Keywords
How to Cite
Abstract
After the pandemic, a palpable learning loss in the classrooms was left while more technological learners and teachers were born. It has led us to seek digital strategies to keep students engaged in the classrooms and one of these is the use of Webtoon. It has been widely gaining attention for its simple but fun interface in the generation Z, besides having different genres, themes, and panels with drawings that can engage users to keep reading in their leisure time. In the following qualitative study, the perspectives of high school students from UEPSMA (Unidad Educativa Particular Salesianas María Auxiliadora) in Cuenca were analyzed. Using three action research cycles with a qualitative method, they engaged in three pop quizzes and a final Google Forms survey at the end of the third. Results showed that students found Webtoon’s illustrations and vocabulary satisfying, and they continued reading because of the plot and the illustrations. Their open-ended questions also highlighted how content the majority were at using a digital reading tool in the classroom, boosting their English reading motivation.
References
Ali, S., & Emirati, E. (2021). Webtoon Application and Students’ Reading Activity. Ethical Lingua: Journal of Language Teaching and Literature, 8(2), 518-525. https://doi.org/10.30605/25409190.319
Burns, A. (2010). Doing Action Research in English Teaching: a Guide for Practitioners. Routledge.
Connell, C., Bayliss, L., & Farmer, W. (2012). Effects of eBook readers and tablet computers on reading comprehension. International Journal of Instructional Media, 39(2).
Engzell, P., Frey, A., & Verhagen, M.D. (2021). Learning loss due to school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(17), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2022376118
Erya, W.I., & Pustika, R. (2021). Students’ Perception Towards The Use Of Webtoon To Improve Reading Comprehension Skill. Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning, 2(1), 51-56. https://doi.org/10.33365/jeltl.v2i1.762
Illa-Sihuincha, G., Chávez-Navarro, J., Engracio-Salinas, J., Aquino-Santos, C., & Monzón-Troncoso, A. (2022). ICT adoption in university digital natives and immigrants in a pandemic context. Journal of Positive School Psychology, 4848-4856. https://www.journalppw.com/index.php/jpsp/article/view/8299
Jang, W., & Song, J.E. (2017). Webtoon as a New Korean wave in the process of glocalization. Kritika Kultura, (29).
Jin, D.Y. (2015). Digital convergence of Korea’s webtoons: Transmedia storytelling. Communication Research and Practice, 1(3), 193-209. https://doi.org/10.1080/22041451.2015.1079150
Kaffenberger, M. (2021). Modelling the long-run learning impact of the Covid-19 learning shock: Actions to (more than) mitigate loss. International Journal of Educational Development, (81). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2020.102326
McNiff, J. (2013). Action research: Principles and Practice (3rd. ed.). Routledge.
Nguyen, M.H., Gruber, J., Fuchs, J., Marler, W., Hunsaker, A., & Hargittai, E. (2020). Changes in Digital Communication During the COVID-19 Global Pandemic: Implications for Digital Inequality and Future Research. Social Media + Society, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305120948255
Novanti, E.A., & Suprayogi, S. (2021). Webtoon’s potentials to enhance EFL students vocabulary. Journal of Research on Language Education, 2(2), 83-87. https://doi.org/10.33365/jorle.v2i2.1311
Radina, N.K., & Balakina, J.V. (2021). Challenges for education during the pandemic: an overview of literature. ??????? ???????????, (1, eng), 178-194. http://doi.org/10.17323/1814-9545-2021-1-178-194
Sa’adah, F.R. (2023). The Beauty Terms Used in True Beauty Webtoon: The Word Formation Analysis. Journal of Literature, Linguistics, & Cultural Studies, 2(1), 169-182. https://doi.org/10.18860/lilics.v2i1.2687
Setialis, A., Hudaya, D., & Ansas, V. (2018). The Implementation of LINE Webtoon Application in Promoting the EFL Teachers’ Creativity–The Teachers’ and Students’ Perception. In The Tenth Conference on Applied Linguistics and The Second English Language Teaching and Technology Conference in collaboration with The First International Conference on Language, Literature, Culture, and Education–CONAPLIN and ICOLLITE, SciTePress, 9-13. http://doi.org/10.5220/0007161100090013
Syafrizal, S., & Haerudin, H. (2018). The implementation of vocabulary building strategy in teaching English vocabulary to young learners. Jo-ELT (Journal of English Language Teaching) Fakultas Pendidikan Bahasa & Seni Prodi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris IKIP, 5(1), 40-48. http://doi.org/10.33394/jo-elt.v5i1.2296
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2020). School Reopening, 7(1). https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000373275
Wallace, C. (2007). Vocabulary: The key to teaching English language learners to read. Reading Improvement, 44(4), 189-194.
Widiyarti, E.R., Rofi’i, A., Herdiawan, R.D., & Noermanzah, N. (2021). “I Don’t Understand English Reading”: Utilizing Webtoon as Edutainment Medium to Foster Students’ Reading Comprehension. Silampari Bisa: Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan Bahasa Indonesia, Daerah, dan Asing, 4(1), 133-142. https://doi.org/10.31540/silamparibisa.v4i1.1278
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2023 Mónica Daniela Guartazaca Tacuri