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Representations of Indigenous C ultures in Spanish L2 Textbooks

Representations of Indigenous C ultures in Spanish L2 Textbooks . Silvia Rodriguez Sabater, Ph.D . Department of Hispanic Studies College of Charleston 4th International Conference on the Development and Assessment of Intercultural Competence Tucson, Arizona January 23-26, 2014.

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Representations of Indigenous C ultures in Spanish L2 Textbooks

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  1. Representations of Indigenous Cultures in Spanish L2 Textbooks Silvia Rodriguez Sabater, Ph.D. Department of Hispanic Studies College of Charleston 4th International Conference on the Development and Assessment of Intercultural Competence Tucson, Arizona January 23-26, 2014

  2. Introduction and Background “Commercially available books which are used in language teaching programs and are often designed for a wide range of clients” (Hatoss, 2004, p. 25). It is widely accepted in the study of L2 acquisition that learning an L2 cannot be separated from learning the culture of the target group of speakers (Brosh, 1997; Kramsch, 1995; Mar-Molinero, 1992; Ndura, 2004; RosiSolé, 2003 among many others) and that learning culture needs to start at the introductory level (RosiSolé, 2001 and Mar-Molinero, 1992).

  3. Textbooks as Sources of Information • Textbooks are central to the educational process (Aliakbari, 2005; Brosh, 1997; Hatoss, 2004; Hutchinson and Torres, 1994 among others): • They introduce the linguistic system and the culture(s) of Spanish-speaking peoples. • Textbooks have the power to influence students’ perceptions of the L2 culture.

  4. Cultural Information • Culture is an essential element of L2 learning and can be an objective in itself for L2 enrichment. • Common definitions of culture in L2 teaching and learning: • Cultural products, background knowledge, and an inventory of items such as music, social life, interesting places, holidays, food, sports, famous people, daily life, art, social institutions, artifacts, manners, customs, geography and history.

  5. The Study • In a previous study, Rodriguez Sabater (2013) found that indigenous cultures received 11.0% and 17.5% of the total cultural coverage in Introductory and Intermediate books respectively. • This study aims to find out the type of cultural information L2 learners receive with regards to the indigenous cultures of Latin America. • Research Questions: • Which indigenous cultures of the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America are well represented in the textbooks? • Which themes are learners exposed toin written and visual representations?

  6. Textbook Selection 5 major publishing houses (Cengage, Pearson, Wiley, McGraw-Hill, Vista Higher Learning) were contacted and asked about their two best selling introductory and intermediate textbooks:

  7. Procedures and Analysis • Following Ndura (2004) I read the publishers’ introductions, editors’ remarks to identify the teaching/learning theoretical background. • All textbooks mentioned a strong cultural component. • I read the textbooks in their entirety, marked all passages and visuals with cultural references to the indigenous cultures of Latin America. • 259 chapters in 19 books were analyzed.

  8. Procedures and Analysis 2 • Following a modified approach to Yamanaka (2006); Ramirez and Hall(1990), Chapelle (2009), and Rodriguez Sabater (2013): • Cultural references to indigenous cultures of the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America were noted. • Themes were analyzed whether in: • Written mode: texts longer than one sentence. • Visual mode: photos, drawings, maps, graphs, tables, charts, and reproductions of realia(Alley, 1994, Ilet, 2009).

  9. Findings • More references to indigenous cultures in the 2nd year textbooks than the 1st year textbooks. • More visual references than written references in both 1st and 2nd year textbooks. • Main cultures mentioned are: • The Incas, the Mayas, Andean cultures in general, and the Aztecs. • The general situation of indigenous cultures in Latin America.

  10. Findings: Inca Culture • Themes for the Inca culture: • Machu Picchu and Cusco, the Incan civilization, customs, marriage, the writing system, ceramicsand textiles, the cemetery, the quipu counting system, the Inca roads and mail system, the Inca emperor and empire, and the indigenous market. "La civilizacióninca se desarrollóaproximadamente en el siglo XV, basada en la herencia de variasculturasanteriores. Hacia 1470, los incashabíanconquistado un vastoterritorio y habíanincorporadomuchasculturasvecinas ….” (¡Vívelo, p. 457)

