Visual Narratives in EFL Textbooks: A Multimodal Approach to Enhancing Cross-Cultural Awareness and Second Language Acquisition

Abstract

In an era of globalization, effective language education must transcend mere linguistic proficiency to cultivate deep cross-cultural awareness. This study proposes the integration of visual narratives into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) textbooks through a multimodal lens, combining Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA) with Sociocultural Theory (SCT) and Vygotsky’s Zone of Proxi-mal Development (ZPD). By analyzing the use of composition, color, and char-acter interactions within visual narratives, the research reveals that tradi-tional EFL textbooks often provide superficial cultural representations, whereas dy-namic visual narratives offer a more immersive and cognitively engaging learn-ing experience. The findings indicate that scaffolded instructional strate-gies leveraging these multimodal resources can significantly enhance both cul-tural understanding and second language acquisition, suggesting a promising frame-work for future curriculum design in EFL contexts.