This qualitative case study explored four English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) learners’ critical literacy practices by analyzing their reflective essays on a gender-related article and their perceptions of critical literacy. Four participants with varying English proficiency were purposefully selected from a critical literacy-oriented reading class at a university in Taiwan. Drawing on the concept of the dialectical relationship between discourse and society from critical discourse analysis, the analyses of students’ reflective essays focused on how discourses presented in students’ essays are shaped by and shaping their social contexts. Findings show that all four students demonstrated a certain degree of critical literacy despite their different English proficiency. However, they adopted different strategies to read critically. The two higher-level students tended to focus on careful analysis of the text itself, without much reference to social or cultural dimensions of gender differences when responding to this gender-related news story. In contrast, the other two lower-level students focused on the social and cultural contexts of the text, instead of carefully analyzing the text. In conclusion, this study suggests that EFL learners, no matter at what English proficiency level, should be provided with opportunities to enhance their critical literacy when developing their discrete language skills.
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