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Multiculturalism or multiracialism? : a critical analysis of the portrayal of race in primary one English textbooks in Singapore
Author
Kwa, Kok Beng
Supervisor
Randall, Mick
Abstract
The researchers in NIE study, Children's Experiences of Multiiracial Relationships in Informal Primary School Settings (Lee, Cherian, Ismail, Ng, Sim and Chee, 2004), noticed incidents in the primary schools whereby chilldren openly reject associating with pupils with 'very dark' skin colour. This is a sign of prejudice that is influenced by various factors (Bennett, 2003). As the lower primary textbooks are dominated by pictures and texts invested with ideologies that help children to construct certain worldviews, this study lwks into why and how the different races are portrayed through the usc of visual images and texts particularly in the In Step Primary One Coursebooks and how the racial ideologies inherent in the coursebooks influence the pupils. This study also critically and analytically examined the forms of bias, namely the inaccuracies, stereotypes and instances of omission and distortion inherent in the sampled coursebooks and the effects of these biases on the pupils.
An interview was conducted with the project advisor of the In Step Coursebook to lwk into the reasons and ways the races are portrayed in the textbooks. A critical analysis was performed on the visual images using Kress & van Leeuwen's Grammar of Visual Design to elicit the racial ideologies and evidence of bias. The ethnic names and contexts used for the texts in the textbooks were also analysed. These analyses were compared with the interview data to examine whether the In Step coursebooks promote the notion of Multiculturalism or Multiracialism.
Four Focus Group Interviews were conducted with Primary One pupils to find out the impact of the racial ideologies on them. To find out the level of support in Multicultural Education the coursebooks provide and the kind of social relationship these coursebooks promote or reinforce, interviews were conducted with English Language teacher and the pupils. This paper ends with summary of the major findings, a comparison with a research done on the analysis of racial portrayal in Singapore textbooks, pedagogical implications and suggestions for further research.
An interview was conducted with the project advisor of the In Step Coursebook to lwk into the reasons and ways the races are portrayed in the textbooks. A critical analysis was performed on the visual images using Kress & van Leeuwen's Grammar of Visual Design to elicit the racial ideologies and evidence of bias. The ethnic names and contexts used for the texts in the textbooks were also analysed. These analyses were compared with the interview data to examine whether the In Step coursebooks promote the notion of Multiculturalism or Multiracialism.
Four Focus Group Interviews were conducted with Primary One pupils to find out the impact of the racial ideologies on them. To find out the level of support in Multicultural Education the coursebooks provide and the kind of social relationship these coursebooks promote or reinforce, interviews were conducted with English Language teacher and the pupils. This paper ends with summary of the major findings, a comparison with a research done on the analysis of racial portrayal in Singapore textbooks, pedagogical implications and suggestions for further research.
Date Issued
2004
Call Number
PE1112.51 Kwa
Date Submitted
2004