa; 3) Mother Tongue: Based Multilingual Education 4) Cyber Science: Worktext in Science and Technology to unpack the family-related gender roles. Findings show that female's visual representation dominates male; male illustrations are always assigned to physical and mechanical virtuosity in doing household activities while female are attached to emotional, psychological and spiritual capabilities. Gender stereotyping is still present in the newly published grade one textbooks as marked by the unequal representation in the given portrayal to both sexes.