Reconceptualizing language teaching: an in-service teacher education course in uzbekistan

Social roles 
– concep-
tualized as 
connected 
behaviours, 
rights, obliga-
tions, beliefs, 
and norms
Race – a variety
Men and women have 
specific roles and respon-
sibilities. The ONLY picture 
that I have seen that defies 
stereotypical cultural norms 
of gender and work is the 
fireman. This role is present-
ed as a woman’s respon-
sibility. Women ask more 
questions in this book and 
take more of a passive role 
in the discourse (e.g., par-
ent’s corner).
Race – all white.
There is a balance of equality 
between the men and women’s 
roles and responsibilities and 
how they interact with the world. 
For example, p. 47 a woman is 
provided the language of math-
ematics, which I have not seen 
in the Uzbek book. Grammar in 
conversation – the boy asks the 
girl questions (p. 61), and the girl 
asks the boy questions (p. 43). 

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RECONCEPTUALIZING LANGUAGE TEACHING
Topics
Kid’s English (2015)
English World (2009)
Age (Elderly 
vs. Young)
The focus is on everyone 
and how they interact with 
each type of person.
The focus of the book is on 
young people. They are the 
focus. 
Tradition(s) – 
Dressing
Multiculturalism is ex-
pressed in the dressing. (Al-
most like being out in Tash-
kent and seeing a variety of 
different people – Russian, 
Uzbek, and more Western 
) ….Old traditional stories 
emphasize “traditionalist” 
approach – page 80. More 
women tend to emphasize 
the traditional outfit. When 
men have the traditional 
outfit, it is usually the hat. 
There is a sense of exclusivi-
ty to the Uzbek culture.
The dressing lacks patterns, 
expressions and is meant to 
be inclusive of all nationalities. 
However, there is an expectation 
of the U.K. traditional dress in the 
student’s “Grammar in conversa-
tion.”