Gendered Representation in Pakistani English Language Textbooks from a Multimodal Perspective

Abstract

Language textbooks play a significant role in shaping students’ perspectives by promoting particular social and ideological viewpoints. This study conducts a multimodal critical discourse analysis of the latest eight secondary-level Pakistani English language textbooks to examine the visual and verbal representations of gender. Grounded in Sunderland’s (2004) framework of gendered discourses and van Leeuwen’s (2008) social semiotic inventory, this study investigates how linguistic and visual modes jointly construct gender meanings. While previous studies have primarily focused on textual gender bias, limited attention has been paid to multimodal representations in the Pakistani context. Extending a previous study, this research identifies additional gendered discourses within the same context. The findings reveal inequality in gender depictions in both texts and images, particularly regarding “educational opportunities, heterosexuality, men as breadwinners and women as caregivers, the privileging of appearance in women, and the use of masculine generics”. Females are predominantly represented in traditional and dependent roles. By systematically analysing textbooks using a multimodal framework, this study provides context-specific insights. This study supports policymakers, curriculum designers, and educators in critically evaluating gender representation in ELT materials in Pakistan.