A Multimodal Perspective on Identity Construction and Globalization in English Textbooks (S/O 12640)

• Main Author: Karpal Singh, Paramjit Kaur
• Format: Monograph
• Language: English
• Published: UUM
• Subjects: L Education (General)
• Online Access: https://repo.uum.edu.my/id/eprint/31527/1/12640.pdf; https://repo.uum.edu.my/id/eprint/31527/

Textbooks have, over the years, changed dramatically mirroring the changes in social and pedagogic practices as well changed in semiotic form (Kress, 2010). Images and writing in books have moved from presenting information to constructing and de-constructing the world around us. This study aims to look at the multimodality of design in textbooks in terms of the construction of the Malaysian identity and a global identity. Specifically, the study will look at the concept of values and nation building in local and global textbooks. In this study, the social semiotic approach framework proposed by Kress (2009) and van Leeuwen (2005; 2008) and content analysis (Padem, 2013) were used to examine texts and images in a Malaysian English textbook and a global textbook, Pulse 2 in order to analyse and understand how values are expressed and how nation building is projected. The findings showed that both the local and global textbooks had a high occurrence of certain values such as respect, politeness and tolerance. However, there was a difference in the distribution and the frequency of occurrence of the three values in both the textbooks. The local textbook had more occurrences of all three values as compared to the global textbook. In terms of nation building, the local textbook actively promoted nation building via texts and visuals to solidify the Malaysian identity as being multiracial and living in harmony. The global textbook had no such nation building elements and focused on highlighting an individual’s skills and abilities as opposed to group or national identity