Interpersonal Meaning in Multimodal English Textbooks

This book explores how language and image are co-deployed in English language teaching textbooks to create and convey interpersonal meaning. It investigates how different voices are introduced and aligned inter-modally, how linguistic and visual semiotic resources co-instantiate attitude, and how different coding orientations are deployed in various educational contexts. It offers new perspectives on how to employ multimodal resources to enhance the teaching and learning of English as a foreign language.

Format: Hardback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 07 April 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

This book delves into the realm of multimodality in English language teaching textbooks, shedding light on the intricate interplay between language and image in these resources. Through a comprehensive examination of appraisal studies and multimodal discourse analysis, Yumin Chen explores how diverse voices are seamlessly introduced and aligned inter-modally within textbooks, expanding the appraisal systems of engagement and graduation across language and image. Moreover, the book showcases how linguistic and visual semiotic resources co-instantiate attitude, with a particular focus on the attitudinal dimension of curriculum goals for school students of various ages. Furthermore, it examines the deployment of different coding orientations in various educational contexts and different constituent genres. By demonstrating how linguistic and semiotic theories can be adapted to analyze multimodal texts across language and image, Interpersonal Meaning in Multimodal English Textbooks offers fresh insights into the effective utilization of multimodal resources to enhance the teaching and learning of English as a foreign language.

Introduction:
In the field of English language teaching, textbooks play a crucial role in shaping the learning experience of students. These instructional materials are designed to provide a structured framework for language acquisition and development. However, the role of multimodality in English language teaching textbooks has received limited attention in the literature. This book aims to address this gap by exploring the ways in which language and image are co-deployed within these resources to create and convey interpersonal meaning.
Approach:
The book adopts a multidisciplinary approach, drawing upon systemic functional linguistics and social semiotics to investigate how different voices are introduced and aligned inter-modally in textbooks. By employing these theoretical frameworks, the author aims to extend the appraisal systems of engagement and graduation across language and image. Systemic functional linguistics provides a framework for analyzing the structural and functional aspects of language, while social semiotics focuses on the interpretation of signs and symbols in social contexts.
Findings:
Through a comprehensive analysis of a selection of English language teaching textbooks, the author identifies several key findings. Firstly, the book demonstrates how linguistic and visual semiotic resources co-instantiate attitude, with a particular emphasis on the attitudinal dimension of curriculum goals for school students of different ages. Secondly, it explores how different kinds of coding orientation are deployed in various educational contexts and different constituent genres. Thirdly, the book showcases how the linguistic and semiotic theories can be adapted to analyze multimodal texts across language and image.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, this book offers valuable insights into the realm of multimodality in English language teaching textbooks. By exploring the intricate interplay between language and image, the author provides new perspectives on how to employ multimodal resources to enhance the teaching and learning of English as a foreign language. The book is a must-read for educators, researchers, and students interested in the field of multimodal discourse analysis and English language teaching.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350074941