A Study On Textbook Illustration In Junior High School English Classroom Based On The Comparison Between Go For It And Taiwan’s Kangxuan Version

Textbook is one of the most important carriers in the school education. With the development of modern technology, the textbook has achieved great changes, shifting from pure words to words with illustrations. We are entering into the pictorial era where it is full of multimedia technology and wonderful visual imagery. With the unique cognitive value of expressing the information, textbook illustration is a tool to help the learner comprehend the textbook contents. Textbook illustration can show the nonlinear knowledge structure, possessing the overwhelming advantages over the pure word. Nowadays, the English textbook designers have paid more attention to the illustrations and a variety of textbooks with all sorts of illustrations emerge as the times require. Nevertheless, as the main user of the textbook and the handler of the English classroom, English teachers normally neglect the illustrations for various reasons or the English teachers are short of knowledge or strategies to use the illustrations effectively. Therefore, based on the previous researches on illustrations at home and abroad, the research focuses on the following aspects: the effects and functions of illustrations; factors influencing text- illustration effects; the strategies of applying illustrations. Then, on the basic of the comparative analysis of the textbook illustrations between Go for it and Kangxuan version, the paper investigates teachers’ and students’ views on English textbook illustrations and current conditions of the application of illustrations into class by means of questionnaires, interviews and classroom observation. Finally, the author offers some practical suggestions for junior English textbook designers and junior English teachers.Based on the empirical research, the thesis summarizes the following findings.First of all, both students and teachers are satisfied with illustrations in Go for it and teachers are more satisfied with illustrations in Go for it than students. However,the quantity and the quality of illustrations in Go for it still need to be improved.Then, cartoon is the most popular illustration with students and photo takes the second place. It is widely admitted that students at the medium or low levels profit more from illustrations and the cases are similar in the description and exposition and the moderate or difficult reading materials. In addition, students mainly pay attention to illustrations to deepen comprehension of the text, transfer attention and motivate interest. Finally, students frequently focus on illustrations while they are readingindependently and teachers also use illustrations frequently in class. Nevertheless,teachers seldom instruct students to use illustrations effectively in class from the standpoint of the students.In terms of the suggestions for textbook designers, the author puts forward some aspects that designers should pay attention to. They are listed as follows: optimizing the format design of illustrations; enhancing the quality of illustrations; increasing the attraction of illustrations; improving the effectiveness of illustrations. What’s more,this thesis offers some concrete suggestions for junior English teachers in terms of teaching vocabulary, listening, speaking, reading and writing.