The visual representation: An instrument for research and instruction on the cultural

Abstract

In this chapter I propose that the visual representation, combined with a follow-up interview, is a form of textual intervention that is suitable for the investigation of, and instruction on, the cultural dimension of foreign language reading. A visual representation is defined in this study as the visual representation of textual content including the combination of words, phrases, and/or sentences with visual information in different formats of varying complexity (such as charts, tables, graphs, grids, mind maps, flowcharts, diagrams, drawings, and the like). The chapter has two sections. In the first one, research-oriented, I briefly describe the investigation in which I have used visual representations to research cultural understanding in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) college setting in Argentina. The aim of this section is to explain why the visual representation can become a useful research instrument for those involved in the investigation of the intercultural dimension of foreign language reading. In the second section, practice-oriented, I exemplify the visual representation with one student sample, complemented with interview data. I also show the ways in which this instrument can be useful for instruction. I argue that its pedagogic value lays in the fact that it can be used as an instructional tool to address stereotypes and consequently foster critical cultural awareness in the foreign language classroom.