English Textbooks in the Modern World: Cultural Representation in an EFL Textbook from Vietnam
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Publication Details
Author list: Vuong K.T.M.; Trakulkasemsuk W.; Zahabi A.
Publication year: 2025
Journal: PASAA (0125-2488)
Volume number: 70
Start page: 204
End page: 238
Number of pages: 35
ISSN: 0125-2488
Languages: English-Great Britain (EN-GB)
Abstract
The teaching of English in Vietnam has undergone continuous transformation, driven by globalization and technological advancements. With the 2022 release of the Global Success textbook series by the Vietnam Ministry of Education and Training with Pearson, this research addressed a critical gap in understanding how cultural representation aligns with globally modern contexts. While previous studies have emphasized surface-level analyses or the origins of cultural content, this study adopted a more comprehensive perspective by examining how the evolving and hybrid nature of culture is reflected in EFL materials. This analysis focused on the Grade 11 textbook’s Getting Started sections, which consistently combine text and visuals to explore cultural representations. A mixed-method content analysis of textual and visual features was conducted to uncover how these cultural representations may influence students’ perceptions in the modern world. Cultures in the textbooks were categorized as native-speaker culture, Vietnamese culture, and modernized culture. The findings revealed a strong emphasis on modernized culture in the textbook, demonstrating an association between English learning and international values. While this approach has its merits, English teachers, textbook authors, and policymakers should be mindful of the imbalanced cultural representation and incorporate critical discussions to raise students’ awareness of cultural differences. © 2025, Chulalongkorn University Language Institute. All rights reserved.
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