The Role of Visual Representation in EFL Textbooks in Enhancing Pupils’ Vocabulary Learning The Case of ‘My Book of English’ For First Year Middle School Pupils in Algeria
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Date
2017-11
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Mouloud Mammeri University of Tizi-Ouzou
Abstract
The present dissertation is concerned with the role of the visual representation in EFL
textbooks in enhancing pupils’ vocabulary learning. It takes as a case study the newly
designed textbook My Book of English for first year middle school pupils. The work examines
the visual resources included within this instructional material focusing on their impact on
the enhancement of pupils’ lexical knowledge. It also investigates the teachers’ views about
the efficiency and sufficiency of these visual aids for helping pupils building up strong
vocabulary knowledge. The data relevant for this study were gathered throughout a mixed
method research using a questionnaire that is administered to middle school teachers; as well
as, an adapted checklist. A social semiotic multimodal approach to textbook analysis is
adopted to evaluate the visual representation in My Book of English.. The research findings
were analysed through both a content analysis of the text information data and a statistical
analysis of the numerical data of the close-ended questions of the questionnaire. This small
scale study reveals that My Book of English contains a wide range of visual resources
(images, pictures, colours, tables, diagrams, and drawings) that represent the lexical items
and their meaning. According to the gathered data, these visuals are effective tools for
ameliorating first year pupils’ vocabulary learning and understanding. More importantly, this
technique creates and stimulates their enthusiasm and curiosity to learn more. However, for
the middle school teachers the visual representation in My Book of English, even though
helpful, is not sufficient in a context where English is a foreign language and not used outside
the classroom. Teachers then, make use of other techniques and materials other than this
textbook to ensure their pupils’ fully retrieval of the lexis. It can be concluded that, the visual
representation in My Book of English is helpful for pupils to build up a strong lexicon
repertoire, but it should not be relied heavily on, because it does not all fulfil their vocabulary
knowledge needs.
Description
79p.:ill;30cm.(+cd)
Keywords
vocabulary, multimodality, social semiotics and visual representation.
Citation
Applied Linguistics and Social Semiotics