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DIGITAL LITERACY IN EFL TEACHING 

Nuriyatul Hamidah 

UIN Sayyid Ali Rahmatullah Tulungagung 

nuriyahamida@iain-tulungagung.ac.id 

Abstract 
Many questions have aroused in terms of media and technology used 
and its implication for language teaching and learning. The focus is on 
how students can be critically aware of media, especially digital media, 
for their learning. Thus, the use of media in education impacts 
educational creativity development, such as digital technology 
applications. In terms of learning, digital literacy is the competency in 
understanding and using digital technologies effectively for learning. 
Research has already explored the need for digital literacy in the 
classroom. This recent paper tries to figure out how digital literacy is 
implemented in the teaching of ESP students. Furthermore, the method 
used to describe the idea of this paper is a conceptual paper in which 
the writer tries to figure out how digital learning is implemented for 
learning. The writer used literature review from some journal articles 
and books written by the experts to gather the data. In conclusion, 
applying digital literacy must be well prepared on the way how it is 
used. It must relate to their competence, learning objectives, and 
language skills being taught. Indeed, once the students are familiar 
with the technology being used, they significantly improve their skills. 

Keywords: Digital Literacy, EFL Learning, Language Skills 

mailto:nuriyahamida@iain-tulungagung.ac.id


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INTRODUCTION 
Nowadays, with the improvement of technology, teachers are 

supposed to integrate technology into the classroom. In the 21st century, 
technology has become significant changes in many homes around the 
world. Its influence has invaded all facets of life, including English language 
teaching. This classroom engages students to be involved in the teaching and 
learning process using media served by technologies. Indeed, it is also 
believed that the use of technology in the language classroom can be 
integrated for EFL teaching and learning. 

The integration of technology and language learning can help the 
teaching and learning process, the teachers can design their teaching 
appropriately with the use of technology. On the other hand, the students 
also seem easy to have an opportunity to increase their learning by using the 
technology. At this point, they are required to be capable of understanding 
the device. Thus, the more literacy skill on digital they have, the better they 
can utilize the technology for their learning. However, some students can 
use it while others are not able to. Then, the question will be focused on how 
they can operate it. In line with these descriptions, in an academic context 
especially in English language teaching and learning, digital literacy is also 
considered to be one of the important things to support students learning. 
As Harris (2015) proposed that digital literacy involves the way how they 
participate in community life, and gaining additional education and 
training. In summary, it is possible to include digital literacy as an important 
skill in the classroom to increase students learning process. 

Recently, some research agrees on increasing student digital literacy 
as ease to help learners understanding the media or technology for their 
learning. Benson & Chik, (2010) states that technological change influenced 



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how learning and literacy in the 21st century are associated. Along with this 
reason, Schmar-Dobler (2003) stated that educators need to adapt and 
integrate the curricula into a new digital context. It is also supported by 
Kress (2003) and Luzón (2002) who suggested that the teachers are required 
to use any accessible digital tools to ensure that education is appropriate to 
the requirements of today's society.  

To be more specific, the technology gives some effect on literacy 
abilities both in and outside of the school setting. In this context, when 
talking about digital literacy, the use of technology is also included. As 
supported by Grimshaw, Dungworth, and McKnight (2007) on their studies 
revealed that the use of technology may affect students’ skill in reading 
comprehension. Emphasizing digital literacy for students reading skills may 
give an impact on their ability in comprehending the text. It is also 
supported by the finding of Ertem (2010) figured out that there was a 
significant improvement in reading compression when the students are 
engaged in digital texts which incorporated animations.  

Nevertheless, some considerations should be taken to foster students' 
digital literacy. The teachers are supposed to make an assessment to identify 
their own and their students' digital literacy skills and goals. Besides, the 
instructions and teaching media must be of interest to the student. Because 
some students are not quite interested in technology. In this context, digital 
literacy is more than just being able to use technology; it similarly includes 
the ability to find information. As it is argued by Hague & Payton (2010), 
digital literacy can be defined as the ability to access, share, create, 
collaborate and communicate effectively by applying digital media. 

Further, this paper aims to give some review on how digital literacy is 
applied in language learning. Thus, the result shows the explanation on the 



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way how it is applied as well as described the element that the teacher needs 
to know when maximizing digital literacy for their teaching. Moreover, the 
writer also provides a review on digital literacy which is applied in language 
skills that are speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. 

