The Effects of Media Literacy-Based Activities on Writing Skills in the EFL Classroom

Ji-Hyun Lee

Abstract


This study explores the effectiveness of media literacy-based activities on writing proficiency and affective domains in the EFL setting. A quasi-experiment was conducted during the 2021 academic year with 148 college EFL students selected as participants from three classes from a private university in Seoul, South Korea. Participants were divided into three groups based on proficiency levels: upper proficiency, intermediate proficiency, and lower proficiency. The assigned activities included four steps: (1) watching video clips made by a teacher, (2) group discussion, (3) individual presentation, and (4) individual writing. For these activities, participants used multimedia like YouTube, Fanfiction.net, Reddit discussion boards, and blogs to understand the topic, evaluate the content, and express their thoughts. Popular franchises, including the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), the Potterverse, and the Twilight saga provided material for the activities. The study’s results reveal that students significantly increased their writing skills, regardless of proficiency level. Moreover, the higher the linguistic ability, the more the writing ability improved. In a survey, students also showed significant changes in all affective domains (anxiety, interest, confidence, and engagement), except for the lower proficiency group’s confidence domain. The study presents a detailed summary of the activities and derives meaningful implications.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.20.11.16



Keywords


media literacy; EFL writing; affective domains, pop culture; movie franchises

Full Text:

PDF

References


Ajayi, L. (2009). English as a second language learners’ exploration of multimodal texts in a junior high school. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(7), 585–595. https://doi.org/10.1598/JAAL.52.7.4

Alyahya, D. (2019). Infographics as a learning tool in higher education: The design process and perception of an instructional designer. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 18(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.18.1.1

Andriushchenko, K., Rozhko, O., & Tepliuk, M. (2020). Digital literacy development trends in the professional environment. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 19(7), 55–79. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.19.7.4

The Aspen Institute (2009). Informing communities: Sustaining democracy in the digital age. Washington, DC: The Aspen Institute. Retrieved from https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/files/content/docs/pubs/Informing_Communities_Sustaining_Democracy_in_the_Digital_Age.pdf

Aufderheide, P. (1993). Media literacy: A report of the national leadership conference on media literacy. Aspen, CO: Aspen Institute. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED365294.pdf

Belkhir, A., & Benyelles, R. (2017). Identifying EFL learners’ essay writing difficulties and sources: A move towards solution, the case of second year EFL learners at Tlemcen University. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 16(6), 80–88. Retrieved from https://www.ijlter.org/index.php/ijlter/article/view/915/pdf

Bikowski, D., & Vithanage, R. (2016). Effects of web-based collaborative writing on individual L2 writing development. Language, Learning and Technology, 20, 79–99. Retrieved from http://llt.msu.edu/issues/february2016/bikowskivithanage.pdf

Bilosterkovets, M., Fomenko, T., Gubina, O., Klochkova, T., Lytvynko, O., Boichenko, M., & Lazareva, O. (2021). Fostering media literacy skills in the EFL virtual classroom: A case study in the COVID-19 lockdown period. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 20(2), 251–269. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.20.2.14

Black, R. W. (2009). Online fan fiction and critical media literacy. Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 26(2), 75–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/10402454.2009.10784636

Brown, H. D., & Lee, H. (2015). Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy. Pearson Education.

Camiciottoli, B. C., & Campoy-Cubillo, M. C. (2018). Introduction: The nexus of multimodality, multimodalliteracy, and English language teaching in research and practice in higher education settings. System, 77, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2018.03.005

Cancino, M., & Panes, J. (2021). The impact of Google Translate on L2 writing quality measures: Evidence from Chilean EFL high school learners. System, 98, 102464. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2021.102464

Cho, M. (2019). The effects of prompts on L2 writing performance and engagement. Foreign Language Annals, 52(3), 576–594. https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12411

Cho, Y. A., & Chung, H. Y. (2014). Demotivation and remotivation affecting L2 English learning of Korean college students. English 21, 27(2), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.35771/engdoi.2014.27.2.018

Chvala, L. (2020). Teacher ideologies of English in 21st century Norway and new directions for locally tailored ELT. System, 94, 102327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2020.102327

Cumming, A. (1990). Metalinguistic and ideational thinking in second language composing. Written Communication, 7(4), 482–511. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741088390007004003

DePalma, M., & Alexander, K. P. (2018). Harnessing writers’ potential through distributed collaboration: A pedagogical approach for supporting student learning in multimodal composition. System, 77, 39–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2018.01.007

Dvorghets, O. S., & Shaturnaya, Y. A. (2015). Developing students’ media literacy in the English language teaching context. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Science, 200, 192–198. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.08.051

Elola, I., & Oskoz, A. (2017). Writing with 21st century social tools in the L2 classroom: New literacies, genres, and writing practices. Journal of Second Language Writing, 36, 52–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2017.04.002

Facione, P. A. (2013). Critical thinking: What it is and why it counts. Measured Reasons and the California Academic Press.

