A Critical Visual Analysis of Moral Values Representation in Chinese Primary School English Textbooks: A Visual Grammar Perspective

This study investigates the distribution and visual representation of moral values in a series of Chinese primary school English textbooks. The results identify eight core moral values. While the distribution generally aligns with the developmental characteristics of children's cognitive abilities, certain key values are underrepresented, leading to an imbalance. By adopting Kress and van Leeuwen's visual grammar theory, the study explores representational, interactive, and compositional meanings constructed through visual resources in the textbooks. It is concluded that these visual resources effectively complement textual content in conveying moral values. Finally, practical implications for textbook developers, illustrators, and teachers are put forward.