  11. Findings: Inca Culture 2 “ Un avanzadosistema de rutas no sería de mucha utilidad sin un sistema de comunicacióneficiente. Los incasusaban un sistema de chasquis, o mensajeros, parallevarórdenes y noticiaspor todo el imperio. El sistemautilizadopor los chasquis era similar al de lascarreras de relevos. Se dice quefue el sistema de mensajeríamás rápido hasta la invención del telégrafo. Los chasquispodíanllevar un mensaje de Quito a Cuzco (aproximadamente 2.000 kilómetros) en unoscinco o seisdías” (Enfoques, p. 446)

  12. Findings: Maya Culture • Themes for the Maya culture: • The Mayan civilization, the ruins of Copán, Chichén Itza, Tikal, PopolVuh Museum, traditional clothing textiles and weaving, the Mayan calendar, numbers, and Mayan sports. “Estudien el sistema de números mayas. Observenque al llegar a 20, hay dos niveles de símbolos: el nivel superior representa el nú- mero de unidades de 20, el nivel inferior representa el número de unidades 0-20…” (Másallá de laspalabras, p. 186)

  13. Findings: Maya Culture 2 “¿Quéingredientesecreto se encuentra en lastelastradicionales de Guatemala? ¡El mosquito! El excepcionaltinte de estastelasesproducto de unacombinación de flores y de mosquitos aplastados. El insectohaceque los colores no se destiñan. Quizásesporestoque los artesanosrepresentan la figura del mosquito en muchas de sustelas.” (Vistas, p. 296)

  14. Findings: Andean Cultures • Themes for the Andean cultures (chibcha, quechua and aimara): • Weaving, music, food, legends (TioSupay), and Diablada de Oruro. “La regiónandina de la América del Sur tieneunaricatradición indígena (…) Se entiende, enton- ces el origennetamenteindígena de muchosplatosandinos . Con- sidere el maíz, que se ha cultiva- do en la región de los Andes por 4000 años…” (Dos mundos, p. 293)

  15. Findings: Andean Cultures 2 “Una gran parte de la músicaandinarefleja la fuerteinfluencia de lasdiversasculturasindígenas de la región. (…) Aunque los instrumentos de los indígenasprecolombinoseranmuyvariados, predominaban los instrumentos de viento. Entre los quetodavía se usan hoy en díaestánlaszampoñas o sikus, la quena y lastarkas, unaflauta rectangular …” (Punto y aparte, pp. 156-7)

  16. Findings: Aztec Culture • Themes for the Aztec culture: • History, Aztec empire, chocolate, Moctezuma II, Chichimeca dancing, war, and ruins. “ La capital de México esenorme, y su metro esuno de los másextensos del mundo. Durante la excavaciónpara el metro, encontraron (they found) una pirámideaztecacompleta entre las líneas 1 y 2 de la estaciónPinoSuárez. Los ingenierosdejaron la pirámideintacta en la estación.” (Arriba, p. 106)

  17. Findings: Aztec Culture 2 “Los granos de cacao fueron el medio de pago de los aztecas; lo llamaroncacahuatl y era la únicamoneda de validez universal con quelasprovinciasconquistadaspagaban los impuestos y podíancomprar en los mercados. Tambiénhubofalsificadoresquerellenabanlascáscarasvacías del cacao con barro. A estas “monedas” falsas se les llamabacachuachichiua…” (Atandocabos, p. 298)

  18. Findings: General Situation of Indigenous Cultures • Themes for the general situation of cultures in Latin America: • Indigenous subjugation, the indigenous life and globalization, social exclusion, the historic role of Spain in the current social situation of the indigenous peoples, the role of the land and Pachamama, indigeneous languages, and indigenous voices such as RigobertaMenchú and Dolores Cucango. “Hacemás de cincosiglosdespués de la conquista de América, lascomunidades indígenas - hast ahoraoprimidas y des- heredadas de supatrimonio ancestral – Están en busca de un futuropropio. Los pueblos indígenasluchanporsalvarsu identidad contra el poder de la uniformidad y la globalización. Para ellos, la tierraes un elementoesencial …” (Atandocabos, p. 127)

  19. Findings: General Situation of Indigenous Cultures 2 “La situaciónlingüística de Paraguay no es la normasino la excepción. El mapalingüístico de América Latina esmuydiverso, y depende del cursoquesiguió la historia de cadapaís. (…) Hay paísescomo Guatemala y México, quetienennumerosascomunidadesindígenas y dondeexistenmuchosidiomasautóctonos. En México, porejemplo, hay trescentenares de idiomasautóctonos, perocasitodos son hablantes son bilingües…” (Gente, p. 231).

