Nothing just-is. The depiction of socio-economic (in)justice in ELT coursebooks and its implications for young learners

Abstract

One of my fields of research is coursebook analysis. I consider coursebooks to be much more than only teaching materials for specific subjects. Coursebooks also represent what a society considers to be worthy of being taught to younger people. They contain and establish knowledge, norms and values, and present a desirable society. Even so, I’m often devastated by the way in which the representation of specific identities situates these in a wider socio-cultural setting. This is particularly the case regarding minoritized groups and the effect this has on learners. The following essay exemplifies this by addressing the depiction of social justice in coursebooks for 8th graders learning English as a foreign language in Germany.