CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF CULTURAL VALUES AND BELIEFS IN SOCIETY THROUGH TEXTBOOKS

Abstract

Educational system with its goals and practices is now a dominant part of civilized societies. The purpose of this study is to analyze the ideologies and fundamental values which are working behind the theoretical representation of educational policies in Pakistan. Mixed Method approach has been applied in this study.  Fairclough’s 3D model is used to conduct analysis on descriptive level, interpretational level and the explanatory level (Faiclough, 1989). This study has also applied Model of Van Dijk “The socio Cognitive Analysis” for ideological analysis (Dijk, 1989). Teaching content of selected books of Punjab and NWFP Curriculum Board has been analyzed by means of critical approaches. Paper demonstrates the findings which prove that how the textbook knowledge is socially constructed. Analysis has been carried out in various dimensions including textual analysis, analyzing lexical items, indoctrination of cultural social and religious beliefs. Moreover, the awareness of educated class about biasness of text is examined and last section discusses with the results and opinion of researcher. Thus, it has been extracted that course books and textual discourse in Pakistan serves the interests of powerful fraction of society and the interests of learners are kept aside while designing syllabus. This paper is to highlight the fact that books must be designed to transmit knowledge, develop creative skills and to make learners capable, therefore they must not be bias and neither should be mean of manipulating young minds