The dimensions of viewing the words and the world to improve critical literacy competence: a mixed-method approach

Abstract

This study suggests a teaching paradigm incorporating the four dimensions of viewing words and the world to promote critical literacy in EFL learning. Recognizing the importance of language in social contexts aims to help students develop the ability to evaluate language and the world critically. To achieve this, the study was conducted in an Advanced Reading class for English Literature students at an Indonesian university, using an exploratory sequential mixed-methods strategy that included a pre-experimental design and a case study. Pre- and post-tests, observations, and artefacts were used to collect data. For qualitative data analysis, thematic analysis was employed since the data were identified, read, coded, generated, and described. The findings showed that the engagement of both experience and academic knowledge of social and cultural concerns improved students’ ability to view the world through a new lens and see the world from various viewpoints, allowing them to become meaning makers. The novelty of this study is its emphasis on human value literacy, which strengthened critical literacy competencies as students reflected on their own identities, and learn to value others, enabling them to read, consider, and act upon fundamental moral and ethical principles. Furthermore, using English as a medium for expressing various viewpoints based on learners’ personal experience, the model connects academic learning from the traditional school method to real-world literacies, encouraging students to apply their literacy skills outside the classroom. Therefore, the implications of this approach emphasize the significance of fostering critical literacy to meet labor demands and facilitate the transition from banking to empowering pedagogy.