 
METHOD 

This present study uses a qualitative research method. Qualitative 
research focuses on understanding people's beliefs, experiences, attitudes, 
and behaviours (Creswell, 2007). While this study is a theoretical research 
paper. It is carried out in the interpretive paradigm. Therefore, the data 
collection is done using documentation techniques. In this paper, the writers 
explain more about what digital literacy is that can be meaningful for 
English learning. It explains how digital literacy affects students' learning as 
well as the instruction designed related to digital literacy. Then, reviewing 
some literature from the field to identify the role of digital literacy to 
support students' learning. Thus, this study is based on a conceptual 
research, it focuses on some reviews about digital literacy that is viewed 
effectively to maintain students' learning.  
 
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 

Digital Literacy 
Nowadays, the appearance of the internet and the development of 

technology have provoked changes in literacy and created a new form of 
literacy (Schmar-Dobler, 2003). The term digital literacy has been considered 
as a source in the learning process. In this context, in the education setting 
the teachers are required to be the facilitator and motivators who help 
students to prepare in the next phase of the digital environment by 



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employing digital literacy in the classroom like utilizing information and 
communication technology (ICT) in EFL teaching and learning process. 
Regarding those roles, both as facilitators and motivators in the classroom, 
the success of the use of digital literacy in the classroom is related to 
teachers' decisions about the materials. Thus, the students are supposed to 
learn how to use technological resources to support their learning (Thorne, 
Black & Sykes, 2009; Dooly, 2014). 

One of the uses of ICT is using the internet in the classroom. 
Gathering information from the internet sometimes requires a specific type 
of literacy such as using hyperlinks or application of critical thinking. As a 
consequence, students may be strained due to unsuccessful search of 
information. Hence, as educators, we need to foster new literacies in the 
classroom by providing appropriate ICT in the classroom. 

In relation to the discussion above, to face this competency in using 
digital media especially in the educational area. The writer suggests 
strengthening digital literacy especially for students who are learning how 
to comprehend and be successful in language learning. The term Digital 
Literacy can be understood as two dimensions, literacy and digital. Digital 
literacy is a skill that relates to the capability of using a variety of digital 
technologies for different purposes. Eisenberg (2008) defines digital literacy 
as a set of abilities and knowledge that allows us to find, organize, 
understand, evaluate, and use the information we need through digital 
technologies. In the classroom, digital literacy takes on many forms, for 
example, it includes when the teachers and students use social network 
applications to create effective learning, creating online content which can be 
utilized whether it is inside or outside the classroom. In short, the term 
digital literacy in the classroom can be defined as the way how technology is 



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linked into teacher-student relationships, broadening the way teachers 
present lessons, constructing assessments, and communicating with the 
students. Moreover, it also includes social engagement, skills, and 
competencies that promote students' critical thinking, and the ability to 
judge information for trustworthiness and relevance. 
 
Digital Literacy in English Language Instruction 

Once the teachers are going to applied digital literacy in English class, 
they need to consider some points. What the things need to be concerned 
about are the teachers need to design instructional solutions to foster new 
literacy in the classroom, it can be from the Internet. First of all, the teacher 
should know what the students need, they must be provided some 
opportunities to experience the technology for themselves. The teacher 
should plan for the time it takes to do this. 

Moreover, they also need to know whether the instruction is efficient 
for students' literacy or not. Thus, the teachers need to give some 
instructions to the student appropriately. Here, we proposed that the 
Internet, for instance, could be the main medium in which both the teachers 
and students can share everything, especially for their learning. Indeed, the 
new technologies in combination with the new literacies might offer 
valuable support for students' learning such as in students' reading 
development. This idea is also supported by Ciampa (2012) who revealed 
that using e-book in English class can help students to be more motivated. 
The result shows that the students are highly motivated to read and write 
when using e-books. 

Furthermore, the most important one when we are going to 
implement digital literacy for English language instruction is we need to 



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know students' proficiency level both in English and in technology use. 
After their proficiency level is identified, then defining the learning objective 
of the lesson which is related to the digital literacy skills must be the main 
goal since the aim is to develop their proficiency both in English and in 
technology use. Objectives here meant as what the instructor believes 
students will be able to do by the end of class. Hence, classroom activities 
should reflect the objectives. A standard objective refers to what students 
will be able to do at the end of the course. To create meaningful objectives, 
the instructor needs to evaluate the tools that students will need to 
accomplish these objectives. 

Besides, the lecturer must know what kind of strategies will be used 
in the classroom to help the student reaching the lesson objective. Thus, 
consider the technology that students will use in their daily practices. The 
importance of digital literacy cannot be separated from the daily classroom. 
It is important to select some media and material which can be taken from 
videos or websites to teach both language content and skills. Thus, the 
teacher or lecturer needs to consider the use of technology as well as the 
lesson being taught such as the material or the topic as a part of learning 
content. Another concern is what skill is being trained. Thus, the content and 
also language skill can be taken at the same level. 

