Author
Agustin N. Visbal
Palompon Institute of Technology
Palompon, Leyte, Philippines
Email: agustin.visbal@pit.edu.ph
ORCID: 0009-0005-6896-3115
Abstract
The study aimed to determine the gender-fair language used in primary school textbooks. Moreover, the study also looked at widely used terminology, gender roles depicted in textbooks through pictures, and teachers’ perceptions of the concept of gender-fair language. Content analysis of the selected Science and English textbooks used by the primary teachers was the corpus of the study. The researcher also conducted interviews with the selected participants through purposive sampling to determine their concepts about gender-fair language. Based on the data gathered, it was found that the textbooks employed terminology that might be classified as neutral, feminine, or masculine. While pictures depicted people according to their distinct physical characteristics, certain roles were also shown. Finally, it may be noted that there were gender biases in the assessment. Primary teachers have significant perceptions on the concepts of gender-fair language. Some of these teachers employed these concepts in the teaching-learning process. However, based on the interview, it could be observed that these perceptions were based mainly on their readings and they had minimal understanding of the concepts, especially in integrating gender-fair language in the classroom. Thus, based on the findings of the study, it is highly recommended for the school administrators, through their respective gender and development coordinators, to consider holding a series of seminars, conferences, and trainings with emphasis on mainstreaming gender-fair language in creating teaching-learning instructional materials.
Keywords: Gender-fair language in primary textbooks, gender-fair language perceptions, gender-fair language in the teaching-learning, gender-fair biases, concepts on gender-fair language
DOI: http://doi.org/10.69651/PIJHSS0501755
Recommended citation:
Visbal, A. N. (2026). Content analysis on the gender-fair language used in primary textbooks. Pantao (The International Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences) 5 (1), 8368-8375. http://doi.org/10.69651/PIJHSS0501755
Read the full text
References
Corcilles, M., Villahermosa, S., & Bernadas, C. (2021). Inclusivity in the making: An imperative need for gender-fair language reforms.
Friedrich, M. G., & Heise, E. (2019). Does the use of gender-fair language influence the comprehensibility of texts? Swiss Journal of Psychology, 78(1–2), 51–60. https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185/a000221
Gamboa, J., Bacani, M., Baluyut, J., Galura, O., & Manalastas, K. (2022). Gender-fair language in teaching basic education. International Journal of Multidisciplinary: Applied Business and Education Research, 3(4), 585–596. https://doi.org/10.11594/ijmaber.03.04.13
Hodel, L., Formanowicz, M., Sczesny, S., Valdrová, J., & Stockhausen, L. (2017). Gender-fair language in job advertisements: A cross-linguistic and cross-cultural analysis. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 48(3), 384–401. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022116688085
Jones, M. A., Kitetu, C., & Sunderland, J. (1997). Discourse roles, gender and language textbook dialogues: Who learns what from John and Sally? Gender and Education, 9(4), 469–490. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540259721204
Koeser, S., Kuhn, E., & Sczesny, S. (2014). Just reading? How gender-fair language triggers readers’ use of gender-fair forms. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 34(3), 343–357. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X14561119
Koeser, S., & Sczesny, S. (2014). Promoting gender-fair language: The impact of arguments on language use, attitudes, and cognitions. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 33(5), 548–560. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X14545089
Krippendorff, K. (2018). Content analysis: An introduction to its methodology (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Lindqvist, A., Renström, E. A., & Gustafsson, M. (2019). Reducing a male bias in language? Establishing the efficiency of three different gender-fair language strategies. Sex Roles, 81(1–2), 109–117. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-018-0974-9
Sczesny, S., Formanowicz, M., & Moser, F. (2016). Can gender-fair language reduce gender stereotyping and discrimination? Frontiers in Psychology, 7, Article 25. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00025
Slinina, L., & Nifontova, D. (2021). Gender-fair language as an object of amateur language criticism in German media. Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Language and Literature, 18(4), 844–861. https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu09.2021.409
Sniezek, J. A., & Jazwinski, C. H. (1986). Gender bias in English: In search of fair language. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 16(7), 642–662. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.1986.tb01164.x
Stahlberg, D., Braun, F., Irmen, L., & Sczesny, S. (2007). Representation of the sexes in language. In K. Fiedler (Ed.), Social communication (pp. 163–187). Psychology Press.
Talosa, A. D. (2018). Filipino ESL students’ androgyny trait, awareness, and attitude toward gender-fair language. Asian Journal of Science and Technology, 9(9), 8865–8874.
Tarrayo, V. N. (2022). Gender-fair language in English language teaching: Insights from teachers in Philippine higher education institutions. Language and Education, 36(6), 556–572. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500782.2022.2038344
Xiao, H., Strickland, B., & Peperkamp, S. (2022). How fair is gender-fair language? Insights from gender ratio estimations in French. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 41(2), 191–210. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X211036471
Ymeri, G. (2020). Gender-based social expectations: An analysis of the role of textbooks in primary school (Unpublished master’s thesis). Rochester Institute of Technology.