  20. Conclusions • L2 textbooks of Spanish at Introductory and Intermediate levels show that students are exposed to the indigenous cultures of Latin America: • More references to indigenous cultures in the 2nd year textbooks than the 1st year textbooks. • More visual references than written references in both 1st and 2nd year textbooks. • More complex social and historic topics at the intermediate level. • Main cultures mentioned are: • The Incas, the Mayas, Andean cultures in general, and the Aztecs. • The general situation of indigenous cultures in Latin America.

  21. Conclusions 2 Since textbooks are one of the primary sources of cultural information for L2 beginning learners, their culture content becomes the cultural knowledge they are most likely to gain. The references to indigenous cultures gives the message that they are relevant in the understanding of Latin American Spanish-speaking cultures overall because of a general interest for globalized issues and concern for human and cultural rights of all peoples.

  22. Further Research Continue exploring cultural diversity within the Spanish-speaking world such as the representation and themes of non-Spanish-speaking cultures in Spain. Analyze frequency of cultural information in Spanish and/or in English. Explore the themes from a products, practices and perspectives approach. Study instances for learners’ cross-cultural awareness and reflection. Explore online supplementary materials and compare to textbooks.

  23. References Aliakbari, M. (2005). The place of culture in the Iranian ELT textbooks in high school level. Journal of Pan-Pacific Association of Applied Linguistics, 9 (1), 163-179. Alley, D. (1994). Trends in the use of illustrations in university Spanish textbooks. Hispania, 77 (3), 489-495. Brosh, H. (1997). The sociocultural message of language textbooks: Arabic in the Israeli setting. Foreign Language Annals, 30 (3), 311-326. Chapelle, C. A. (2009). A hidden curriculum in language textbooks: are beginning learners of French at U.S. Universities taught about Canada? The Modern Language Journal, 93 (2), 139-152. Hatoss, A. (2004). A model for evaluating textbooks. Babel, 39 (2), 25-38. Hutchinson, T. and Torres, E. (1994). The textbook as agent of change. ELT Journal, 48 (4), 315-328. Ilett, D. (2009). Racial and ethnic diversity in secondary and postsecondary German textbooks. Die Unterrichtspraxis/Teaching German, 42 (1), 50-59. Institute of International Education. (2012). Open doors 2012 “Fast facts.” Retrieved on January 12, 2013 from http://www.iie.org/en/Who-We-Are/News-and-Events/Press-Center/Press-Releases/2012/11-13-2012-Open-Doors-International-Students

  24. References 2 Kramsch, C. (1995). The cultural component of language teaching. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 8 (2), 83-92. Mar-Molinero, C. (1992). Cultural representations in foreign language teaching: a critique of four BBC courses. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 5 (1), 1-10. Modern Language Association. (2010). Enrollments in languages other than English in the United States institutions of higher education, Fall 2009. New York: Modern Language Association. National Standards in Foreign Language Education Project (1999). Standards for foreign language learning in the 21st century. Yonkers, NY: The National Standards in Foreign Language Education Project. Ndura, E. (2004). ESL and cultural bias: an analysis of elementary through high school textbooks in the Western United States of America. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 17 (2), 143-153. Ramirez, A. G. and Hall, K. H. (1990). Language and culture in secondary level Spanish textbooks. The Modern Language Journal, 74 (1), 48-63. Rodriguez Sabater, S. (2013). A critical analysis of Spanish L2 textbooks as sources of cultural information. Paper presented at ISLS, San Juan, Puerto Rico. June 13-15, 2013. RosiSolé, C. (2003). Culture for beginners: a subjective and realistic approach for adult language learners. Language and Intercultural Communication, 3 (2), 141-150. Yamanaka, N. (2006). An evaluation of English textbooks in Japan from the viewpoint of nations in the inner, outer, and expanding circles. JALT Journal, 28 (1), 57-76.

  25. Thank you! Silvia Rodriguez Sabater College of Charleston rodriguezsabaters@cofc.edu

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