Unit 11: Ethics of Cultural Representation in Language Teaching
Conditions d’achèvement
This
unit explores the ethical responsibilities involved in representing cultures
within the language classroom. It examines the risks of stereotyping, cultural
appropriation, and colonial bias in teaching materials and practices, while
encouraging teachers to foster respectful and accurate intercultural dialogue.
The unit promotes inclusive pedagogy by highlighting strategies for
decolonising curricula, engaging learners critically with cultural content, and
amplifying underrepresented voices. By the end of this unit, students will be
able to recognize ethical dilemmas in cultural representation and develop
practices that support empathy, diversity, and fairness in language education.
5. Representation Ethics in Teaching Materials
Many
language textbooks and resources reproduce biased views, such as: ·
Underrepresenting minority
cultures. ·
Using Western lifestyle as a norm. ·
Depicting "other" cultures as exotic
or deficient. Ethical review questions: ·
Are different cultures portrayed with equal
depth? ·
Is the material inclusive and respectful? ·
Are stereotypes avoided? 📊 Activity: Analyse a
page from a textbook. What implicit messages are being communicated?
