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

Waner Bin

doi:10.63313/IJSSEH.9005

Authors

Waner Bin School of International Studies, Hangzhou Normal University, No. 2318 Yuhangtang Road, Yuhang District, Hangzhou, China Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63313/IJSSEH.9005

Keywords:

visual narratives, multimodal discourse analysis, cross-cultural awareness, second language acquisition, EFL textbooks, sociocultural theory

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 traditional 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 strategies leveraging these multimodal resources can significantly enhance both cultural understanding and second language acquisition, suggesting a promising frame-work for future curriculum design in EFL contexts.

References

[1] Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and assessing intercultural communicative competence. Mul-tilingual Matters.

[2] Chen, C. (2020). Using digital scaffolding materials to enhance learners’ autonomous learning: A case in a Chinese university. Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, 3(8), 82–96.

[3] Deardorff, D. K. (2006). The identification and assessment of intercultural competence as a student outcome of internationalization at institutions of higher education in the United States. Journal of Studies in International Education, 10(3), 241–266.

[4] Kalantzis, M., & Cope, B. (2009). Multiliteracies, new literacies, and digital epistemologies. Journal of Literacy Research, 41(4), 403–424.

[5] Keles, U., & Yazan, B. (2023). Representation of cultures and communities in a global ELT textbook: A diachronic content analysis. Language Teaching Research, 27(5), 1325-1346.

[6] Kiss, T., & Weninger, C. (2017). Cultural learning in the EFL classroom: The role of visuals. ELT Journal, 71(2), 186–196.

[7] Kramsch, C. (1993). Context and culture in language teaching. Oxford University Press.

[8] Kress, G., & Van Leeuwen, T. (2006). Reading images: The grammar of visual design (2nd ed.). Routledge.

[9] Lantolf, J. P. (2000). Sociocultural theory and second language learning. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 20, 191–214.

[10] Lantolf, J. P., & Thorne, S. L. (2006). Sociocultural theory and the genesis of second lan-guage development. Oxford University Press.

[11] Liu, A. H. (2017). A study on the cultivation of intercultural communicative competence in college English under the multimodal interactive teaching model. Journal of Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences (Social Sciences Edition), (03), 88–91.

[12] Navila, A., Rochsantiningsih, D., & Drajati, N. A. (2023). EFL pre-service teachers’ expe-riences using a digital multimodal composing framework to design digital storytelling books. Indonesian Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 8(2), 217–231.

[13] Norris, J., & Ortega, L. (2000). Effectiveness of L2 instruction: A research synthesis and quantitative meta-analysis. Language Learning, 50(3), 417–528.

[14] O’Halloran, K. (2008). Multimodal discourse analysis in the classroom: A case study ap-proach. Journal of Pragmatics, 40(12), 1932–1952.

[15] Ouyang, F., Dai, X., & Chen, S. (2022). Applying multimodal learning analytics to examine the immediate and delayed effects of instructor scaffoldings on small groups’ collaborative programming. International Journal of STEM Education, 9(1), 45.

[16] Painter, C., Martin, J., & Unsworth, L. (2013). Reading visual narratives: Image analysis of children’s picture books. Equinox.

[17] Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological process-es. Harvard University Press.

[18] Warschauer, M., & Grimes, D. (2007). Audience, authorship, and artifact: The emergent semiotic labor of Web 2.0. Language Learning & Technology, 11(3), 1–23.

[19] Yang, X. C., & Zhou, Z. X. (2023). Multimodal discourse analysis based on visual grammar. Journalism and Communication Sciences, (3), 416–423.

[20] Yang, X. M., & Du, X. (2024). A narrative study of telling China’s stories from an intercultur-al perspective. Journal of Qingdao University of Science and Technology (Social Sciences Edition), 40(1), 70–75.

[21] Zhang, D., Ren, J., Li, X. A., & Wang, W. Y. (2023). A review of multimodal discourse studies. Modern Linguistics, 1, 11(11), 5327–5332.

[22] Zhang, H., & Yu, R. (2020). A study on the representation of Chinese culture in college Eng-lish textbooks. Frontiers of Foreign Language Education Research, 3(3), 42–49.

[23] Zhao, X. Y. (2024). A study on multimodal teaching models for English stylistic writing in the digital era. Journal of Tongren University, (02), 36–41.