A Theory: In the Context of Teaching Language and Literature to Young Learners, the Need for Unbiased and Culturally Sensitive Content

Abstract

During the European powers' colonial control, the majority of fairy tales and bedtime stories for children were written by British and other European authors. When it comes to children's literature, the majority of the stories convey a powerful yet subtle message that white skin is superior and attractive on its own. Students are constantly exposed to the belief that white is superior to other colours, starting with nursery rhymes and continuing through topic matter provided at the tertiary level for learning English and literature. This study emphasises on the importance of including culturally sensitive and impartial topic matter into the curriculum in order to improve learners' learning outcomes. The current study emphasises the need of include learning materials in the context of English language training that do not emphasise the assumption that white color/complexion is better than dark colour.