Critical Literacy Approach Research Articles

A study on the affordances of digital fairy-tale rewriting: A critical literacy approach to digital multimodal composing

Digital multimodal composing (DMC) is the production of texts using multimodal semiotic resources and digital tools. This study integrated critical literacy pedagogy into DMC in an EFL context through both course design and task design, proposing digital fairy-tale rewriting (DFTR) as a genre of DMC for critical literacy practices. Taiwanese university students in the study created multimodal videos of retold fairy tales addressing social issues to promote critical literacy. The study adopted a conceptual framework of DMC affordances to examine the possibilities afforded by DFTR. Affordances refer to the potential and limitations of a mode for meaning representation and communication, as perceived by teachers and students. Data collected included participants’ surveys, reflective writings, and analysis of the DMC artifacts. Results indicated substantial evidence of technological, educational, and social benefits of DFTR compared to past learning experiences, with enhanced affordances including transmediation, multiliteracies, creativity, and civic participation. Digital skills and multimodal literacy were developed to strengthen critical literacy learning across four dimensions, enriching prior studies on DMC affordances and critical literacy scholarship. The study also contributed a refined conceptual framework of DFTR affordances, expanded by new affordances of generating interest, nurturing creativity and multiple perspectives, and promoting more active civic participation.

Trends in data literacy, 2018-2023: a review of the literature

Introduction. A review of the literature on data literacy from 2018 to mid-2023. Method. A scoping review of the data literacy literature, in order to provide an overview of a topic, clarify key concepts, and identifying knowledge gaps. Analysis. A detailed search strategy was applied to three data bases: SCOPUS, the ACM Digital Library, and the IEEE Xplore, followed by a qualitative analysis using a coding matrix of eight categories. Results. Trends and gaps in the research were identified. The volume of research on data literacy is growing. Most data literacy research is in the context of formal learning environments. The focus of data literacy tends to be on digital data, interactions with big data systems, and the datafication of life. Critical data literacy approaches were identified in one third of the sample papers - a small but emerging stance to data literacy education. Most empirical studies about data literacy occurred in the Global North. Conclusion. This paper contributes to our understanding of how data and data literacy are currently interpreted in the research literature, as well as the types of topics, skills, and data practices explored. It reveals developing trajectories and proposes future steps for building out the field of data literacy.

Critical literacy in an indigenous elementary EFL classroom

The purpose of this study was to examine what happens when indigenous students, in a Grade 6 class in rural Taiwan, critically examine EFL textbooks. Without a critical reading of textbook content, indigenous students are unable to examine unfavorable mainstream position. However, there are few English as a Foreign Language (EFL) studies on a critical literacy approach involving indigenous students. Data collected include observations and transcripts of critical literacy teaching, participants’ artifacts, responses to questionnaires, interviews, and the researcher's reflection journal. The findings show that critical literacy classes can empower indigenous students by providing alternative ways for them to view the world and lead them to discern norms and “silenced voices” in EFL textbooks, and to “cross borders” by noticing and addressing sociopolitical power, thereby repositioning their own identities. The study extends the knowledge in knowing how critical literacy work for indigenous group and gives suggestions to EFL teachers.

Exploring alternative discourses about datafication in a speculative youth participatory action research curriculum

PurposeThis paper aims to address the limitations in designing educational approaches that apply critical approaches to data literacy, given the obscure nature of digital platforms, which leave youth unable to develop discourses that challenge dominant narratives about the role of data in their lives. The purpose of this study is to propose and evaluate a critical data literacy approach that empowers youth to engage with data from a sociocultural perspective using a speculative participatory research approach that affords opportunities to develop alternative discourses.Design/methodology/approachThis is a multiple-case study that involves five alternative schools in Uruguay which implemented the Nayah-Irú curriculum over ten weeks leading to the development of six distinct research projects about the materialization of data in youth lives. The curriculum incorporates an alternate reality game (ARG) to engage youth in critical data literacy, based on the principles of Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) epistemology and Speculative Civic Literacies.FindingsThe findings of this study highlight the integration of speculative storytelling and real-life experiences in developing alternative discourses about datafication. The analysis revealed instances of discursive closure among the youth, but through the curriculum's speculative fiction elements, such as the narrative of Nayah-Irú, emotional connections were formed, leading to increased engagement, critical inquiry, and problem framing.Research limitations/implicationsThe study conducted on the Nayah-Irú curriculum shows its effectiveness in engaging youth and educators in critical data literacy by affording opportunities for youth to engage in the analysis of their personal data literacies in an alternative world. Bringing speculative approaches to data literacy can open new avenues for exploring data literacy with youth in ways that center their voices and help them overcome different forms of discursive closure.Originality/valueThis study offers new insights into critical data literacy education blending youth participatory action research epistemologies with a speculative literacies framework to support youth in developing alternative discourses regarding the role of data in their lives.

