EXPLORATION OF THE REPRESENTATION OF CULTURAL VALUES IN THE TEXTBOOK NETZWERK B1 DEUTSCH ALS FREMDSPRACHE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53682/7r1wtt24Keywords:
Socio-critical semiotic approach, Functional Systemic linguistics, Cultural ValuesAbstract
This study aims to explore cultural values in the Netzwerk B1 textbook, which is widely used in Indonesia. Using a critical social semiotic approach based on Halliday's Systemic Functional Linguistic (SFL) theory, this study examines the semiotic relations between image-text and the cultural meanings contained therein, adopting the semiotic relation model proposed by Xiong and Peng (2021), namely denotational/pedagogic/linguistic relations, denotational/pedagogic relations, and denotational relations. The results show that the Netzwerk B1 textbook provides ample opportunities and space for learners to learn, think, and reflect on German and Indonesian culture, through pedagogical questions in the image-text and in the form of pre-activities or follow-up activities after the image-text is discussed. The implication of this research is that language textbooks should be written and designed with attention to the selection and presentation of cultural materials containing global cultural values and also paying attention to the provision of tasks that can involve learners actively and responsively, whether in the form of hands-on tasks, project-based tasks and problem-based tasks. Thus, learners can have comprehensive cross-cultural knowledge and skills through learning foreign languages, including German.
References
Akbari, R. (2008). Transforming lives: Introducing critical pedagogy into ELT classrooms. ELT Journal, 62(3), 276–283. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccn025
Alaei, M. M., & Parsazadeh, H. (2021). Emergence of a purpose-specific model: Culture in English language textbooks. Intercultural Education, 32(5), 547–561. https://doi.org/10.1080/14675986.2021.1878111
Amerian, M., & Tajabadi, A. (2020). The role of culture in foreign language teaching textbooks: An evaluation of the New Headway series from an intercultural perspective. Intercultural Education, 31(6), 623–644.
Berti, M. (2020). Cultural representations in foreign language textbooks: A need for change. Journal of the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages, 27, 175–190.
Byram, M. (2015). Culture in foreign language learning: The implications for teachers and teacher training. In W. M. Chan, S. K. Bhatt, M. Nagami, & I. Walker (Eds.), Culture and foreign language education: Insights from research and implications for practice (pp. 37–58). De Gruyter.
Canale, G. (2016). (Re)searching culture in foreign language textbooks, or the politics of hide and seek. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 29(2), 225–243. https://doi.org/10.1080/07908318.2016.1144764
Canale, G. (2021). The language textbook: Representation, interaction and learning. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 34(2), 113–118. https://doi.org/10.1080/07908318.2020.1797081
Chastain, K. (1988). Developing second language skills: Theory and practice (3rd ed.). Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Damen, L. (1987). Culture learning: The fifth dimension in the language classroom. Addison-Wesley.
Diaz, A. R., & Callahan, L. (2020). Intercultural communicative competence and Spanish heritage language speakers: An overview from the US, Australia and Europe. Journal of Spanish Language Teaching, 7(2), 150–162.
Feng, A., & Byram, M. (2002). Authenticity in college English textbooks: An intercultural perspective. RELC Journal, 33(2), 48–84. https://doi.org/10.1177/003368820203300203
Halliday, M. A. K. (1975). Learning how to mean: Explorations in the development of language. Edward Arnold.
Halliday, M. A. K. (1978). Language as social semiotic: The social interpretation of language and meaning. Edward Arnold.
Halliday, M. A. K., & Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (2004). An introduction to functional grammar (3rd ed.). Edward Arnold.
Ho, Y. R. (2021). Exposing colonial representations: Analysis of portrayals of Indigenous culture in Taiwan's language textbooks. Race Ethnicity and Education, 24(6), 856–875. https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2018.1538123
Hua, X., Hu, G., & Liu, F. (2021). The cultural representation of Chinese-speaking groups in US-produced Chinese as a foreign language textbooks. Asia Pacific Journal of Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188791.2021.1889971
Huneke, H.-W., & Steinig, W. (2000). Deutsch als Fremdsprache: Eine Einführung. Erich Schmidt Verlag.
