Media Literacy in EFL Teacher Education

Abstract

As one of the 21st century skills, media literacy refers to the ability of individuals to critically evaluate and creatively produce representations in a variety of media. A rapid changing world of media, information and communication, which is reshaping the future of work trends, changes literacy demands and requires more complex literacy skills. Thus, it is necessary for students to build the 21st century literacy skills through technology-integrated instructions and classroom practices. In particular, this chapter aims to raise awareness of the relevance of media literacy in teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and EFL teacher education. This chapter provides an evolution of media literacy with its origin, explores the competencies of media literacy, analyzes various frameworks for media literacy education, and elaborates on different teaching approaches. Based on this review, a conceptual framework for media literacy competencies in teacher education is proposed. Additionally, this chapter offers recommendations for best practices of media literacy in EFL classrooms as well as in EFL teachers' preparation and professional development programs.

Encouraging Students’ Critical Thinking Skillsin the Midst of Information Wars

“…Overall, the inclusion of media literacy in foreign language courses offers a comprehensive and practical learning opportunity for students (Lütge, 2017;He, 2023;El-Henawy, 2019). According to He (2023) media technology offers a favorable opportunity to create authentic environments and establish realistic settings for English language learners to acquire the language.…”

The Development of English Language Competencies in Higher Education in the Context of Media and Informational Literacy

“…Given that a large part of communication in digital media, particularly social networks, is conducted in English today, many authors have researched using digital tools to enhance proficiency in English (El-Henawy, 2019;Kim, 2018), including AI and chatbots (Annamalai et al, 2023). On the other hand, others have also emphasized the need to develop higher English proficiency to understand media messages better (Hickey et al, 2016;Westman, 2019).…”