RESEARCH METHODOLGY

Semiotic analysis Research Paper

Submitted to:
Prof. AYESHA ZAFAR
Submitted by:
Nadia and Fatima

JANUARY 31, 2019

Teaching of English was considered to be the medium to develop intercultural competent citizens. Language
acquisition becomes personal in such contexts and learners struggle to achieve desired competency level to
meet their goals. In this study researcher observes presentation of culture and ideology in widely distributed
ELT readers published by western publishers, semiotic of Jolly Phonics Readers level 1 takes place while
using the framework devised by Kress and Vanleeuwen (2006) and Goofman, Sample of this study were the
titles of two readers one new version and one old version of the same series. The sociocultural importance
of these two titles is discussed in this analysis. In the next step of the analysis researcher looks into some
other materials of the same series.

Keywords: semiotic analysis, culture, intercultural competent students, sociocultural aspects, ideology in
ELT material
 INTRODUCTION

Textbooks are one of the principle school devices so it is critical that they are changed in accordance with
youngsters' psychological advancement at explicit age. There are numerous viewpoints on which a reading
material can be assessed. Semiotics in delineation are quite certain component particularly on the grounds
that they have extraordinary impact on kids' visual recognition. Kids' visual perceptual capacity contrasts
from that of grown-ups and furthermore from young people as a result of their theoretical advancement.
Markman claims that youngsters have totally extraordinary method for arranging objects from grown-ups
(Yu, 2007) . Classification is created under various components. One of the fundamental factor is culture.
The ethic foundation and age are discovered critical factors in visual observation (Turkcan, 2013) .

This study aims to conduct semiotic analysis of foreign and local English language textbooks which are used
in reception one in some of the leading schools in Pakistan like Bacon House (BH), Lahore Grammar School
(LGS) and Islamic international schools. We are supposed to analyze these books in the form of culture
representation in the text, images and characters. Moreover, the first of four dimensions of decodable books,
giving the best begin to kids simply beginning to peruse. At each stage the words are inside the span of kids
as they utilize their letter sound learning and dubious words previously educated. Tricky words are appeared
toward the start of each book. Appreciation questions and talk points are given toward the finish of each
book. Likewise incorporates direction for educators and guardians. Light sort is utilized as a guide for those
few letters that ought not to be sounded out, for example, the/b/in sheep. Level 1 highlights words that are
spelled normally, and can be sounded out with the 42 letter sounds initially educated in Jolly Phonics.

 3 series – Inky Mouse and Friends, General Fiction & Nonfiction

One of the fields transmitting the codes as an arrangement of pointers is workmanship. In semiotic
investigation, content, numbers and pictures are treated as signs (Šuštaršič, 2004) . Youngsters "read"
craftsmanship, delineation through images. These images can be effectively found in youngsters'
illustrations. Researchers process kids' illustrations as a pointer of mental advancement and as a method for
communicating his or her complex internal world which the kid endeavors to sort out on his or her own
(Karlavaris, 1984).It is intriguing when you understand that semiotic viewpoints are created by the
youngster's age. Review pictures and touching base at understandings help to prepare kids' intellectual
aptitudes just as inventive experience, for example, utilizing data (Yu, 2007) .
Commercially design text books of English represent subjective ideology of different stake holders foreign
born books are one step ahead through including images and language of certain cultures ignoring
sociocultural factors of nonnative speakers of a multilingual society. Locally prepared materials can be
lacking in meeting international standers of curriculum. The study explores different sociocultural aspects
serving as barriers for using commercially produced books and materials in language teaching class rooms.
Moreover it sets out to approach the phenomenon of the integration of local and target culture in the form of
images, context and language of food clothing visuals etc.

Concerning setting of this investigation, Alshammari (2015) called attention to that the being used materials
and strategies for English dialect instructing in Saudi Arabia reflect Anglo-American social and semantic
standards and values, and along these lines do not have the different idea of English today and strife with the
Islamic talks and qualities. He talked about the insufficiency of the English materials utilized in Saudi
schools and colleges and contended that English an International Language (EIL) system ought to be
executed in English educational program at all dimensions. This investigation represents the examination
and assessment of the portrayal of the diverse societies, the consideration of social viewpoints, and the
overwhelming culture(s) in the textbooks.

A few basic issues identified with EIL have been identified in the writing: belittling non-local English
speakers, inquiries of dialect character and dialect proprietorship, regard for differing societies, and worries
about English as a methods for diverse correspondence between non-local English speakers (Gilmore, 2007;
Liu, 2008).These issues have assumed a job in the arrangement of English speakers and the assortments of
English. Kachru (1985) classifications the utilization of English regarding 'inward', 'external', and 'growing
'circles to define distinctive English assortments. English utilized in internal circle nations, for example, the
USA, UK, Canada and New Zealand is defined as assortments utilized by local speakers. The external circle
involves nations, for example, India, the Philippines, and Nigeria, where English is utilized as an official
dialect in the recorded setting of colonization. At last, the growing circle alludes to nations, for example,
Korea, Japan, and China, where English is utilized as a remote dialect. McKay (2002) states that the inward
and external circles of English assortments in Kachru's model make up the EIL. Moreover, Seidlhofer
(2003) trusts that because of the quick spread of English, nations in the extending circle could enter the
standard circle too.

