Enhancing EFL teaching and learning in adolescent students through the implementation of Critical Discourse Analysis

Abstract

Abstract: This research aims to design and implement a training scenario along with digital texts that facilitate the integration of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction. The approach used for this research was the mixed-method, which included pre- and post-tests, a diagnostic test, and an exit survey. The participants were 25 adolescent students in the first year of high school in the city of Loja. The results obtained showed a significant improvement in terms of students' critical thinking and reading comprehension after CDA-based participation, with an increase in test scores from 4.94 to 8.48. The students perceived that the digital texts were useful tools for discourse analysis and showed a positive attitude towards the CDA activities. On the other hand, some students were dissatisfied with the lack of reinforcement exercises after the given classes, and some of them continued to have problems in identifying the main ideas of the texts. However, despite these drawbacks, the application of CDA proved to have great potential to develop the analytical and interpretative skills of EFL learners. This study contributes to the improvement of pedagogical practices that shape discourse analysis to foster critical reading in English language teaching.