Intersections of Gender and Ethnicity in English Language Learning Texts

Book excerpt: Intersections of Gender and Ethnicity in English Language Learning Texts offers a fresh and relevant interrogation of educational materials for all students, researchers, and educators engaging in critical language study. Drawing on her own extensive research, Amy Burden offers up a first-of-its-kind critical linguistic analysis of gender and ethnicity representation in English Language Learning materials and an update for the US ESL textbook market 40 years overdue. Using accessible definitions, explanations, and examples of critical race, corpus, literary, and feminist theories, Burden systematically deconstructs the theoretical and textual ways in which gender representations reinforce patriarchal ideologies. Ultimately, Burden argues that Critical Literacy and Critical Race Pedagogy are necessary tools for ensuring equitable, egalitarian representation and combatting the harmful impact that these themes have had on readers and communities.