Kachru, B. (1985). Standards, codification and sociolinguistic realism: The English language in the outer circle. In R. Quirk & H. G. Widdowson (Eds.), English in the world: Teaching and learning the language and literature (pp. 11–30). Cambridge University Press.
Kaliska, M. (2022). ‘Cultural activities’ in foreign language teaching: A multimodal perspective on Italian language textbooks. Italian Studies, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/00751634.2022.2051926
Kress, G., & van Leeuwen, T. (2006). Reading images: The grammar of visual design (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Lee, J. F. K., & Li, X. (2020). Cultural representation in English language textbooks: A comparison of textbooks used in mainland China and Hong Kong. Pedagogy, Culture & Society, 28(4), 605–623. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681366.2019.1681495
Liddicoat, A., & Scarino, A. (2013). Resources for intercultural language learning. In A. Liddicoat & A. Scarino (Eds.), Intercultural language teaching and learning (pp. 83–105). John Wiley & Sons.
Moran, P. (2001). Teaching culture: Perspectives in practice. Heinle Cengage Learning.
Qi, H. (2007). International promotion of Chinese transformation of cultural conceptions. Journal of Beijing Normal University (Social Science Edition), 4, 118–125. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1002-0209.2007.04.017
Qin, H. (2015). The writing of international Chinese textbooks and the rhetoric of national image. International Rhetoric Studies, 1, 220–227.
Risager, K. (2018). Representation of the world in language textbooks. Multilingual Matters.
Risager, K. (2021). Language textbooks: Windows to the world. Language, Culture and Curriculum. https://doi.org/10.1080/07908318.2020.1797767
Schön, D. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner. Jossey-Bass.
Ruan, J., & Medwell, J. (2020). Using social networking technology to develop intercultural communicative competence: A case of GCSE Mandarin. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 14(4), 362–392. https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2019.1609000
Setyono, B., & Widodo, H. P. (2019). The representation of multicultural values in the Indonesian Ministry of Education–endorsed EFL textbook: A critical discourse analysis. Intercultural Education, 30(4), 383–397. https://doi.org/10.1080/14675986.2019.1548102
Sun, W., & Kwon, J. (2020). Representation of monoculturalism in Chinese and Korean heritage language textbooks for immigrant children. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 33(4), 402–416. https://doi.org/10.1080/07908318.2019.1642346
Uzum, B., Yasan, B., Zahrawi, S., Bouamer, S., & Malakaj, E. (2021). A comparative analysis of cultural representation in collegiate world language textbooks (Arabic, French, and German). Linguistics and Education, 61, 100901. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.linged.2020.100901
Vu, N. T., & Dinh, H. (2022). College-level students’ development of intercultural communicative competence: A quantitative study in Vietnam. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 51(2), 208–227. https://doi.org/10.1080/17475759.2021.1893207
van Leeuwen, T. (2005). Introducing social semiotics. Routledge.
Weninger, C. (2021). Multimodality in critical language textbook analysis. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 34(2), 133–146. https://doi.org/10.1080/07908318.2020.797083
Weninger, C., & Kiss, T. (2013). Culture in English as a foreign language (EFL) textbooks: A semiotic approach. TESOL Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.87
Widodo, H. P., & Fardhani, A. E. (2011). The language rights of indigenous languages: An approach to maintaining Indonesia’s linguistic and cultural diversity in a changing world. In T. Le & Q. Le (Eds.), Linguistic diversity and cultural identity: A global perspective (pp. 129–140). Nova Science Publishers.
Widodo, H. P. (2018). A critical micro-semiotic analysis of values depicted in the Indonesian Ministry of National Education–endorsed secondary school English textbook. In H. P. Widodo, M. R. Perfecto, L. V. Canh, & A. Buripakdi (Eds.), Situating moral and cultural values in ELT materials: The Southeast Asian context (pp. 131–152). Springer.
Widodo, H. P. (2015). The development of vocational English materials from a social semiotic perspective: Participatory action research (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Adelaide.
Xiong, T., & Peng, Y. (2021). Representing culture in Chinese as a second language textbooks: A critical social semiotic approach. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 34(2), 163–182. https://doi.org/10.1080/07908318.2020.1797079
