An Analysis of the images accompanying questions in seventh grade mathematics textbooks used in Turkey and Singapore

This study aimed to examine the visuals accompanying questions in seventh-grade mathematics textbooks used in Turkey and Singapore. In the study, textbooks widely used in both countries were selected, and questions accompanied by visuals in the areas of learning numbers and operations and algebra were selected through document review. While examining the visuals, a classification was made according to their function and nature using the framework of Dewolf et al. (2015). According to this classification, visuals were divided into three separate groups as necessary, unnecessary and irrelevant according to their function. Visuals were divided into three separate groups as single, large-scale and structural visuals according to their nature. Structural visuals were divided into subgroups as grouping, table and graph. When visuals were examined according to their function, it was seen that the number of necessary visuals was used more than the number of unnecessary visuals in the textbook used in both countries. However, it was seen that the number of unnecessary visuals was higher in the textbook used in Turkey compared to the textbook used in Singapore. The irrelevant visual type was not seen in the textbooks used in both countries. When the nature of the visuals was examined, the structural visual type was used more in the textbook used inSingapore. It was seen that most of the space was given to the table-shaped visuals among the structural visuals used. The least used visual type was the graphic visual, which is a type of structural visual. Most of the visuals in the textbook used in Turkey are single visuals, wide-scale visuals, and a type of structural visual class, the table visual. The least used visual type is the graphic visual, which is a type of structural visual, similar to the one in the Singapore textbook. For future research, examining the visuals accompanying the questions in different learning areas and grade levels is recommended. Keywords: Math textbook, Use of visuals, Numbers and operations, Algebra