EFL Learners’ Critical Literacy Development Using Sketchbooks

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26817/16925777.1919

Keywords:

critical thinking, foreign languages, written language, rural areas, sketchbook, critical literacy, multiple literacies, English as a Foreign Language

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the use of sketchbooks as a multimodal learning strategy in promoting Critical Literacy (CL) among teenage English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in rural Antioquia (Colombia). Using action research methodology, the study was conducted in a public rural institution, integrating multimodal pedagogy and texts to foster critical engagement with their own socio-cultural realities. Data was collected through observations, student-created sketchbooks, and focus group discussions. Three key findings emerged: (1) The influence of students' involvement with sketchbooks on CL development; (2) The correlation between context-specific materials and learners' sociocultural awareness; (3) and the double-edged role of native language in foreign language acquisition. This research underscores the need for innovative approaches to language learning that encompass critical engagement with socio-cultural realities, thus proposing the sketchbooks, encouraging future researchers to explore additional implementation cycles of this research, balancing CL development with EFL proficiency in rural settings. 

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Author Biographies

Deisi Carolina Acevedo, Universidad Católica Luis Amigó

Deisi Carolina Acevedo is a Colombian English teacher who holds a bachelor’s degree in foreign Languages with an emphasis on English from Universidad Católica Luis Amigó. Her research interests include critical literacy, multimodal pedagogy, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), and social transformation, with a particular focus on the interrelation between language, culture, and identity 

Ana María Garcés Villa , Universidad Católica Luis Amigó

Ana María Garcés Villa is an English teacher who holds a bachelor’s degree in foreign Languages with an emphasis on English from  Universidad Católica Luis Amigó. Her research interests include critical literacy, multimodal pedagogy, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), and social transformation, focusing on the interrelation between language, culture, and identity.  

Mariana Pelaes López, Universidad Católica Luis Amigó

Mariana Pelaes López is an English teacher who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Foreign Languages with an emphasis on English. Her research interests include critical literacy, multimodal pedagogy, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), and social transformation, focusing on the interrelation between language, culture, and identity. 

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Published

2025-12-24

How to Cite

Acevedo, D. C., Garcés Villa , A. M., & Pelaes López, M. (2025). EFL Learners’ Critical Literacy Development Using Sketchbooks . GIST – Education and Learning Research Journal, 31(31). https://doi.org/10.26817/16925777.1919

Issue

Vol. 31 No. 31 (2025): GiST Education and Learning Research Journal

Section

Research Articles

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Copyright (c) 2025 GIST – Education and Learning Research Journal

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