Then, the design for the classroom activities can be focused on 
student-centered as the primly practiced activities in the classroom. This 
approach aims to engage students actively involved in their learning which 
is meaningful to their lives (Peyton, Moore, & Young, 2010). Hence, this 
technique would be more beneficial for students' achievement and their 
acquisition as well. Besides, creating digital literacy also cannot be separated 
from the material which is authentically constructed for students' learning. 



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Hence, the material design should cover some criteria like providing 
thematic units, constructing problem-based learning, or project-based 
learning. Those designs provide content into which authentic digital tasks 
can be integrated and combined. Since it is language learning then the unit 
would include some lessons such as vocabulary, grammar, and so on.  

As English Language Learning develops basic digital literacy skills, 
many opportunities will arise to extend English language acquisition outside 
the class. Since the learners are capable of maintaining digital literacy, they 
may have the capability to create and communicate with others through 
online platforms. This situation may provide unlimited English language 
acquisition activities. Related to this description, digital literacy skills can be 
included into four language skills; speaking, listening, reading, and writing. 
As mentioned in the U.S. Department of Education, any project, topic, 
theme, or problem-based approach can be extended including language 
skills that are speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The next is 
discussing those four skills briefly. 

In the speaking classroom, the use of digital tools along with the 
lesson objective for speaking class can be implemented when the students 
are required to create a recorded audio file that is put online hence the 
others can listen and download that audio. This activity can make students 
more enthusiastic in which creating multimedia products can be highly 
motivating to the students. Some activities that can be implemented for 
listening class are the students might be given an individual assignment to 
listen to podcasts, YouTube videos, and another. Thus, it is required that 
teachers should differentiate instruction and better meet the diverse needs, 
interests, and abilities of the students. 



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Other, reading skills and instructional language skills using a text or 
online texts can be meaningful. Using images, hyperlinks to word meanings, 
illustrative videos, and recordings of word pronunciations can support the 
learning process. They also learn vocabulary as they interact with these 
various aspects of word meaning. In addition, as reading strategy is 
important for print reading, this thing should also be considered in digital 
environments. 

The last, writing skill is also considered to be authentic in which the 
classroom will be essential since the students are required to write any 
information for the readers. Such writing projects may permit students to 
learn vocabulary, grammar, and digital literacy. Further, writing-based 
technologies, especially those involving the Internet such as blogs, digital 
stories, and wikis provide many opportunities for them to be an author. 
Those digital tools can be used to communicate in and outside the 
classroom. As it is supported by Thorne (2009) writing for audiences outside 
the classroom can construct and maintain identities as well as build 
community. Thus, when the writers have the same idea, they might build up 
a new community that is interested in the same field.  

From the previous discussion above, here is an example of a lesson 
plan which is for the ESL beginning level. In this lesson plan, the students 
are required to create a paragraph using simple present and the "be" verb as 
the objective of language learning. At the end of the class, they will be 
divided into small groups to discuss the paragraph that they created. They 
may share their commands or suggestion. The following is a brief 
description of the lesson plan. 

 



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Adapted from LINCS: Integrating Digital Literacy Into English Language 
Instruction 



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CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION 
Nowadays, the use of technology is also included in English 

Language Lerner. The use of technology for language learning presents 
some opportunities for students' language acquisition. Thus, they need to be 
accustomed to the use of technology in the classroom. Thus, digital literacy 
skill is needed. This skill refers to what people do with technology.  

To develop digital literacies within educational programs, it is needed 
to determine the tools being used which can be integrated with the learning 
practices directed towards the learning of course content and achieving 
learning objectives. It can be inferred that the use of digital devices has to be 
in line with the objectives and the goal of learning. Indeed, learning 
environments also should be designed with the complexity of learning 
processes. 

Some factors need to be considered when trying to improve student's 
literacy skills. First of all, the teacher needs to be aware of students' 
background knowledge. Of course, in one class, there should be different 
abilities, knowledge, and motivation. In this case, once the teacher enhances 
students' digital literacy, s/he needs to consider those factors. As mentioned 
in the U.S. Department of Education, EFL learners come from different 
backgrounds. They can differ from both learning experiences, language 
skills, and levels of experience with print literacy and technology. It can 
affect their ability to acquire digital literacy skills. 

This study proposed the conceptual theory of digital literacy in lagage 
teaching. Thus for the upcoming researcher who are interested in 
conducting a research, future studies should cover the practice of applying 
digital literacy in language classroom which cover the instruction and the 
content of the lesson and the learning outcome.  



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