Exploring Illustrations Of Elementary Chinese Textbooks Based On Visual Grammar Theory

Illustrations,known as the “second language” of textbooks,is both an important part of textbooks and a popular curriculum resource.It plays an irreplaceable role in helping teachers in teaching and inspiring students’ interest in reading.Scholars at home and abroad have done a lot of research on illustrations,but rarely analyze textbooks from the perspective of images.The present dissertation selects three volumes of elementary Chinese course books,viz.YCT Standard Course 1、2、3 as the research object.First,we collect,collate and analyze the relevant literature of textbook illustrations,understand the current status of textbook illustration research,including research directions,research results and existing deficiencies.At the same time,we classify the relevant content of visual grammar theory and organize a practical illustration analysis framework from three functions of the visual grammar——reproduction function,interactive function and composition function theoretically based on the visual grammar theory put forward by Kress & Van Leeuwen.On the basis above,the illustrations in YCT Standard Course 1、2、3 are divided into four parts: vocabulary,texts,exercises and tests.And then,according to the three functions of visual grammar,the illustrations in these four parts are statistically analyzed to reveal the advantages and disadvantages of illustration to the auxiliary of teaching materials.Finally,through the research we provide new methods and perspectives for the analyses and evaluation of elementary Chinese textbook illustrations with the purpose of promoting the formation of a systematic illustration analysis theory,and providing some advice and guidance for textbooks advisers,educators,and users.