An Analysis of Identities of Characters and Ideologies in Four Series of English Textbooks for Thai Beginners: from Past to Present

AN ANALYSIS OF IDENTITIES OF CHARACTERS AND IDEOLOGIES IN FOUR SERIES OF ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS FOR THAI BEGINNERS: FROM PAST TO PRESENT BY MISS MINGKWAN WONGSANTATIVANICH A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY PROGRAM IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDIES (INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM) DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH AND LINGUISTICS FACULTY OF LIBERAL ARTS THAMMASAT UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC YEAR 2017 COPYRIGHT OF THAMMASAT UNIVERSITY Ref. code: 25605506320042CPA AN ANALYSIS OF IDENTITIES OF CHARACTERS AND IDEOLOGIES IN FOUR SERIES OF ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS FOR THAI BEGINNERS: FROM PAST TO PRESENT BY MISS MINGKWAN WONGSANTATIVANICH A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY PROGRAM IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDIES (INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM) DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH AND LINGUISTICS FACULTY OF LIBERAL ARTS THAMMASAT UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC YEAR 2017 COPYRIGHT OF THAMMASAT UNIVERSITY Ref. code: 25605506320042CPA (1) Thesis Title AN ANALYSIS OF IDENTITIES OF CHARACTERS AND IDEOLOGIES IN FOUR SERIES OF ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS FOR THAI BEGINNERS: FROM PAST TO PRESENT Author Miss Mingkwan Wongsantativanich Degree Doctor of Philosophy (English Language Studies) Major Field/Faculty/University Faculty of Liberal Arts Thammasat University Thesis Advisor Assistant Professor Saneh Thongrin, Ph.D. Academic Years 2017 ABSTRACT This research is a critical analysis of English textbooks designed for Thai students starting to learn English. The textbooks under examination are four different series from four different eras: the late 19th century, the 1930s, the 1980s, and the 2000s. The objectives of the research are twofold: 1) to examine the identities of the characters represented in the textbooks and 2) to examine the ideologies embedded in the content of the textbooks and how these ideologies are constructed in the Thai context. The textbooks are analyzed using the theoretical frameworks of Critical Discourse Analysis. The findings reveal that each series of textbooks portrays the age, racial, class, and gender identities of characters. The first two series prioritize adult characters, Siamese/Thai characters, elite characters, and male characters in their representations. By contrast, child characters, foreign characters, middle-class characters, and female characters become increasingly important in the last two series. It can be quite difficult for textbooks to serve as naturalized discourses, but these textbooks seem to function as sites where the power of some groups over others is contested and negotiated. In terms of ideologies, the findings reveal that the dominant ideologies in the first, second, Ref. code: 25605506320042CPA (2) third, and fourth series of textbooks are modernization, nationalism, consumerism, and globalization, respectively. Moreover, the ideology of morality is dominant in all four series. It is argued that these ideologies are discursively constructed. The four series of textbooks were controlled by the state education agencies in terms of production. Textbook production, in turn, is governed by state policy, which is tied to social conditions. As such, the ideologies serve to justify and maintain the power of the state. This research could be useful in raising teachers’ awareness about the bias of textbooks and enabling them to become more critical about what is portrayed in textbooks and be more careful in using them with students. It could also encourage teachers to design materials and class activities that promote critical thinking. Keywords: Textbooks, Ideologies, Discourse Ref. code: 25605506320042CPA (3) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my profound gratitude to my thesis supervisor Dr. Saneh Thongrin for her invaluable guidance, immense knowledge, patience, encouragement, and spiritual support. Without her, I would not have completed this thesis. I would like to thank my thesis committee: Dr. Apisak Pupipat, Dr. Passapong Sripicharn, Dr. Vachara Sindhuprama, and Dr. Attasith Boonsawasd for their encouragement, support, and insightful comments. I am also thankful to Dr. Thomas Hoy for his encouragement, support, and invaluable guidance. I am also grateful to the lecturers and fellow students at the English Language Studies Program, the Faculty of Liberal Arts for their help, support, and encouragement. My special thanks go to Dr. Teng, Dr. Jeu, Dr. Tuk, Dr. Khwan, Dr. Deun, Ajarn Nah, Ajarn Ben, Ajarn Oui, and Ajarn Nuch. Finally, my heartfelt thanks go to my family and friends for their continuous support and encouragement throughout my years of Ph.D. study. Miss Mingkwan Wongsantativanich Ref. code: 25605506320042CPA (4) TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT (1) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (3) LIST