The representation of revolution in the school textbook: Being and becoming in history

This paper analyzes how the grammar of school textbooks, more specifically the choice of the verbs [amp]#8216;be[amp]#8217; and [amp]#8216;have[amp]#8217; - known as relational processes in the systemic-functional framework - may make it more difficult for learners to understand historical events an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Revista signos 2017-08, Vol.50 (94), p.150
Main Authors: Ávila, Diana, Barletta, Norma, Chamorro, Diana
Format: Article
Language:Portuguese
Subjects:
Historical text analysis
History
Learning
Schools
Textbooks
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Summary:This paper analyzes how the grammar of school textbooks, more specifically the choice of the verbs [amp]#8216;be[amp]#8217; and [amp]#8216;have[amp]#8217; - known as relational processes in the systemic-functional framework - may make it more difficult for learners to understand historical events and presents a biased view of these events. We present an analysis of relational processes and their use based on a chapter on the Industrial Revolution from an eighth-grade Social Science textbook and discuss their implications for the teaching and learning of history. The analysis shows that the recurrent use of relational processes promotes a view of history in which most things simply [amp]#8216;are[amp]#8217; or [amp]#8216;become[amp]#8217; without human intervention. Pedagogical practices which disregard this feature of textbooks play a part in maintaining inequalities between students with respect to dealing with the non-everyday discourses which provide access to scientific knowledge and the contexts in which it is used.
ISSN:0035-0451
0718-0934
DOI:10.4067/S0718-09342017000200150