Ever since its establishment, Israel’s educational system has instituted ceremonies comprising multimodal representation: the school is perceived as an ‘agent’ of national memory (Lomsky-Feder 2003). In view of the impassioned public debate swirling around the issue of national identity in contemporary Israeli society, and as a result of structural changes in the education system, this study proposes a re-examination of the attributes of a distinct group of visual texts in the classroom. As Lomsky-Feder wonders (in relation to her research, 2003): ‘Will a diverse, stimulating and relevant interpretative discipline comprised of strong canonical foundations and innovatory, conflicting elements be revealed? Will it be possible to discern the ‘negotiating for a national identity, characterized by dialectics between "different voices" stemming from civilian society and the cooptation of the hegemony?’ (ibid). The research focused on visual representations in context and examined the origins of displays containing visual representations of national symbols in elementary schools in the Israeli education system, the way in which these displays have been created, their tacit and explicit meanings and the dialogue that the pupils and the teachers have with these meanings. The research is focused on two aims (1) To discover which factors were responsible for the decision to establish areas containing visual displays of national emblems in state primary schools in Israel’s education system. (2) To identify and explain the significance of the messages relayed through visual displays of these emblems to their viewers and for their designers. In order to obtain the research aims, it has been beneficial to integrate the basic approaches of visual literacy, to create an integrated perspective which includes semiotic, ecological and rhetorical approaches. A conceptual framework links various concepts and serves as an impetus for the formulation of theory (Seibold, 2002 in Bowen, 2006). We related, among other options, to an approach adopted by Tayler (1995), one that she calls ‘the rhetorical approach’. By this, she means the awareness of an intensive dialogue between those who create images and those who are exposed and interpret them. Focusing particularly on photography and graphic design, her approach maintains that visual texts are sets of explanations addressed to those ‘living them’. Such a text utilises the viewers’ existing beliefs in order to instill new beliefs. Thus, visual texts contribute to the preservation of social values, question them or offer alternatives. Their nature may be either directly or indirectly didactic.

The research took place over two years and allowed a fuller range of empirical - pedagogical and visual - situations to be observed and analysed. The research design consisted of collecting visual and verbal data via photographs, interviews, observations and questionnaires. Along that time there were continuous reflections processes concerning the complexity of human contexts and my own capacities and perceptions as a researcher. The researcher’s familiarity with the schools participating in this work created feelings of trust and good communication, and enabled the collection of data. As bias is inherent in research (Shkedi 2003, pp. 179-194), qualitative researchers attempt to identify and publish these biases. To minimise the bias effect, the researcher followed Miles and Huberman’s suggestions (1994, p. 428-445). I was aware and careful about ethical issues: Informed consent, respecting privacy, collaboration with the research participants, avoids ‘elite’ bias by including lower-status informants and spread out site visits

This research, which examined visual texts in displays of national emblems in primary school classrooms in the Israeli education system, reveals that the development of decision-making represents an effort to establish ‘state rituals’ through which to develop a collective national identity.’ Although the education system is currently in transition, national identity is still its main issue. The efforts invested in these displays express a policy of cultural homogeneity and legitimization of the governing culture. Are teachers capable to facilitate meaningful experiences that acknowledge visual literacy when it comes to national emblems? We believe that visual communication is coming to be less the domain of specialists and more and more crucial in the domain of public communication….Visual literate will begin to be a matter of survival….all owing more people a greater access to a wider range of visual skills; (Kress & Van Leeuwen 1996, pp.32-33). We will claim that it is hard to accept Kress & Van Leeuwen belief given the current situation of the education system in general, and with regard to national emblems displays in particular