Systemic Functional Grammar: material process analysis in EFL textbooks for palestinian refugee children

Abstract

Texts in English language textbooks for Palestinian refugees were analyzed for the types of verbal process expressed within the clauses of the texts, as well as for their concomitant participants and processes, using the system of transitivity from Systemic Functional Linguistics. The focus was on texts which present references to Palestine whether as participant type or location. The material process and its corresponding participants were analyzed experientially and semantically to explore the experiences through which the Palestinian context is presented in those texts. It has been observed that the semantic connotations of the process presentations are limited to specific themes that in turn limit the aspirations of the learners and their identity constructing aspects through the textbooks. This focus on how language constructs experience can be drawn on in future drafting of teaching materials for different collectives in a way which can be more sensitive to identity formation.