Smartphones and the literacy to harness the educational affordances of photographs currently rest on the bedrock of second language (L2) education. Building on social semiotic theory, this study developed and validated a visual literacy scale for smartphone photography (VLS4SP). Despite the importance of visuals and smartphones, no valid scale is…

This article provides a theoretical exploration of the connections between critical literacy and symbolic competence with some pedagogical examples from an empirical study. More specifically, we argue that critical literacy can be utilised as an approach to develop symbolic competence, and, by extension, encourage intercultural learning. Our…

Although a number of studies examined the use of social networking sites (SNSs) in academic writing instruction, these studies mainly revolve around social media centered on microblogging features. Despite living in a visually dominated world, the potential of visual social media such as Instagram whereby the textual, the visual and the social can…

The recent exemplification of multiliteracies in the newly implemented English Language (EL) syllabus in Singapore clearly signals to EL teachers the great importance of integrating technology-mediated communication practices into their classrooms. An initiative of the New London Group, multiliteracies is a pedagogical approach that points to the…

This research discusses the close relationship between visual literacy, the ability to read, understand, and create visual texts -- and elementary school books, particularly children's picture books. It aims to explore the visual literacy parameters in English elementary textbooks published by the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture. In…

This article presents results from a case study which investigated how Norwegian English foreign language (EFL) learners, roughly aged 16-17, take action through redesigning a multimodal advertisement. Data was collected from a redesign task at the end of a 16-week intervention, in which three classes were introduced to critical visual literacy…

Now in a revised and expanded third edition, this established course text and teacher guide explores the processes involved in second-language acquisition and translates the research into practical instructional strategies for PreK-12. Engaging classroom vignettes and personal reflections from the authors and other seasoned educators bring the…

This paper presents the outcomes and findings of a qualitative study aimed to describe the effects of combining visual literacies with Community-Based Pedagogies (CBP) to enhance writing skills in early high school learners. The data was gathered through community mapping reports, a needs analysis instrument, students' artifacts, a focus group,…

The aim of this article is to argue for the relevance of critical visual literacy (CVL) in relation to intercultural learning in ELT and present a redesign task that has been implemented with secondary school EFL learners in Norway. CVL is an approach to reading images which acknowledges that all texts are constructed, rather than neutral, and…

This article reports on a case study investigating how Norwegian upper secondary EFL learners develop multiple perspectives in facilitated dialogue about images before and after being familiarized with critical visual literacy (CVL) practices. Focus group interviews were conducted with learners before and after a 16-week intervention in which CVL…

This article addresses visual literacy as a crucial competence for fostering intercultural literacy and intercultural dialogue. Visual literacy has been defined as a combination of skills needed to interpret the meaning of images, latent reasons behind their making and their impact on audiences. Individuals need to develop such skills to…

Contemporary society demands from individuals new and relevant literacies that go beyond the basics of reading and writing. Furthermore, texts now appear less confined to a single semiotic resource. The proliferation of different forms of communication like visuals, among others, encourages people to use literacy in multiple modalities.…

Integrating art (paintings, sculptures, photography, and other types of images) into second language (L2) instruction, can have a positive effect on language acquisition and developing intercultural understanding. As the instructor provides visual scaffolding, learners at all proficiency levels have the opportunity to engage more deeply with L2…

That 'a picture can stimulate a thousand words' aptly summarises the role of the visual in the field of language learning and teaching. The power of the image to generate language output has been widely acknowledged in the field of second/foreign language acquisition. Posters, diagrams, symbols and pictures are often found in language classrooms;…

This article reports on a study that investigated Norwegian upper secondary pupils' visual stereotypes, as well as their awareness of and willingness to challenge these stereotypes before and after participating in an educational intervention. In the intervention, critical visual literacy was introduced as one approach to teaching about culture in…