MULTIMODAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS IN TEXTBOOKS: A SCOPING REVIEW AND SEMI-BIBLIOMETRIC SYNTHESIS (1995-2025)

This article presents a scoping and semi-bibliometric review of 131 peer-reviewed studies on multimodal discourse analysis (MDA) in textbooks published between 1995 and 2025. The review identifies major research trends, theoretical orientations, methodological approaches, and research gaps by combining quantitative mapping and qualitative thematic coding. The findings reveal a significant expansion in research output since the early 2010s, with over 40% of the studies published between 2020 and 2024. Asia emerges as the dominant region, led by Indonesia and China, yet geographic imbalances persist, with limited contributions from Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. The review also shows a pronounced disciplinary concentration on English language teaching, accounting for nearly 60% of the corpus, while STEM and arts-related subjects remain underrepresented. Most of the studies adopt qualitative designs, relying heavily on content analysis and visual grammar frameworks, with 88.5% treating textbooks as isolated artefacts. Only 8.4% of the studies engage with textbook users such as teachers or students, signalling a lack of pedagogical contextualisation. Based on these findings, the article highlights five critical axes of discussion: regional asymmetry, disciplinary imbalance, methodological rigidity, theoretical convergence, and user exclusion. By synthesizing these insights, this review provides a comprehensive map of the field and directs future research toward more participatory, interdisciplinary, and digitally responsive studies that account for multimodality in situated educational practice.