Abstract
M.A.
New developments in the dissemination of information have focused attention on the multimodal text, here the text that combines the linguistic code and the visual code. The multimodal text is being used more and more in the teaching situation.
The aim of the Department of Education is to provide education and training for all, and to this end distance education is regarded as the most viable option for the South African situation. In the distance education situation, effective teaching relies almost entirely on the printed text, which means that quality text is of the utmost importance.
This study explores the meaningful and effective use and integration of the language text and the visual image in the multimodal education text, as well as the various contextual factors that are involved, as one of the aspects that may determine the effectiveness of the education text.
Practical guidelines, based on a critical look at passages from existing South African education texts, are suggested with a view to contributing towards the objective of producing an effective multimodal education text for a multicultural, heterogeneous student body. In this regard, reference is made to the situation at the South African College for Teacher Education (SACTE).