How Teachers of English in Central Region of Kenya Perceive Portrayal of Gender in Literature Textbooks

Abstract

Textbooks are an important socializing tool and play a crucial role in determining students’ worldview of gender relations in society. Gender responsiveness is one of the emerging issues that have attracted major debates in various forums including in the education system in general and choice of textbooks in particular. This study examined the responses of teachers of English to gender issues in the following literature books; The River Between, An Enemy of the People, The River and the Source and Coming to Birth which were used as KCSE literature textbooks from 1999 to 2009 . The study applied the Reader – Response theory which emphasizes the reader’s role in creating meaning of a text and experience of a literary work. The findings indicated that the KCSE textbooks all had elements of gender bias, stereotyping of character and role, unequal representation of male and female characters and use of gender insensitive language. However, the study also revealed that some writers had made attempts to make the literature textbooks gender responsive. The teachers’ responses revealed that the teachers were keen and enthusiastic about gender issues in textbooks despite the fact that they had no formal training on how to implement the gender policy in education. The study recommends closer scrutiny of literature textbooks, in-house training of teachers on gender responsiveness, sensitizing students on gender responsive textbooks, training of education stakeholders and providing checklists for identifying gender stereotypes and other relevant gender issues in textbooks. In addition, it also recommends the development of a more gender responsive curriculum in tandem with Kenya’s developmental aspiration where men and women are viewed as partners in the development of all sectors of society.