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Changing Perspectives on LGBT Representation in ELT Textbooks

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Linguistic Perspectives on Sexuality in Education

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Language, Gender and Sexuality ((PSLGS))

Abstract

This chapter examines the issue of including LGBT content in published language teaching materials. It showcases a particular project which I worked on at the beginning of my writing career and which now represents an interesting case study in how LGBT content can be sanitized within the context of globalized teaching materials. It shows how this material was eventually repackaged and reappropriated for a global market. The chapter begins by analysing heteronormativity - gay invisibility - erasure - in materials and then explores different strategies for introducing or adapting LGBT content, providing general advice about queering ELT while always kee** in mind local contexts. The chapter then explains the continued struggle to challenge heteronormativity as the market becomes increasingly globalized and authors see their influence in materials creation diminish. The chapter finishes with some positive examples of how more inclusive materials can be produced today, focusing on online examples of LGBT content and includes general recommendations for practitioners.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    For more information on “Parsnip”, see https://scottthornbury.wordpress.com/2010/06/27/t-is-for-taboo/. Accessed 18 April 2019.

  2. 2.

    John Gray in his 2019 IATEFL plenary refers to “homonormativty” and “good gays” meaning comfortable middle-class representations of same-sex couples which may actually be counterproductive.

  3. 3.

    I have changed the order of some of these strategies to focus on the first four which I believe to be the most plausible ones for the majority of teachers.

  4. 4.

    My translation from the Spanish. Permission received from Andrea Portillo Hernández by email to use her post on 17 September 2018.

  5. 5.

    ELE: Español como Lengua Extranjera (Spanish as a Foreign Language).

  6. 6.

    Received 27 September 2017 in the online forum of the course “Afectividad y aprendizaje en ELE: Imagen e imaginación”. Universidad de La Rioja,. Author’s translation from Spanish.

  7. 7.

    Permission received from Cheryl Palin and retrieved October 4 2018 in the ELT Writers Connected private group in Facebook in a discussion on Including LGBT Issues in The Language Classroom.

  8. 8.

    A good example is MacAndrew and Martinez (2001) which included LGBT topics alongside taboo content such as Death and Religion.

  9. 9.

    Accessed 28 September 2017 in the online forum of course “Afectividad y aprendizaje en ELE: Imagen e imaginación”. Universidad de La Rioja. My Translation from Spanish.

  10. 10.

    See MacAndrew and Martinez (2001).

  11. 11.

    For example, this Speakout Intermediate Video Podcast Unit 6 Emotion mentions a same-sex relationship @2.50–3.03. It’s an excellent example of normalization. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzYHcVy2z1A.

  12. 12.

    http://www.oecd.org/pisa/pisa-2018-global-competence.htm.

  13. 13.

    https://eltcouncil.gov.mt/en/Documents/7th%20ELT%20Malta%20Conference%20Programme.pdf.

  14. 14.

    http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/gender-sexuality-elt-–-inclusive-education-vs-queer-pedagogy?fbclid=IwAR0W7dvOiybVNc_myWbuQY2OVu1usl-rm1AH1KxN48Znx1L3wcATe0COYPI.

  15. 15.

    https://taylormadeenglish.com/raiseup/?fbclid=IwAR1ZNnVcrfIVEkKD48o6NfjS92fAm0BdcHgITHus2UvbQDxMwY_tHJNW5ec.

  16. 16.

    https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/my-family.

  17. 17.

    https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/study-break/graded-reading/guess-what-level-3.

Primary Textbook Sources

  • Goldstein, B. (2003). Framework Pre-Intermediate Student’s Book. London: Richmond.

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  • Goldstein, B. (2004). Framework Intermediate Student’s Book. London: Richmond.

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  • Goldstein, B. (2006a). New Framework Intermediate Student’s Book. London: Richmond.

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  • Goldstein, B. (2006b). New Framework Pre-Intermediate Student’s Book. London: Richmond.

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  • Goldstein, B. (2008). New Framework Intermediate Student’s Book. London: Richmond.

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References

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  • Gray, J. (2013). LGBT Invisibility and Heteronormativity in ELT Materials. In J. Gray (Ed.), Critical Perspectives on Language Teaching Materials (pp. 40–63). Palgrave Macmillan.

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  • Sutherland, J., et al. (2001). From Bias “In the Text” to “Teacher Talk around the Text”: An Exploration of Teacher Discourse and Gendered Foreign Language Textbook Texts. Linguistics and Education, 11(3), 251–286.

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Online Sources

    Online Materials Including LGBT Content

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    Author information

    Authors and Affiliations

    1. The New School, New York, NY, USA

      Ben Goldstein

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    1. Ben Goldstein
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    Correspondence to Ben Goldstein .

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    Editors and Affiliations

    1. Faculty of English, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poznań, Poland

      Łukasz Pakuła

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    Goldstein, B. (2021). Changing Perspectives on LGBT Representation in ELT Textbooks. In: Pakuła, Ł. (eds) Linguistic Perspectives on Sexuality in Education. Palgrave Studies in Language, Gender and Sexuality. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64030-9_12

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64030-9_12

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    • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

    • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-64029-3

    • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-64030-9

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