Evaluating visual elements in L۲ texts based on Levin Typography

Evaluating visual elements in L۲ textbooks is important, particularly in EFL contexts where learners have little exposure to target language. To this end, this research aims at evaluating images which were used in Prospect ۱, ۲ and ۳ based on Levin’s (۱۹۸۱) typology. To conduct the study, ۱۱۰۶ images were counted and the functions of the images were identified based on Levin’s (۱۹۸۱) typology. To identify the image functions, Romney (۲۰۱۲) questionnaire was used. Two image evaluators scrutinized the pictures and assigned a function to each image. In order to analyze the data SPSS version ۲۱ was applied. The results of the study showed that out of ۸ functions identified by Levin (۱۹۸۱), these books serve just five functions such as: decorative, representative, organizational, reiteration and motivational and the books do not serve transformational and interpretational images. The study has also another result which is the representational images in comparison with other images have a great number in these books.

Keywords:

Levin’s typology , representational function , decorative function , organizational function , reiteration function , motivational function , transformational function , interpretational function