ERIC Number: ED658540
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 186
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3832-1513-5
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Examining the Cultural Relevance of Government-Issued Textbooks in Belizean Primary Schools
Gaudencio Mucul
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Oklahoma State University
Research on the use of culturally relevant texts has shown the great benefits on students who are exposed to these types of texts (Feger, 2006; Ebe, 2010; Ebe, 2012; Delgado, 2021). Focus needs to be placed on the cultural backgrounds and experiences of the students so that they can become successful, and develop cultural competence and student critical consciousness (Ladson-Billings, 1992). To respond to this critical need in education, this qualitative study examined the cultural relevance of government-issued textbooks in Belizean primary schools. Specifically, the researcher analyzed the government-issued textbooks using a modified cultural relevance rubric to determine to what extent the textbooks reflect the cultural backgrounds of young Belizean learners. Additionally, the semiotic relationships between images and texts were examined to determine their impact on the cultural relevance of the three government-issued textbooks. This qualitative research entailed extensive content analysis of textbooks, transcription of a focus group with the Belizean learners and their cumulative academic records that were obtained from their government school in the Orange Walk District. For this study, the researcher conceptualizes the use of culturally relevant texts as an instructional practice that coincides with culturally relevant pedagogy. In this study, culturally relevant textbooks (CRT) refer to textbooks that connect to the student's life experiences (Alanis, 2007). The findings of this research revealed various degrees of cultural relevance when the textbooks were analyzed using the different cultural elements in the modified cultural relevance rubric. The textbooks also revealed the predominant use of the target culture through the use of the English language. Finally, the Language Arts and Science textbooks had predominantly iconic/symbolic illustrations, and the Mathematics textbook had more indexical illustrations. It is critical for all stakeholders to select textbooks that cater to the source culture and to plan and organize the curriculum around the learners' cultural world (Capper, 2022). Future research should focus on how teachers ascertain the cultures of their students and how teachers can ensure that the textbooks and materials they use are culturally relevant. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Textbooks, Foreign Countries, Elementary Schools, Government School Relationship, Culturally Relevant Education, Cultural Relevance, Textbook Evaluation
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Belize
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A