Unveiling the power of critical multimodal literacy: exploring cultural difference in children’s literature through ‘The Proudest Blue — a Story of Hijab and Family’

At a time when difference is being actively diluted in the service of standardisation and conservative views of nationhood, stories about difference, and their semiotic and multimodal elements, provide rich grounds for critical engagement. This is especially the case with stories about highly visible cultural symbols, such as the hijab, worn in many school classrooms in countries like Australia. In this paper, we explore the use of critical analysis of multimodal elements as matters with which to think about cultural difference, through the picture book, The Proudest Blue — a story of Hijab and family by Ibtihaj Muhammad with art by Hatem Aly, 2020. This story presents to young people the notion of being strong in cultural difference via the symbol of the hijab. Our analysis draws on Cappello et al.’s 2019) Critical Multimodal Literacy approach to explore four dimensions: communicating with multimodal tools; re-storying, representing and redesigning; acknowledging and shifting power relationships and leveraging multimodal resources to critique and transform socio-political realities. We identify the range of multimodal tools the author and illustrator put to use to re-story and critique common misconceptions about the wearing of the hijab as a religious symbol. Making links between multimodal composition and critical analysis is a powerful way to affirm the significance of children’s literature that addresses difference, a term often conflated with diversity which references dominant norms. It can also inspire children to story their own matters in ways that critique notions of cultural homogeneity.

Creating Space for a Spectrum of (Dis) Connections: A Critical Literacy Approach to Responding to Texts

A high school teacher reconsiders the common reading strategy of making connections and explores critical literacy practices that cultivate an environment supportive of disconnections.

Teachers’ Strategies Of Implementing Critical Literacy Approach In Teaching Reading to Multicultural EFL Classes (A Survey Conducted At Islamic Senior High School, West Java Province)

This study aims to determine the improvement of students' reading skills in teaching reading by reading books outside of learning such as articles/news in newspapers in the subject of asking and giving directions. The subject of the study consisted of 30 students sitting in the tenth grade. The researcher applies a mixed methods design, which is an embedded design. The instruments used are tests and questionnaires. Samples were taken using random sampling technique. The finding indicates that the teacher's way in the classroom is effective in improving students' reading skills. This can be seen from the average results of the total questionnaire of 100% of students (10% strongly agree and 90% agree) are very happy when reading and like to ask questions with the teacher. In summary, reading is the most important language skill that students must master. Reading enables students to develop their own language and experience. They will access to the information and ideas they must know.

What is meant by scientific literacy in the curriculum? A comparative analysis between Bolivia and Chile

Scientific literacy is still being identified and recognised as one of the main goals of science education. However, this concept has multiple interpretations and its definition changes continuously depending on its social, cultural, and political contexts. In this paper, scientific literacy is conceptualised through visions I, II and III. The first one is focused on the content and scientific processes for its subsequent application; the second, with a focus on understanding the usefulness of scientific knowledge in life and society; and the third one seeks to move towards a politicised scientific education to dialogic emancipation, attending social and eco-justice dimensions. The latter is also called critical scientific literacy. The research aimed at analysing how scientific literacy and these three visions are expressed in school curricula of Bolivia and Chile. Using a qualitative approach and thematic analysis, it is established that the Bolivian curriculum presents mainly a critical scientific literacy approach and the Chilean science curriculum presents mainly a vision II of scientific literacy. Findings of contrasting both school curricula show science education as non-neutral and profoundly political field, and therefore, we can see relevant opportunities for transformation and emancipation, understanding science curriculum as a social practice.

