Blog post 7

The article The article Construction of Racial Stereotypes in English as a Foreign Language Texts is by Cosette Taylor-Mendes who researched and interview question to students and teachers on Sao Paulo, Brazil. The researcher wanted to know how Brazil students look at race, class and gender when they look at the images in English language textbooks. Many English language textbooks portrayed United States as white elite and blacks are represented as poor and powerless and whites are powerful and wealthy. This article is very interesting. I never thought about how English language textbook portrayed United States. Also, I learned that how powerful the vision imaginary is.

I don’t remember seeing images of black people in the English language textbook when I was in Korea. I realized that black people were portrayed in a negative way in many cultures. This might be something that I don’t want to tell people. However, my parents don’t want to associate with black people. They don’t want me to associate with black people. Last semester, I had a black roommate and my parents were really worried. Maybe, the reason why my parents have negative stereotypes towards black people is that how English textbook that they learned when they were in school, and movies portrayed African Americans. Over the weekend, I called my parents and asked some questions why they hate African American so much. My parents told me that they believe that black people are violent and poor. Therefore, I asked my parents what makes them think that way. My parents told me that because that was how English textbook, movies, books and news are portrayed black people. My parents stated that, “If black people were nice and rich, why the media portrayed black people like that? Why English textbook portrayed black people like that? The reason why media portrayed black people in a bad way is that because it is true.” I cannot blame my parents that how they feel because I understand why they dislike African Americans. However, at the same time, it is very frustrated.

I was really shocked after the conversation. As a future teacher, how can I inform the students’ negative stereotypes toward racial groups? What if the student has already believed in his/her negative stereotypes? And how can I change that?