Towards More Gender Inclusion in Language Teaching: Italian FL/SL Textbooks as a Case Study

Abstract

This research explores the perceptions of Italian FL/SL teachers regarding the use of gender-inclusive language in textbooks, focusing on how these views impact their teaching practices. The motivation stems from the growing sensitivity among students to gender issues and the need for fair representation in educational materials. Following an analysis of nine textbooks conducted by the author and inspired by previous studies, this research employs a questionnaire addressed to 62 interviewees including teachers and a small group of Ca’ Foscari students aimed at collecting data and answering the research questions, that are, how teachers of Italian for foreigners can make language teaching more inclusive from a gender perspective through the Italian FL/SL textbooks; and if it is possible according to the teachers to introduce the use of the neutral vowel schwa in Italian FL/SL textbooks. The qualitative analysis results demonstrate that inclusive strategies encompass linguistic redundancy in instructions, as well as the use of neutral terms; the teaching of inclusive job titles and the neutral vowel schwa as sociolinguistic elements; and the breaking of gender stereotypes in linguistic input. This thesis thus contributes to the research on gender-based language teaching and lays the basis for future research, such as how gender-based language teaching strategies may vary according to students’ age or teaching context (FL or SL). Furthermore, the author suggests deepening the exploration of the relationship between students’ language learning motivation and gender representation in foreign languages. To conclude, the author invites researchers to modify the questionnaire and submit it to another pilot test.