Critical Literacy Approach to English as a Foreign Language: From Theory to Practice

As the dominant international language, English has been widely recognized as the global language. The critical literacy approach offers new perspectives concerning the social purpose of English learning. Against this background, Critical Literacy Approach to English as a Foreign Language by Nizar Kamal Ibrahim, a monograph published in 2022, discusses in depth how the theory of the critical literacy approach can be applied to English teaching. The book proposes a new and pioneering model—the CALT model, as a special approach to language teaching. It aims at constructing a generally applicable theoretical framework to fill in the gap between classroom language learning activities and real-life scenarios. The author advocates integrating ideas of hope, justice, and peace into English instruction to enable students to view real-life problems critically and find solutions to promote justice and fairness in the world. The book establishes a link between theory and practice by resolving the confusion of English language teachers and illustrating the critical approach to language teaching (CALT) practice with specific cases.

An Exploratory Study of Students’ and Teachers’ Perceptions of Language-Literature Integration in Secondary EFL Education

Abstract The benefits of using literature in second/foreign language instruction have been re-gaining recognition in recent years. This study investigates a reading program implemented by an experienced teacher in a Chinese high school, with the aim of exploring students’ and teachers’ perceptions, as well as possible pedagogical strategies. Graphic novels were used in the program, facilitated by such literacy activities as reader’s theatre, keeping a reflection journal, literature circles, and explicit vocabulary teaching. This exploratory case study lasted for four months, collecting data from student and teacher participants, classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, reflection journals, artifacts, and relevant documents. Using the framework of a critical literacy approach to second/foreign language teaching, this study finds that with explicit teacher guidance and critical pedagogies, students developed high-order reading/thinking skills, multiple perspectives, historical empathy, and agency by engaging in multiliteracies practices through language-literature integration. Additionally, by highlighting some of the challenges and confusions teachers encountered, this study draws attention to the need for teacher training in the implementation of this pedagogical approach, alongside implications for future research and practice.

The Influence of Early Childhood Media in Promoting Speciesist Ideologies


 While communications and media research has been conducted on the influence of children’s literature in shaping the attitudes of children towards various marginalized groups, the specific impact of anthropocentric viewpoints and speciesist ideologies conveyed through imagery and narrative in early childhood literature has been largely overlooked. The goal of this article is to use a critical literacy approach to analyze poignant examples of early childhood literature in the English language canon, and to draw links between the ways in which these media normalize the oppression of non-human animals in similar ways to that of other historically marginalized human groups. The author argues that seemingly innocuous works such as baby board books, picture books, and nursery rhymes, can have a profound impact on shaping the attitudes of children towards non-human animals, and thus, demonstrate a pressing need for more narratives that decenter human characters and interests, emphasize the personhood of non-human animals, and take an anti-speciesist approach towards storytelling in order to work towards dismantling systems of oppression that actively harm non-human animals.

Using Critical Literacy Approach for Developing Some EFL Persuasive Writing Skills among Student Teachers at Faculty of Education

Using Critical Literacy Approach for Developing Some EFL Persuasive Writing Skills among Student Teachers at Faculty of Education

Roman Analysis of Tenggelamnya Kapal Van Der Wijck by Hamka through Critical Literature Approach

This study aims to describe the results of the analysis of the Roman Tenggelamnya Kapal Van Der Wijck by Hamka. This research approach used a critical literacy approach to criticize the meaning or purpose of the author expressing his message through a symbolic romance. The results of this study indicated that : (1) Hamka presented events through the theme of an unsuccessful love story/unacceptable love story which critically symbolized the desire for independence of the natives of colonialism that had not been conveyed ; (2) The plot used combines the loose groove and the back-and-forth groove which critically symbolizes a long and winding to struggle ; (3) The point of view used was third person singular which was a feature of the author's symbolic expression that criticized government associability ; (4) The characters of the novel created by the author symbolized by the indigenous context at that time critically symbolizing fighters and allies as well as invaders that were always in conflict ; (5) The message conveyed was a moral message that focused on the character of Zainuddin who struggled on differences of ethnicity, customs, and ideology which critically symbolized the struggle which in context at that time was not yet fully independent from colonialism

