Kübra Nur Küçükbesleme is an undergraduate student in the ELT Department at Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University, Türkiye. Showing exceptional commitment to various fields of English language teaching, she can imagine herself a researcher in the future. Email: kubrakubranur4@gmail.com

Beyza Nur Erko is an undergraduate student in the ELT Department at Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University, Türkiye. She looks forward to becoming an English teacher. Email: beyzanurerk.2002@icloud.com

Sinem Dertli is an undergraduate student in the ELT Department at Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University, Türkiye. A musician, she is interested in how to integrate music into language teaching. Email: sinemdertli.46@gmail.com

Elif Özcan is an undergraduate student in the ELT Department at Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University, Türkiye. She enjoys teaching English to young learners. Email: elifozca07@gmail.com
 

Abstract

This coursebook evaluation delves into the representation of human rights in two local English as a Foreign Language (EFL) coursebooks used in Turkish high schools. The study compares the coverage of human rights topics, the depth of examination, and the inclusion of various groups and geographies in two units of the coursebooks evaluated. Through qualitative content analysis, the research reveals the specific groups addressed in each unit of the coursebooks, shedding light on the emphasis placed on humanistic perspectives. The findings also highlight the coverage of human rights topics, however to varying extent in the coursebooks. This evaluation provides valuable insights into the portrayal of human rights in EFL coursebooks and suggests avenues for future research to strengthen the conclusions drawn.

 

Introduction

Rights are the fundamental normative rules concerning what people are allowed to do or should do in accordance with some legal system, social convention, or ethical theory (“Rights”, 2024). When humans are born, they come to the world with some rights. These rights are very crucial to have a good life quality. When we think about our rights to shelter, food, and clothing, what kind of life would we have without these?

Today, we are faced with many problems such as poverty and hunger that affect human life negatively. Addressing such challenges, UNESCO has stated their 17 Sustainable Development Goals to take immediate action on basic and crucial issues to sustain the development of both the planet and humanity and to solve existing problems. These goals are intended to be achieved by 2030 and have been accepted by many countries (UNESCO, 2017). In extraordinary situations such as war, these rights are substantially hindered. World War II is perhaps one of the most striking examples of this. This war lasted six years and more than 60 million people died along with millions of people left injured and homeless. In response to this, on December 10, 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was proclaimed by the United Union General Assembly to protect the rights of civilians because they thought that the wars could be prevented in this way (“Universal declaration of human rights,” 2024). The basic idea underlying this declaration is that ignoring people's rights causes people to exhibit barbaric actions, and if people have the freedom to express themselves freely and believe what they want, they will not engage in rebellion and negative behaviour (İnsan Hakları Derneği, 1999). In other words, in a world where all people, regardless of religion, language, race, or colour, have equal rights, there will be peace and tranquillity and there will be no destructive and damaging events such as war.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights consists of 30 articles. These articles start from the notion that people are born free and equal. The declaration, furthermore, includes the demonstration and explanation of several other human rights and freedoms. This declaration has had a great impact all over the world and became a subject included in the educational domain. Undoubtedly, every citizen should know his or her rights and duties within the framework of the law, protect, develop and respect the rights of other citizens (Audigier, 2000), and educational policies play an important role to serve this purpose.

Coursebooks, in particular, are an appropriate medium to raise students’ awareness about human rights. Actually, the topic of human rights is not limited to the rights exclusively of humans, but also includes the protection of the environment encompassing animals and plants. It can be an interesting topic for students to practise their English skills. As we know, coursebooks are like navigators for teachers. They guide us on what path to follow on a path we may not know. Although they often determine every step we will take, if we do not want to become their slaves, they need to be adapted, so they can unfold their pedagogical functionality (McGrath, 2013; Rathert & Cabaroğlu, 2022), and serve teachers’ interest to integrate global issues into their teaching (Akbana & Yavuz, 2020). It is necessary to evaluate these coursebooks that guide and source education in order to understand their effectiveness, quality and how useful they will be in achieving teaching goals. For this reason, it is important to evaluate coursebooks to assess how content such as human rights is reflected in them.

There is a limited number of studies about how human rights are presented in EFL coursebooks in Türkiye. Their focuses are not on human rights directly, but they include some other related issues. Firstly, Akbana and Yavuz (2022) examined a five-level series of coursebooks (A1-C1) for their study. They found that, while environmental issues were covered more extensively in the textbooks examined, education, socio-economic issues and gender issues were not included. Also, Yastıbaş (2020) analysed English coursebooks in lower secondary grades. He found that themes, concepts, and target language functions in these English coursebooks are tightly related to peace education. There is another important study by Demir and Yavuz (2017). It is about representations of gender inequality in the upper-secondary level EFL Coursebook series in Türkiye. An EFL Coursebook series which was published by The Ministry of Education was analysed in terms of nine categories. The authors found that males and females are represented fairly in the new-generation EFL coursebooks. While global issues were not included extensively in older EFL coursebooks and, for example, gender roles were reflected in the coursebooks in a more biassed way, current coursebooks follow a more contemporary and egalitarian approach to these issues (Gray & Block, 2012).

