PhD Degree Awarded to Mr. Abdo Radman Abdo from Department of English
Mr. Abdo Radman Abdo Humadi was awarded a PhD degree for his dissertation titled “Analysis of the Values Embedded in the Textbooks Reading Materials by EFL Students at the Department of English, Faculty of Education – Sana’a, Sana’a University, and Students’ and Teachers’ Perspectives towards Them,” which was submitted to the Department of English, Faculty of Education – Sana’a University. The PhD dissertation defense was held on Monday, Dhu al-Hijjah 6, 1446 Hijri, corresponding to June 2, 2025.
The PhD Viva-Voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Post-Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:
| # | Committee Members | Designation | University | Position |
| 1 | Prof. Faze’ Khaled Al-Maslami | Internal Examiner | Sana’a University | Chair |
| 2 | Assoc. Prof. Murad Ali Al-Azzani | Main Supervisor | Sana’a University | Member |
| 3 | Assoc. Prof. Hamoud Abdulrahman Al-Qahtani | External Examiner | Thamar University | Member |
This dissertation aimed to analyze the implicit values and ideas within the reading texts of English language textbooks prescribed at the Faculty of Education, Sana’a University. In addition, it sought to explore the perspectives of students and teachers regarding these values, using a critical discourse analysis approach.
The dissertation’s findings revealed several cultural and social ideas within the textbooks that reflect Western culture. These ideas aim to influence students’ culture and erode their national identity without their awareness. This is achieved through the author’s methods of presenting these ideas to appear realistic, by presenting facts, inferences, and imagery, with the goal of encouraging acceptance of the ideas without deep reflection on their meanings. The results also showed variations in the extent to which students and teachers perceived these Western ideas in the reading textbooks.
The dissertation recommended that educators should incorporate critical linguistic analysis as a means to enable students to infer linguistic meanings as intended by the author. This helps them evaluate these meanings and their suitability for students’ culture. It also recommended that training in linguistic analysis should be included as part of the time teachers allocate during lessons, using gradual methods, so that students can apply it and make it a part of their practical lives.
The PhD dissertation was examined and recommended by the Viva-Voce Committee for acceptance and approval. The PhD defense was attended by a number of academics, researchers, interested students, the candidate’s colleagues, and family members.
