Representations of cultural diversity in Norwegian English as a Foreign Language textbooks for primary school

The thesis presents an investigation of visual and textual representations of non-Western people in four Norwegian English Foreign Language (EFL) textbooks produced for 5th grade. In response to the increased communication between people with various cultural backgrounds, it is increasingly recognized pupils today need more than language skills and knowledge in order to participate in today’s society. This is mirrored in the new national curriculum in Norway of 2020 where intercultural competence is introduced, which places emphasis on the English subject’s role in opening up for new perspectives and preventing prejudice. As Norway is considered a Western country, non-Western representations should be represented in EFL textbooks to contribute to diversity and new perspectives. The study thus addresses the following research questions: To which degree are non-Western people represented visually in Norwegian EFL textbooks for 5th grade? and In which contexts are non-Western people represented in Norwegian EFL textbooks for 5th grade, and how are they represented within these contexts? All images in the four textbooks were first analyzed quantitatively to identify the extent of representations of non-Western people. Following this, an in-depth qualitative analysis of the context surrounding the non-Western representations was conducted, including the related texts and images. The results from the quantitative analysis revealed that non-Western people were represented to a lesser extent than Western people, and as such could promote a perception of inequality. The qualitative analysis found that non-Western people were most often depicted in everyday contexts, such as sports, with friends, at school, etc. Only one textbook included a spread which could be said to illustrate a stereotypical depiction of non-Western culture. Although cultural aspects were sometimes mentioned, they were often not elaborated on, and several missed opportunities to discuss diversity were identified in the textbooks. As such, there is a risk that discussions about cultural diversity will not be prioritized or take place, based on the teacher and time available