While there are continually contradicting voices with regards to the incorporation or rejection of the way of
life in the instructional materials, a midway proposal is by all accounts the accentuating of the western
propensities for some increasingly worldwide issues, along these lines giving the chance to the self-
advancement of the socially unique people.
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Contextualization is the talk of the linguists now. It is not possible to define all aspects of contextualization
in one sentence. However we can express that it involves local sociocultural factors that are indigenous in
their nature and have their roots in all societies. When it comes to language teaching at school level,
curriculum planners look for available products and the type of the school they are supposed to recommend
books for. The next step is to decide whether those materials are going to be adopted or adapted.

LITERATURE REVIEW

English has turned into a universal dialect hence it does not have a place just with local speakers in English-
talking nations. It has really had a place with the world as the worldwide most widely used language of this
century. Second dialect speakers of English utilize English to impart with local speakers of English as well
as with other second dialect or outside dialect clients of English. The fast and broad confinement and legally
approbation of English recommends that English need not generally be connected to the way of life of the
individuals who talk it as a first dialect. To be sure the motivation behind a global dialect is to depict one's
own way of life and worries to other people. (McKay, 2004). Clearly, ESL and EFL instructors bolster the
consideration of a social part in the educating of English. In this way the issue currently isn't whether to
incorporate however what parts of culture to incorporate, what job culture should play and all the more
significantly how culture ought to be educated in the instructing of English as a second dialect.

McKay (2000) stresses that dialect training materials ought to incorporate an assortment of social
components so as to enable students to build up an enthusiasm for dialect learning and to cultivate student
inspiration. Similarly, Kılıçkaya (2004) proposes that reading material that concentrate on linguistic
structures are uninteresting and don't invigorate understudies who require assortment and fervor in dialect
learning so as to build up an authentic enthusiasm for the dialect learning process.

McKay (2000), Cortazzi and Jin (1999) and Cortazzi (2000) saw culture learning through course readings as
a procedure of a three-party exchange between instructor, understudies, and course reading substance.
Cortazzi and Jin (1999) recognize three kinds of social angles that ought to be displayed in socially arranged
course readings:

• Source culture materials allude to the students' local culture;

• Target culture materials identify with the way of life of the nation where the objective dialect (English) is
drilled as a first dialect, e.g., American or British culture;
• International target culture materials allude to different societies where the objective dialect (English) is
utilized as a worldwide dialect, specifically most widely used language. Along these lines, this
characterization helps in breaking down the portrayal of social angles in the reading material under
investigation.

The social setting of British and American English can vary incredibly from the social setting of non-local
speakers, which adds to the difficulty of acing English. It has been contended that understudies don't have to
rely upon the social diagram of local speakers of English to arrange meaning and to speak with different
clients of English (McKay, 2003b).Similarly, Alptekin (2002) out that successful L2learning does not really
need to uphold the whole target culture; he solicits: 'how pertinent is the significance from Anglo-American
eye to eye connection, or the socially satisfactory separation for discussion as properties of important
correspondence to Finnish and Italian academicians trading thoughts in an expert gathering?'. He contends
that specific social qualities of local speakers of English don't enhance, or even influence, significant
correspondence between non-local speakers of English. More to the point, analysts take note of that it is
conceivable to isolate the objective culture, American or British, from the English dialect (e.g., Murayama,
2000). McKay (2003a) presents bits of knowledge on the best way to isolate EIL from a given culture:
First, the cultural content of EIL materials should not be limited to native English-speaking cultures. Second,
an appropriate pedagogy of EIL needs to be informed by local expectations regarding the role of the teacher
and learner. Third, the strengths of bilingual teachers of English need to be recognized.
The idea of culture incorporation into the foreign language contexts is thus granted a position through a so-
called paradigm shift from linguistic competence to communicative competence. The informative period of
dialect showing puts premium on the dialect students' procuring new social casings of reference. These
casings are thought to mirror the objective dialect culture and local speakers as the key components to the
accomplishment of students. In their outrageous positions, informative skill defenders regard remote dialect
adapting no not as much as cultural assimilation, expressing that taking in another dialect breaks even with
changing as a primary concern and body to comprehend and be comprehended (Bex, 1994). However
different specialists approach the issue of culture in dialect learning settings with reservation. Aleptkin
(2002) and Smith (1976) both favor of an intercultural capability which rises above the limits and points of
confinement of local Social and Behavioral Sciences 15 (2011) 294– 301 295 speaker show. This is
incompletely on the grounds that English dialect has picked up an overall most widely used language status,
whose nonnative speakers as of now dwarf local speakers. In this manner, the worldwide utilization of the
English dialect requires worldwide social mindfulness instead of minor adjustment to the objective dialect
culture.
Many Specialists, for example, Majdzadeh (2002) and Victor (1999) have proposed that course books
should be limited, yet ought to likewise incorporate target and worldwide culture to encourage students'
intercultural fitness. Instructors ought to be urged to utilize integral training materials to guarantee that their
understudies are presented to nearby, target, and worldwide social segments. Cortazzi and Jin (1999) trust
that the social highlights that can be utilized in ELT course readings are of three kinds: 'source culture
materials' that utilization understudies' local social relics as substance, 'target culture materials' that
incorporate the way of life of English-talking nations (for the most part Western nations), and 'worldwide
materials' that grasp various societies from around the globe. At long last, they keep up that extra research
with a progressively reflective frame of mind towards social substance and approach is required in different
nations to meet the objective of enhancing social mindfulness in the EIL point of view (Cortazzi and Jin,
1999).

