Fostering University Students to Deal with Conflict through Critical Literacy in EFL Reading Class

Abstract

Education has been proposed to be the best approach to advance world citizenship and to resolve conflict. Critical literacy is a strategic instructional practice which aims at raising citizens’ critical and social consciousness. The current study investigated how critical literacy instruction affected students’ responses to conflict and their conception of conflict resolution. Twenty-one EFL college students in an advanced reading class participated in the study. Conflict in society was addressed in class through group dialogue and problem-posing. Open coding was used to analyze the qualitative data from class observation, students’ writing assignment and interviews. Findings revealed the students’ perspectives of conflict, causes of conflict and conflict resolution. Critical literacy helped the students develop inquisitive minds and critical awareness through problem posing and investigating multiple viewpoints. They were trained to accept and respect differences. Taken as a whole, the present study contributes more robust understandings of the role of critical literacy in helping students become critically literate citizens.