Mechanisms for the development of (visual) critical literacy in English language textbooks

Abstract

In this study we explore the concept of critical (visual) literacy through the analysis of an English as an additional language textbook approved by the Brazilian National Textbook Program (Programa Nacional do Livro Didático). Based on an analytical framework that combines systemic functional grammar (HALLIDAY, 1994; HALLIDAY; MATTHIESSEN, 2014), critical discourse analysis (FAIRCLOUGH, 1992b, 2003) and the notion of types of reasoning and of practices (ROJO, 2004; 2009; TRIVISIOL, 2017), we analyzed 132 reading and writing activities. We elaborated a continuum of types of reasoning and of practices that range from decodification to critical literacy and found that a significant amount of activities in the textbook explore critical literacy (51 - 38,6%). We evaluate this result positively, but suggest that the activities need to explore a wider range of reasonings and of practices to promote critical literacy for active citizenship.