TEACHING WITH MULTIMODAL TEXTS THROUGH A CRITICAL LITERACY LENS WITHIN AN ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOM CONTEXT

Abstract

This article explores the role of critical framing in selecting and using multimodal texts in an English as a Foreign Language classroom to engage students in the larger world and shed light on human experiences and contemporary global issues. Specifically, we invite educators to explore language and literacy practices using multimodal texts that can provide opportunities to examine implicit and explicit biases and power relations in the portrayal of global and cultural issues. We ground this discussion of cultural responsiveness in addressing pertinent contemporary issues using multimodal texts in critical literacy and multimodal semiotics within an English as a Foreign Language classroom context.