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. Is it true that teaching through target culture and ideology is not very effective in the communities of
indigenous learners?
2. Why English language learners from indigenous backgrounds are more respectful than they were
before?

METHODOLOGY
The present study is descriptive in design and is based on semiotic analysis of ELT material of a widely
distributed series.

Selection Criteria:

1. These materials are widely used in native and non-native countries.

Readers for teaching English were examined to identify cultural representations at level 1.All pages of
readers were gone through a microscopic analysis with respect to cultural representations both visual
(pictures, maps, photographs), and written (names of characters and places, theme of the written texts,
etc.), and a list of different cultural references in each reader was compiled.

Finally data was thematically organized according to cultural references: the source (Pakistani) the target
(British/American) and the international target culture (French, German, Spanish, etc.),as proposed by
Cortazzi and Jin (1999) and McKay (2000).General categories such as animals, cooking and picnic, with no
specific cultural reference were not considered in this cultural analysis.

Cultural references were identified in visuals and written text of each reader and then organized for further
analysis. The target culture was found dominating in foreign born material whereas source culture was put in
focus in local materials.

The results obtained from this analysis are presented as a whole: source culture, target culture and
international target culture, representing both teaching materials was matched with content analysis card for
more clarification.
PRESENTATION OF DATA

Data is presented in the form of three images with their old and new versions. Old versions are in A category
whereas new versions are in b category.

Old
version

New version

Image: 1 B
Image: 1 A

Image: 2 A Image: 2 B

Image: 3 A Image: 3 B
These images are a clear presentation of the cultural
and ideological loaded first presented and then revised to lessen the effect of a target culture and its ideology
in the hope of getting acceptance in the larger market of learners.
DISCUSSION

Semiotic analysis of the images in old and revised version is the clear indication of a huge shift from post-
colonial paradigm towards accepting indigenous culture and ideological loads of different communities
scattered all around the world. The main focus of this study was to reveal sociocultural differentiation of
English language exercised in internationally distributed reading materials. Model devised by Gholam Reza
Zareia G .R and Khalessib M in 2011 was used to classify data. Gholam Reza Zareia G .R and Khalessib M
in 2011 believed that while there are always opposing voices as to the inclusion or exclusion of the culture
in the instructional materials, a half way suggestion seems to be the deemphasizing of the western
tendencies in favor of some more global issues, thus providing the opportunity for the self-promotion of the
culturally different individuals,giving an opportunity to the local trend setters for exploring ground realities.
The cultural density in such books is suggestive of the tacit goal that foreign language learners need to get
acculturated to the target language culture if learning is to be achieved. This is the point which has made
quite a few researchers warn against the spread and expansion of English language whereby the associated
cultural domination is believed to pose threat to the world multiculturalism and integrity (Philipson, 1992)
by increasing the liberal values of western culture (Yarmohammadi, 2004). Some scholars have tried to
perceive English as an International language (e.g., Smith, 1983; Talebinejad & Aliakbari, 2001), and thus
purge it of the cultural biases, but the depth and breadth of the lopsided cultural issues running rampant
across the textbooks cannot be obviously ignored. This has brought about sometimes vehement reactions
against the English language as being perilous to the viability of other languages (Kim, 2002), as a means of
suppression and oppression (Pennycook, 1994), as a carrier of arrogance (Searle, 1983, quoted in
Pennycook, 1994), as colonization of mind (Chatterjee, 1993) and finally as social and linguistic
discrimination (Tsuda, 1994).

SUGGESTIONS AND CONCLUSION

The analysis of content reveal that these reading materials were carrying the burden of target culture unique
to the western world. Some aspects that are not considered appropriate in other eastern societies are found
here .In contrast general fiction and non-fiction have less focus. The learners' prevailing failure can be
attributed to the cultural biases in the books. Vygotsky (1962) says that 'true human communication
presupposes a generalizing idea because thought reflects conceptualized actuality' (pp.6-7). This socio-
cultural framework can account for the learners' feeling of alienation towards the books and also
impracticality of the materials, as can be easily evidenced in the case of most culturally charged examples
we have extracted from the readers. It can be argued whether target culture is important in understanding a
language or a global approach neutralizing learning contexts can be more beneficial. Publishers and
curriculum designers are gradually adding more cultural concepts, removing target culture covering the large
area of teaching materials. Newly designed materials are not only appreciated in local markets but have a
global acceptance.
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