In fact, the results of studies on this subject may vary depending on whether a coursebook is global or local. Firstly, global coursebooks are designed for use by students of a particular age range and foreign language proficiency anywhere in the world. However, local coursebooks are created especially for a nation or region, mindful of the backgrounds of students, and based on a national curriculum (López-Barrios & Villanueva de Debat, 2014). The focus of this study is on two local coursebooks which were published by the Turkish Ministry of Education, and it aims to examine how human rights are represented in two local EFL coursebooks used at Turkish high schools. The present study sought to answer the following questions:

1. What are the human rights topics that are included commonly and separately in the two coursebooks?

2. Which topics are covered in detail in these coursebooks and which are mentioned but not dealt with in depth?

3. Which countries are used as references when talking about human rights-related situations and developments in the world?

 

Methodology

The current study is based on qualitative analysis of the human rights in two local coursebooks used in high schools in Türkiye. In this study, Count Me In (Çimen et al., 2019; henceforth Count Me In) and Notifier (Çimen et al., 2023; henceforth Notifier), two EFL coursebooks for use at Turkish high schools were analysed. The coursebooks are at level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Languages. Two human rights related units in the coursebook were analysed.

 

Data gathering and analysis

Content analysis was used to code the data (Jacobs & Gheyle, 2017). Firstly, the two coursebooks’ human rights units were examined page by page. Then, each activity was assessed individually, and the number of topics pertaining to human rights were identified and counted. After categorising all topics, all findings about topics that were commonly shared in both coursebooks and the other topics that were mentioned separately in the two units were analysed.

In the second step, the identified topics were explored in detail. Each task was reviewed one by one. When analysing the human rights representation, the groups mentioned in the two coursebooks were identified. Additionally, geographical locations were listed to compare the two coursebooks. The analysis included the examination of visuals, texts, and activities.

This way, the percentage of topics, groups, and regions in the two coursebooks were calculated for comparison purposes.

 

Results

The results of the study are presented in three sections. Firstly, the findings of the topics mentioned in each coursebook are displayed. Then, groups and community types in the units of both coursebooks are shown. Finally, the geographical findings are given.

 

Topics

Table 1 shows the topics that are commonly shared in both coursebooks and those not shared.

 

Table 1. Shared and not shared topics in Count Me In and Notifier

Table 1 shows that in total, there are thirteen commonly included topics and fourteen topics that are not common. Although there are commonly shared topics of the both units, there are also topics that are mentioned separately in either unit of Notifier and Count Me In. Primarily, topics like freedom from slavery, religion, discrimination, abuses of human rights are handled commonly by the two coursebooks. On the other hand, topics like worker’s rights, copyrights, travel rights are mentioned in one or the other coursebook. While the common topics include more general topics and daily life rights issues, more specific topics are not considered in one of the coursebooks. 

 

Mentioned and explored topics

The study aimed at examining what topics were the object of classroom activities and what topics were mentioned but did not function as content to teach the target language. Table 2 shows the results of the analysis.

 

Table 2. Topics only mentioned and explored in depth in Notifier and Count Me In 

While Notifier explores more topics in detail, Count Me In addresses the currently debated domain of gender issues. Both coursebooks deal with disadvantaged people, thereby attempting to raise learner awareness of the needs of this vulnerable group. The units contain visuals to enhance the comprehensibility of the topic. 

 

Geographical locations in Notifier and Count Me In

Human rights, as the term implies, are universal. For that reason, it is desirable that educational materials cover a diversity of geographical locations. Table 3 displays the geographical locations covered in the coursebooks.

 

Table 3. Geographical locations covered in Notifier and Count Me In

Count me In displays a greater variety of places considered. While Notifier only focuses on Africa and Türkiye, Count Me In explores the theme of human rights with reference to African, Asian and European countries, and additionally provides material about the Arctic. 

 

Discussion and conclusions

In this study, two local English language teaching coursebooks for use at Turkish high schools were analysed in respect of the units that deal with human rights. For this reason, two local coursebooks provided by the Turkish Ministry of Education were examined to evaluate how the topic of Human Rights was covered in two coursebooks with different publication dates, which rights were elaborated upon in detail, and which groups and geographies were included. The results indicate that both coursebooks share more general, thus for the majority of people more relevant topics, while more specific topics are considered in either the one or the other coursebook. It was also seen that Count Me In explores a lower number of topics in depth; however, it considers the important topic of gender issues, which is rather touched on in Notifier. A striking difference was seen when the locations covered were examined. Count Me In not only considered a higher number of countries, but also dealt with continents that were neglected in Notifier.

Looking at some results in detail, it was observed that Notifier focuses on social-community rights, while Count Me In focuses on gender-discrimination issues, which is not integrated in Notifier. Demir and Yavuz (2017) expressed the expectation that gender related issues would become more prominent in contemporary coursebooks. However, our study showed that gender issues were dealt with in the coursebook produced earlier. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that the topic of disadvantaged people is described in detail in both coursebooks. In some parts of the world, the number of poor people below the poverty line is increasing (United Nations Development Project, 2003). For this reason, it is a welcome observation that the topic of disadvantaged people was given in detail in both coursebooks, as it remains up-to-date.