OF TABLES (9) LIST OF FIGURES (10) LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS (11) CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 English textbooks in Thailand 1 1.1.1 King Chulalongkorn’s reign 1 1.1.2 King Vajiravudh’s reign 5 1.1.3 From 1926 onwards 9 1.2 Rationale 12 1.3 Research objectives 16 1.4 Research questions 16 1.5 Scope of the research 17 1.6 Significance of the research 17 1.7 Definitions of key terms 18 1.8 Textbook overview 20 1.9 Chapter overview 20 1.10 Chapter summary 21 Ref. code: 25605506320042CPA (5) CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE 22 2.1 Language and culture 22 2.2 Discourse, ideology, and power 24 2.2.1 Discourse 24 2.2.2 Ideology 25 2.2.3 Relationship among discourse, ideology, and power 26 2.3 Critical discourse anlaysis 27 2.3.1 Dialectical-Relational Approach 28 2.3.2 Social Actor Approach 30 2.4 Multimodal discourse analysis 32 2.5 Critical language awareness 34 2.6 Textbook analysis 35 2.7 Defining concepts: modernization, nationalism, 39 consumerism, globalization, and morality 2.8 Chapter summary 42 CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 43 3.1 Research approach and conceptual framework 43 3.2 Textbook samples 44 3.3 Data collection 46 3.4 Research procedure 47 3.5 Data analysis 48 3.6 Validity 52 3.7 Chapter summary 54 CHAPTER 4 RESULTS: LADDER OF KNOWLEDGE SERIES 55 4.1 Introduction 55 4.2 Identities of represented characters 57 4.3 Ideologies 72 Ref. code: 25605506320042CPA (6) 4.3.1 Modernization 72 4.3.2 Morality and discipline 82 4.4 Chapter summary 87 CHAPTER 5 RESULTS: DIRECT METHOD READER FOR 88 THAI STUDENTS 5.1 Introduction 88 5.2 Identities of represented characters 89 5.3 Ideologies 98 5.3.1 Nationalism 98 5.3.2 Modernization 110 5.3.3 Morality and discipline 114 5.4 Chapter summary 118 CHAPTER 6 RESULTS: ENGLISH IS FUN: A BEGINNING COURSE 120 FOR THAI STUDENTS 6.1 Introduction 120 6.2 Identities of represented characters 121 6.3 Ideologies 127 6.3.1 Morality and discipline 127 6.3.2 Children’s agency 130 6.3.3 Consumerism 136 6.4 Chapter summary 141 CHAPTER 7 RESULTS: PROJECTS: PLAY AND LEARN 143 7.1 Introduction 143 7.2 Identities of represented characters 145 7.3 Ideologies 150 Ref. code: 25605506320042CPA (7) 7.3.1 Globalization 150 7.3.2 Maintaining Thainess 160 7.3.3 Morality and discipline 163 7.4 Chapter summary 168 CHAPTER 8 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 169 8.1 Identities of represented characters 169 8.1.1 Age 171 8.1.2 Race 174 8.1.3 Class 178 8.1.4 Gender 180 8.2 Ideologies 184 8.2.1 Modernization 185 8.2.2 Nationalism 188 8.2.3 Consumerism 192 8.2.4 Globalization 195 8.2.5 Morality and discipline 197 8.3 Chapter summary 199 CHAPTER 9 CONCLUSION 200 9.1 Conclusion 200 9.2 Limitations 201 9.2.1 Researcher’s voice 201 9.2.2 Accessibility to data 202 9.2.3 Representativenss of textbooks 202 9.2.4 Defining concepts 202 9.2.5 Language features 202 9.2.6 Limitations of CDA 203 9.2.7 Counting frequency 203 Ref. code: 25605506320042CPA (8) 9.3 Implications 204 9.3.1 Material writing 204 9.3.2 Teaching activities 205 9.3.3 Teachers’ awareness 206 9.3.4 Research 207 9.4 Recommendations for further research 208 9.5 Chapter summary 209 REFERENCES 210 APPENDICES APPENDIX A Ladder of Knowledge Series 230 APPENDIX B Direct Method Reader for Thai Students 233 APPENDIX C English is Fun: A Beginning Course for 237 Thai Students APPENDIX D Projects: Play and Learn 241 BIOGRAPHY 244 Ref. code: 25605506320042CPA (9) LIST OF TABLES Tables Page 3.1 List of textbook samples 44 3.2 Research procedure 47 3.3 Content, language, and visual analysis 49 3.4 Analysis based on Van Leeuwen’s (1996, 2008) 50 Social Actor Analysis 3.5 Criteria for determining ideologies 51 8.1 Summary of character identities 170 8.2 Frequency of child and adult characters 171 8.3 Frequency of Siamese/Thai and foreign characters 174 8.4 Frequency of characters per class 178 8.5 Frequency of male and female characters 180 8.6 Words that occur with father and mother characters 182 8.7 Summary of dominant ideologies 184 8.8 Words that show various cultures 195 Ref. code: 25605506320042CPA (10) LIST OF FIGURES Figures Page 2.1 Fairclough’s three-dimensional model 29 3.1 Fairclough’s three-dimensional model 43 5.1 Mother and child 92 5.2 Foreigner 94 5.3 King Naresuan 103 5.4 Soldier 104 6.1 Child and adult characters 123 6.2 Thai and foreign characters 124 7.1 The first type of child character 146 7.2 The second type of child character 147 7.3 The third type of child character 148 7.4 Food party 150 7.5 IT 151 7.6 Signs 153 7.7 Class survey 154 7.8 Casting a vote 155 7.9 A student giving an opinion 156 7.10 Boy and girl doing housework 158 7.11 A story about unity 163 7.12 Positioning of the teacher and students 168 Ref. code: 25605506320042CPA (11) LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Symbols/Abbreviations Terms CDA Critical Discourse Analysis CLA Critical Language Awareness Direct Method Reader Direct Method Reader for Thai Students English is Fun English is Fun: A Beginning Course for Thai Students Projects Projects: Play and Learn Ref.

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