Evaluating Pictures in Iranian High-School English Textbooks in Terms of Functions and Gender Bias

The pictures of the textbooks play an important role in the transfer of conceptsand values to students. However، no comprehensive studies have been done onthe functions of pictures and their effects on the students from the genderperspective in the instructional language textbooks in Iran. Accordingly، thecurrent study is an attempt to evaluate the pictures in Iranian high-schoolEnglish textbooks concerning their learning functions as well as the presenceand absence of gender bias. To this end، the pictures in the textbooks wereanalyzed regarding the instructional vs. non-instructional (decorative) functions. The people in the pictures were also investigated from the perspective of genderbias on the basis of the three criteria of the frequency of males and females، thetype of environment surrounding the two genders، and the kinds of activities. The data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results revealedthat، from the viewpoint of functions، the majority of the pictures wereinstructional; from the perspective of the frequency of males and females’political and social activities and the type of environment، gender bias existed infavor of males; in terms of personal and educational activities، therepresentation of females was more remarkable. The findings have someimplications for textbook writers، materials developers، English languageteachers and other experts in the field of education.