Interestingly, while the right to personal security, one of the most fundamental rights of people, is not included in the Notifier textbook, it is briefly mentioned in Count Me In. Akbana and Yavuz (2022) found that only C1 level coursebooks included the right to personal security with the subtopics of bullying, cyberbullying, stalking, burglary, kidnapping, shoplifting, robbery. Considering that Count Me In and Notifier are at the B2 level, it might be concluded that more serious human right issues like right to personal security are included in high-level textbooks, especially B2 and C1. This conclusion, however, needs to be corroborated in further studies.

Regarding the geographical areas covered in the coursebook units, it was seen that Africa and Türkiye were included in both coursebooks. However, Count Me In provided a more comprehensive study by mentioning various geographies. A diverse array of cultural, social and environmental contexts is likely to provide students a better comprehension of the insight that human rights are a global issue. Considering the age of the students using the coursebooks, Notifier may be more relevant for the 12th graders as it includes rights that are of greater interest to them such as the right to participate in government and in free elections, the right to select desirable work and to join trade unions as well as travel rights.

We hope that our coursebook evaluation contributes to the ongoing discussion on the representation of human rights in educational materials and underscores the role of education in promoting social peace, trust, and justice. The findings suggest avenues for future research to strengthen the conclusions drawn and to further explore the impact of human rights representation in EFL coursebooks on students' awareness and understanding of human rights issues.

Overall, this coursebook evaluation serves as a valuable resource for educators, curriculum developers, and researchers, providing insights into the portrayal of human rights in EFL coursebooks and advocating for the inclusion of comprehensive and up-to-date content on human rights in educational materials. We just examined two local coursebooks. For this reason, making a generalisation by just looking at these results is difficult, but we hope that this study will encourage other researchers to do more detailed and comprehensive studies about human rights. This is an important field of inquiry because providing learners with different coursebooks that appreciate the respect to equality and diversity is a necessity in our times to humanise language teaching.

 

References

Akbana, Y. E., & Yavuz, A. (2020). Global issues in EFL teaching: EFL lecturers’ voices at a state university. Kahramanmaraş Sutcu Imam University Journal of Education, 2(1), 83-102. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/ksued/issue/59531/842658

Akbana, Y.E, & Yavuz, A. (2022). Global issues in a series of EFL textbooks and implications for end-users to promote peace education through teaching English. Journal of Peace Education, 19(3), 373-396. https://doi.org/10.1080/17400201.2022.2140403

Audigier, F. (2000). Basic concepts and core competencies for education for democratic citizenship (Vol. 20). Strasbourg: Council of Europe.

Çimen, F., Taşkıran Tiğin, B., Çokçalışkan, A., Özdemir, M., & Cellat, S. (2023). Notifier. English 12 Coursebook 12. Devlet Kitapları.

Çimen, F., Taşkıran Tiğin, B., Çokçalışkan, A., Özyıldırım, N., & Özdemir, M. (2019). Count me in. Student’s book 12. Devlet Kitapları.

Demir, Y., & Yavuz, M. (2017). Do ELT coursebooks still suffer from gender inequalities? A case study from Turkey. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 13(1), 103-122. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/jlls/issue/36109/405452

Gheyle, N., & Jacobs, T. (2017). Content Analysis: a short overview. Internal research note, 10. Centre for EU Studies, Ghent University. https://spada.uns.ac.id/pluginfile.php/762754/mod_resource/content/2/20221031%20Niels%20Gheyle%20-%20T%20Jacobs%20-%20CONTENT%20ANALYSIS%20-%20A%20Short%20Overview.pdf

Gray, J., & Block, D. (2012). The marketisation of language teacher education and neoliberalism: characteristics, consequences and future prospects. In D. Block, J. Gray & M. Holborow (Eds.), Neoliberalism and applied linguistics (pp. 114-143). Routledge.

İnsan Hakları Derneği [Human Rights Association] (1999, December 30). İnsan Hakları Evrensel Bildirgesi [Universal declaration of human rights]. https://www.ihd.org.tr/insan-haklari-evrensel-beyannames/

López-Barrios, M., & Villanueva de Debat, E. (2014). Global vs. local: Does it matter? In S. Garton & K. Graves (Eds.), International perspectives on materials in ELT (pp. 37–52). Palgrave Macmillan.

McGrath, I. (2013). Teaching materials and the role of EFL/ESL teachers. Bloomsbury.

Rathert, S., & Cabaroğlu, N. (2022). Theorising textbook adaptation in English language teaching. CEPS Journal, 12(2), 169-188. https://doi.org/10.25656/01:25227

Rights (2024, April 22). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rights&action=history

UNESCO (2017). UNESCO moving forward the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000247785

United Nations Development Project. (2003). Human development report 2003. New York: Oxford University Press.

Universal declaration of human rights (2024, June 8). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Universal_Declaration_of_Human_Rights&action=history

Yastıbaş, A. E. (2020). Evaluation of Turkey’s new English language teaching program of lower secondary school in terms of peace education. ELT Research Journal, 9(1), 54-70. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/1171586

 

Please check the Pilgrims f2f courses at Pilgrims website.