Promoting Multicultural Learning: An Investigation of Race Representation in Turkish Secondary School EFL Coursebooks

Abstract

Globalization has been a transformative force in the world, shaping the way countries interact with one another and impacting a wide range of economic, political, and social factors (Akcaoğlu & Arsal, 2022). In this context, promoting understanding of diversity and inclusion among students is essential which can be effectively cultivated through learning materials. Raising students' awareness of the diverse range of cultures, perspectives, and experiences that exist within the world should be a concern for teachers. Therefore, this study explores the representation of race in four EFL coursebooks prepared for secondary school grades (5-8) published by the Turkish Ministry of National Education. In a qualitative descriptive research design, document analysis was used to analyze the images and written texts. The results revealed that in all four books the target language countries, European nationalities, and white race were predominantly referred to and portrayed. The most diverse coursebook was the 5th grade one in terms of racial representation whereas the 6th grade coursebook was found to include references to only Türkiye. The study suggests revising the coursebooks to promote diversity and inclusivity can be an effective way to cultivate intercultural competence, foster greater empathy and understanding among students, and create more equitable and inclusive learning environments.