Critical Literacy in Arabic Language Learning: (Implementation of GBA SFL in Improving Critical Reading Ability)

This research aimed to create a prototype of the construction of learning to read Arabic with a critical literacy approach based on the SFL GBA and its implementation in learning reading skills. The systemic functional linguistics’ genre-based approach (SFL-GBA) was used to foster a critical attitude towards reading in the scope of Arabic Language Education students’ reading skills. The method used was action research, with the hope that PBA students of UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang could have critical reading competencies. The results of this study demonstrated a prototype of the construction of learning Arabic reading skills with a critical literacy approach based on the SFL GBA and the guidance of the prototype implementation in the Arabic reading skills class. After this action, students could find out the types of text, the structure, and linguistic features of the text, to later be criticized according to the data they got.

Developing Indicators to Measure Critical Health Literacy in the Context of Norwegian Lower Secondary Schools.

A critical health literacy (CHL) approach is recommended for promoting health in the school context. This construct is complex and includes three interconnected domains: (A) appraisal of critical information, (B) awareness of the social determinants of health (SDH), and (C) collective action to promote health and well-being. In recent literature reviews, no measurement instrument that covers all three domains of CHL in the school-context was found. Our aim was to develop self-reported measurement scales for each domain of CHL. The development process reported in this study was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, an initial item pool was generated based on literature reviews and focus group interviews (N = 15) with adolescents (steps 1–2). In the next steps, items were adjusted and removed based on the feedback from an expert panel and from representatives from the target group (steps 3–5). In stage two, we aimed to reduce the number of items and develop scales for each domain. We then piloted the current draft, which consists of 28 items (N = 114). A sub-sample (N = 10) of the participants were interviewed after they completed the survey to examine the instrument’s face validity. Cronbach’s α was used to assess the internal reliability of the scales; the reliability was promising for scales A (α = 0.83) and C (α = 0.85) but was below the recommended value for scale B (α = 0.61). The model fit indices were promising (TLIscaleA = 0.97, RSMEAscaleA = 0.055, TLIscaleB = 1.05, RMSEAscaleB = 0.00, TLIscaleC = 0.95, RMSEAscaleC = 0.074). The piloted version of scales A and C were positively correlated with subjective health literacy, health-related quality of life, and subjective health; however, we found no such correlations for scale B. The post-survey group interviews led to some adjustments in scales A and B. The revised version of CHLA-Q must be tested using a larger sample; this will enable more robust statistical testing of the properties of the items and the scale.

Making time/breaking time: critical literacy and politics of time in data visualisation

PurposeRepresentations of time are commonly used to construct narratives in visualisations of data. However, since time is a value-laden concept, and no representation can provide a full, objective account of “temporal reality”, they are also biased and political: reproducing and reinforcing certain views and values at the expense of alternative ones. This conceptual paper aims to explore expressions of temporal bias and politics in data visualisation, along with possibly mitigating user approaches and design strategies.Design/methodology/approachThis study presents a theoretical framework rooted in a sociotechnical view of representations as biased and political, combined with perspectives from critical literacy, radical literacy and critical design. The framework provides a basis for discussion of various types and effects of temporal bias in visualisation. Empirical examples from previous research and public resources illustrate the arguments.FindingsFour types of political effects of temporal bias in visualisations are presented, expressed as limitation of view, disregard of variation, oppression of social groups and misrepresentation of topic and suggest that appropriate critical and radical literacy approaches require users and designers to critique, contextualise, counter and cross beyond expressions of the same. Supporting critical design strategies involve the inclusion of multiple datasets and representations; broad access to flexible tools; and inclusive participation of marginalised groups.Originality/valueThe paper draws attention to a vital, yet little researched problem of temporal representation in visualisations of data. It offers a pioneering bridging of critical literacy, radical literacy and critical design and emphasises mutual rather than contradictory interests of the empirical sciences and humanities.

