1
Gender Bias: An analysis of Real Time for Junior High School Students year VII By: Sari Novita Wibowo
Abstract
This study was conducted to describe the representation of gender in Real Time for Junior High School students year VII. Gender biased textbooks are harmful for students because of
several reasons.First, unconciously sexism may offend the learners as unintended racism O’Neill, 1994. Second, it may provide less opportunity for femalemale in practicing the
language in the dialogs if less femalemale characters included Cincotta, 1978. Qualitative analysis was used to perform content and linguistic analysis. This method analyses seven
units in Real time for Junior High School students year VII which contains 17 grammar focuses, 7 reading texts, and 54 exercises following the grammar focuses and reading
passages. The findings clearly indicates that there is a positive gender bias with females outnumbering males. Most pronouns, discourse roles, and visibility refer to females.
However, female and male roles presented in the textbook represent a traditional stereotype of female and male in Indonesia.
Keywords:
Gender bias, English textbook, Traditional stereotype of female and male in Indonesia
1. Introduction
Nowadays, English is widely used as a global language. As a result, many Non- English speaking countries require English subject to the schools. They need both teachers
and textbooks to help them. Nevertheless, textbooks appear to be more helpful to study English. Sadker and Zittleman 2007 states students use at least 80 to 95 percent of their
classroom time in using textbooks and teachers create their instructional decision according to textbooks. Otlowski 2003 also argues that the textbook is one of the essential media for
EFL students who have limited interaction with native speakers because of its convincing use inside and outside the classroom as an instrument to understand language use better.
Gershuny 1977 warns that textbooks appear not only to give lessons specifically, but also to bring secondary information, such as gender roles and social values. Somehow,
the gender roles provided in an English textbook may mislead students to gender bias concept. According to Slavin 2006, “gender bias is stereotypical views and differential
treatment of males and females, often favoring one gender over the other.” However, gender
2 biased textbooks are harmful for students because of several reasons. First, unconciously
sexism may offend the learners as unintended racism O’Neill, 1994. Second, it may provide less opportunity for femalemale in practicing the language in the dialogs if less
femalemale characters included Cincotta, 1978. Therefore, teachers have to select an ideal textbook that does not present any gender biases both explicitly and implicitly and teachers
need to be aware of it. The present study is originated from a situation that the absence of understanding in
gender bias concept in teaching materials exists. In the department where the study is situated, it is required to do teaching practicum to complete one of the graduated
requirements. The teaching practicum students are sent to various schools and English education institutions. During the teaching practicum, they need to create and develop
teaching materials based on textbooks used in schools. However, teaching practicum students may not be aware of the existence of gender bias in the textbook while developing
and creating teaching materials based on textbooks. Real Time for Junior High School students year VII is choosen to be analysed in this
study beacuse it is currently being used at Christian Junior High School 2 Salatiga where my teaching practicum is done. Also, it is published in 2007 and can be considered more
progressive in terms of gender. This English textbook is published by one of the well-known publishers in Indonesia named Erlangga and the curricula used is KTSP or Kurikulum
Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan. However, this study is aimed to answer the following question; How are the gender bias presented in Real Time for Junior High School students year
VII ? This study is expected to be advantageous for the English Department’s teaching
practicum candidates and English teachers to understand how gender bias can be presented in
3 textbooks and to minimize gender bias in their material for teaching. This knowledge can
help teachers and practicum students to choose ideal English textbooks.
2. Theoritical Framework
