Cartoon-Based R2L cycle: a multimodal approach to biographical recounts

Abstract

Learning to read and write different types of texts is essential for English foreign language (EFL) students and required in all educational contexts. That is why this study was applied in a bilingual school, where fifth grade students faced great difficulties to understand texts when reading and organize their ideas when writing. Students were unable to make sense of texts, organize and connect ideas, and write independent texts. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study, rooted in an action research design, was to promote students’ reading and writing skills in their second language by incorporating Cartoons as multimodal texts and following the sequence of the reading to learn (R2L) pedagogy. R2L is an approach that enables students to develop their reading and writing skills. Through R2L, students can make meaning of texts and construct independent texts based on the analysis and co-construction of a model text. Data was gathered through a diagnostic task, participant observation, two reading tasks, students' writing samples, audio-recordings, a teacher’s journal, and a focus group. Results showed significant changes in students' ability to understand and write biographies and revealed that the use of cartoons as multimodal texts were essential in student's understanding and written production.