Activating Joy and Hope in Critical Literacies Instruction: Responding Pedagogically to Youth Skepticism in a YPAR Project

In the face of persistent racial injustice, critical literacy approaches to instruction frequently involve investigating and altering unjust racialized power structures through critical action. However, what happens when youth have become understandably skeptical of action for change? This analysis uses healing frameworks to explore the critical literacies of Black and Latinx youth in a youth participatory action research project that took place in the early days of the Trump administration, as well as the pedagogies employed. The salience and persistence of racial injustice in national politics and the local school district operated against youth’s reserves of hope and belief in change work, introducing tension into a project focused on transformation. As a pedagogical response, the project’s two White coteachers facilitated new pathways for critical literacies that involved joy, care, and new audiences. This response focused on joy in critical work and prompted some, though notably not all, youth to reengage with critical action and articulate hope for justice in their local worlds.

A Modified Version of Bloom’s Taxonomy and Critical Language Awareness: Evaluating EAL Textbooks for Junior High Schools in Ghana Through a Critical Literacy Approach

This study set out to evaluate three English as an additional language (EAL) textbooks used by junior high schools in the Ho West District of Ghana. It adopted a critical literacy framing and employed purposive sampling to select five junior high schools in the Ho West District. It utilised a modified version of Bloom’s (1956) taxonomy of cognitive dimensions and Cummins’ (1999) CALP, respectively, to evaluate the language contents of the three EFA textbooks: Book 1, Book 2, and Book 3. The three evaluated areas were: thinking skills; integration of various school subjects; and critical language awareness. Two of the findings of this study are worth mentioning. First, of the six cognitive dimensions of a modified version of Bloom’s taxonomy that are graded in degrees of cognitive complexity (e.g., from lower-order thinking skills to higher-order thinking skills), knowledge, as the first lower-order cognitive skill, was the most foregrounded in all the three textbooks. It was followed by understanding as the second lower-order cognitive skill. Second, all the three textbooks incorporated elements of other school subjects in their language contents in line with CALP. By contrast, all the three textbooks did not foster or develop critical language awareness. Overall, the three textbooks foregrounded lower-order thinking skills over higher-order thinking skills such as analysis, inventive thinking (synthesis), and evaluation.

Investigating The Effectiveness of Critical Literacy Approach in Developing EFL students̓ Critical Reading Skills

The present study aimed at enhancing EFL learner’s critical reading skills using critical literacy approach. The study used a quasi-experimental method. The participants were a group of 56 students are second-year English majors at Misr University of Science and Technology (MUST). The researcher’s students during the first semester of the academic year 2020-2021. Students of One class (28 students) were treated as the experimental group and the other played the role of the control group (28 students) were chosen to implement the research experiment. Results revealed that there is a statistically significant difference between the mean score of the experimental group students and those of the control group of post-test in favor of the experimental group. There was an improvement of students’ achievement in critical reading skills in both classes. However, the students in the experimental group achieved better compared to the control group. This indicates that the literacy approach that occurred in the experimental group had a significant effect on EFL students critical reading skills.

The Implementation of Critical Literacy Approach towards EFL College Students

Literacy is a crucial aspect in English education that concerns the ability to read, write, then integrate and link what they have learned to daily life. However, several researchers found that there was a lack of literacy activity in Indonesia. Literacy pedagogy was rarely seen in campus life in which it was mostly applied at primary and secondary school levels. Therefore, this study explored the implementation process of critical literacy approach in learning English for EFL college students. An action research methodology was applied in this study involving six EFL college students. The study investigated the benefits and challenges of this teaching approach. The findings indicated that critical literacy approach could improve college students’ English proficiency and multiple skills, such as leadership, presentation, collaboration, self-contribution, respect, critical thinking, and expansion of multiple viewpoints through the discussion section. Improving English proficiency of college students and offering recommendations to EFL teachers for applying critical literacy approach in EFL class come as the expectation of the study.