CRITICAL LITERACY IN EFL CLASSROOMS: VOICES FROM TEACHERS IN A RURAL SCHOOL

Abstract

In the context of Indonesia, several approaches to the study and teaching of languages, including critical literacy, are frequently considered foreign. One of those strategies is the teaching of critical literacy, which is one of those approaches that aim to help students to distinguish between knowing language abilities and being able to make use of language. Due to the fact that critical literacy is still a relatively unexplored area, particularly in rural Indonesian schools, the purpose of this study was to investigate the current issue of the participants' perspectives on critical literacy practices in EFL classrooms. Specifically, this was done so because critical literacy is a relatively unexplored area. In this study, descriptive and qualitative research methods were utilized, and two English teachers from senior high schools participated in the research. Interviews were used to compile the data for this study. The findings of the analysis of the data led to the conclusion that almost all of the teachers had a less persuasive knowledge of what critical literacy was, and it was highly likely that none of the teachers were familiar with the term "critical literacy." It can be attributed to a few different things. It is important not to ignore the reality that English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in EFL environments such as Indonesia still lack critical literacy understanding and skills. That indicated that teachers still needed support in expanding or deepening their expertise of critical literacy. This study shows that teachers should be encouraged to cultivate critical literacy in their classes because of the limitations that were discussed earlier.

Keywords: critical literacy, English as a foreign language (EFL), rural school