Francis, T., & Hoefel, F. (2018). “True Gen”: Generation Z and its Implications for Companies. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/true-gen-generation-z-and-its-implications-for-companies

Gaston, J. (2020). Teaching media literacy to ESL and EFL students in the age of COVID-19. GATESOL in Action Journal, 30(1), 48–58. https://doi.org/10.52242/giaj.v30i1.107

Gruba, P. (2006). Playing the videotext: A media literacy perspective on video-mediated L2 listening. Language Learning & Technology, 10(2), 77–92. http://dx.doi.org/10125/44062

Guo, W., Bai, B., & Song, H. (2021). Influences of process-based instruction on students’ use of self-regulated learning strategies in EFL writing. System, 101, 102578. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2021.102

Hobbs, R. (2010). Digital and media literacy: A plan of action. Aspen Institute and Knight Foundation.

Hobbs, R., & Jensen, A. (2009). The past, present, and future of media literacy education. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 1, 1–11. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/jmle/vol1/iss1/1

Hornberger, N. H. (2006). Frameworks and models in language policy and planning. In T. Ricento (Ed.), An Introduction to Language Policy: Theory and Method (pp. 24–41). Blackwell Publishing.

Hyland, K. (2019). Second language writing (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.

Jang, J., & Rha, K. H. (2014). An analysis on the effect on Korean English learners’ anxiety on their writing. Studies in Linguistics, 30, 209–228. Retrieved from http://www.dbpia.co.kr/journal/articleDetail?nodeId=NODE02353743

Jolls, T., & Thoman, E. (2008). Literacy for the 21st century: An overview & orientation guide to media literacy education (2nd ed.). Center for Media Literacy.

Kalantzsis, M., & Cope, B. (2013). Multiliteracies in education. In. C. A. Chapelle (Ed.), The Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics (pp.3963–3969). Blackwell.

Lee, J.-H. (2019a). Using word combination to develop writing ability: Based on business English. Journal of Learner-Centered Curriculum and Instruction, 19(22), 533–553. http://dx.doi.org/10.22251/jlcci.2019.19.22.533

Lee, J.-H. (2019b). Suggestions for transmedia-based classroom activities: Using Harry Potter and the sorcerer’s stone. STEM Journal, 20(3), 91–114. https://doi.org/10.16875/stem.2019.20.3.91

Majidi, A. E., & Graaff, R. D., & Janssen, D. (2020). Debate as L2 pedagogy: The effects of debating on writing development in secondary education. The Modern Language Journal, 104(4), 804–821. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12673

Myhill, D. (2008). Towards a linguistic model of sentence development in writing. Language and Education, 22(5), 271–288. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500780802152655

Naghdipour, B. (2016). English writing instruction in Iran: Implications for second language writing curriculum and pedagogy. Journal of Second Language Writing, 32, 81–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2016.05.001

The National Association for Media Literacy Education. (2017). Media literacy defined. Retrieved from https://namle.net/resources/media-literacy-defined/

The National Council of Teachers of English. (2019). Definition of literacy in a digital age. Retrieved from https://ncte.org/statement/nctes-definition-literacy-digital-age/

Office of Communication. (2008). Ofcom’s strategies and priorities for the promotion of media literacy: A statement. Retrieved from https://www.ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/media-literacy-research/adults/review0408

O’Halloran, K. L., Tan, S., & Smith, B. A. (2016). Multimodal approaches to English for academic purposes. In K. Hyland & P. Shaw (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of English for academic purposes (pp.256–269). Routledge.

Patti, E. (2020). Digital literacy and modern languages: How to make a digital video. Modern Languages Open, 1, 39. http://doi.org/10.3828/mlo.v0i0.296

Peña, E., & Dobson, T. M. (2021). The lost years of visual literacy. Journal of Visual Literacy, 40(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/1051144X.2021.1902043

Pifarré, M., & Fisher, R. (2011). Breaking up the writing process: how wikis can support understanding the composition and revision strategies of young writers. Language and Education, 25(5), 451-466. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500782.2011.585240

Potter, W. J. (2008). Media literacy (4th ed.). Sage.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1–6. Retrieved from https://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf

Ryu, D., Kim, H., Rho, Y., Im, M., Lee, J., Seo, J., Lee, Y., & Koh, S. (2021). Media matters. Seed Learning.

Schwartz, A., & Rubinstein-Ávila, E. (2006). Understanding the manga hype: Uncovering the multimodality of comic-book literacies. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 50(1), 40-49. https://doi.org/10.1598/JAAL.50.1.5

Tabieh, A. A. S., Hamzeh, M., Abu-Foudeh, B. K. S., Jarrar, N., Al-Manaseer, S., Al-Shawabkeh, A., & Seikaly, R. (2021). Digital literacy and its acquisition by teachers and principals at educational workplaces. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 20(5), 38–55. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.20.5.3

Waninge, F., Dörnyei, Z., & De Bot, K. (2014). Motivational dynamics in language learning: Change, stability, and context. The Modern Language Journal, 98(3), 704–723. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12118

Wawra, D. (2018). Multimodal literacy: Meaning negotiations in political cartoons on the refugee crisis. System, 77, 10–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2018.02.018

Wong, P. M., & Yunus, M. M. (2020). Enhancing writing vocabulary using Mentimeter. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 19(3), 106–122. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.19.3.7


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


e-ISSN: 1694-2116

p-ISSN: 1694-2493