Multimodal Analysis of Gender Representation in ELT Textbooks: Reader's Perceptions

This study applies a multimodal analysis from a social semiotic perspective to investigate how visual and verbal discourses interact to represent gender identity in a national (ILI) ELT textbook dialogue. Implementing Halliday's (1994) framework and Kress and Van Leeuwen's (2006) reading images model, contact, social distance, attitude, and narrative representation were examined in visual and verbal panel of a dialogue. Results indicated visual and verbal discourses highly support each other to depict gender identity; however, some complementary interactions were detected. Attention to multimodal issues, awareness of critical views and uncovering the underlying represented ideologies are the implications.