A Micro-Semiotic Analysis Of Multicultural Values Represented In Visual Images Of Indonesian Secondary School Textbook

Abstract

This research aims to investigate the existence of various cultural or ethnic groups in a society which are represented through visual artifacts in secondary textbooks. Multicultural values that are presented through visual artifacts in secondary textbooks can raise the awareness of teachers and students about the importance of multicultural values in life. This qualitative research was conducted on the students' secondary textbooks, Buku Bahasa Inggris When English Rings the Bell Untuk SMP / MTs Kelas VII which were endorsed by the Indonesian government that was published in 2017. This study adopted the research instrument from Widodo (2018); Pusat Kurikulum (2011). Religion as a multicultural value represents religious diversity. Furthermore, the value of social tolerance is represented as the value of respecting physical inequalities such as the diversity of skin tones, hair colors, hairstyles, and tolerance for the rights and achievements of other individuals. Moreover, the other component is social awareness which portrays caring, sympathy to the environment and country, friendliness, and nationalism. There are 141 images that represent multicultural values through visual artifacts in the textbook. Besides, the researcher is not able to find other symbol for other religions in the textbook such as the symbol of Buddhism, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hindu, and Confucianism. The picture in the textbook only depicts some actors wearing Hijab as a symbol of Islam.