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Visual Justice and Multilingual Meaning-Making: Refugee Students' Critical Engagements with Wordless Picturebooks

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Title: Visual Justice and Multilingual Meaning-Making: Refugee Students' Critical Engagements with Wordless Picturebooks
Language: English
Authors: Emrah Cinkara, Kadir Kaan Büyükikiz, Alaa Eddin Alnajjar
Source: English Teaching: Practice and Critique. 2026 25(1):32-50.
Availability: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 19
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Descriptors: Picture Books, Story Telling, Visual Aids, Reader Text Relationship, Refugees, Multilingualism, Foreign Countries, Critical Literacy, Emotional Response, Self Concept, Minority Group Students, Student Experience, Second Language Learning, Turkish, Psychological Patterns, Student Attitudes, Bilingual Students, Public Education, Elementary School Students, Social Justice, Migration
Geographic Terms: Syria, Turkey
DOI: 10.1108/ETPC-05-2025-0103
ISSN: 1175-8708
Abstract: Purpose: This study aims to explore how Arabic-speaking Syrian refugee students in Türkiye engage with justice-oriented wordless picturebooks as a tool for multimodal and translingual meaning-making. It investigates how visual texts can support critical literacy, emotional expression and identity among students in linguistic and socio-educational marginalisation. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative case study design was used to examine the visual, verbal and emotional responses of ten refugee students (ages 9-13) enrolled in a language support programme in Gaziantep, Türkiye. Students engaged in small-group readings, guided discussions, drawing activities and interviews centred on two selected wordless picturebooks -- "The Arrival" by Shaun Tan and "Migrants" by Issa Watanabe. Data included visual artefacts, bilingual interviews, group transcripts and researcher field notes. The analysis combined thematic coding with visual grammar theory and was informed by multiliteracies, translanguaging, critical visual literacy and justice-oriented pedagogy frameworks. Findings: Students portrayed interpretive sophistication, engaging critically with symbolic imagery, spatial design and emotional cues in the picturebooks. Their responses included personal associations, ethical judgements and creative re-authoring through drawing. Translanguaging was central to these processes, supporting collaborative interpretation, emotional expression and affirmations of multilingual identity. The visual texts also provided a trauma-sensitive medium for narrating migration, loss and resilience, while students' critiques and alternative endings revealed agentive engagement and moral reasoning. Practical implications: This study shows that wordless picturebooks can be valuable tools in refugee and multilingual classrooms. They reduce barriers to participation, encourage students to use their full linguistic repertoires and provide safe ways to express emotions linked to migration and displacement. Teachers can integrate these texts to promote critical thinking, identity affirmation and inclusive dialogue. Training educators in trauma-informed and translanguaging-friendly approaches will further enhance the effectiveness of wordless picturebooks, helping refugee learners engage with literacy for communication, reflection, resilience and social justice. Originality/value: This study contributes to refugee education and critical literacy research by highlighting the pedagogical use of wordless picturebooks in multilingual, trauma-aware classrooms. It foregrounds refugee learners' agency, criticality and multimodal literacies, challenging deficit discourses and offering practical insights for inclusive curriculum design.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1501534
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Visual Justice and Multilingual Meaning-Making: Refugee Students' Critical Engagements with Wordless Picturebooks
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Emrah+Cinkara%22">Emrah Cinkara</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kadir+Kaan+Büyükikiz%22">Kadir Kaan Büyükikiz</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alaa+Eddin+Alnajjar%22">Alaa Eddin Alnajjar</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22English+Teaching%3A+Practice+and+Critique%22"><i>English Teaching: Practice and Critique</i></searchLink>. 2026 25(1):32-50.
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  Data: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
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  Data: 19
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Picture+Books%22">Picture Books</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Story+Telling%22">Story Telling</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Visual+Aids%22">Visual Aids</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reader+Text+Relationship%22">Reader Text Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Refugees%22">Refugees</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Multilingualism%22">Multilingualism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Critical+Literacy%22">Critical Literacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotional+Response%22">Emotional Response</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Concept%22">Self Concept</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Minority+Group+Students%22">Minority Group Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Experience%22">Student Experience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+Language+Learning%22">Second Language Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Turkish%22">Turkish</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+Patterns%22">Psychological Patterns</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bilingual+Students%22">Bilingual Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+Education%22">Public Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+School+Students%22">Elementary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Justice%22">Social Justice</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Migration%22">Migration</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Syria%22">Syria</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Turkey%22">Turkey</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1108/ETPC-05-2025-0103
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
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  Data: 1175-8708
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: This study aims to explore how Arabic-speaking Syrian refugee students in Türkiye engage with justice-oriented wordless picturebooks as a tool for multimodal and translingual meaning-making. It investigates how visual texts can support critical literacy, emotional expression and identity among students in linguistic and socio-educational marginalisation. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative case study design was used to examine the visual, verbal and emotional responses of ten refugee students (ages 9-13) enrolled in a language support programme in Gaziantep, Türkiye. Students engaged in small-group readings, guided discussions, drawing activities and interviews centred on two selected wordless picturebooks -- "The Arrival" by Shaun Tan and "Migrants" by Issa Watanabe. Data included visual artefacts, bilingual interviews, group transcripts and researcher field notes. The analysis combined thematic coding with visual grammar theory and was informed by multiliteracies, translanguaging, critical visual literacy and justice-oriented pedagogy frameworks. Findings: Students portrayed interpretive sophistication, engaging critically with symbolic imagery, spatial design and emotional cues in the picturebooks. Their responses included personal associations, ethical judgements and creative re-authoring through drawing. Translanguaging was central to these processes, supporting collaborative interpretation, emotional expression and affirmations of multilingual identity. The visual texts also provided a trauma-sensitive medium for narrating migration, loss and resilience, while students' critiques and alternative endings revealed agentive engagement and moral reasoning. Practical implications: This study shows that wordless picturebooks can be valuable tools in refugee and multilingual classrooms. They reduce barriers to participation, encourage students to use their full linguistic repertoires and provide safe ways to express emotions linked to migration and displacement. Teachers can integrate these texts to promote critical thinking, identity affirmation and inclusive dialogue. Training educators in trauma-informed and translanguaging-friendly approaches will further enhance the effectiveness of wordless picturebooks, helping refugee learners engage with literacy for communication, reflection, resilience and social justice. Originality/value: This study contributes to refugee education and critical literacy research by highlighting the pedagogical use of wordless picturebooks in multilingual, trauma-aware classrooms. It foregrounds refugee learners' agency, criticality and multimodal literacies, challenging deficit discourses and offering practical insights for inclusive curriculum design.
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1108/ETPC-05-2025-0103
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 19
        StartPage: 32
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Picture Books
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Story Telling
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Visual Aids
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reader Text Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Refugees
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Multilingualism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Critical Literacy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Emotional Response
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Self Concept
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Minority Group Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Experience
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Second Language Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Turkish
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychological Patterns
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bilingual Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Public Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Justice
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Migration
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Syria
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Turkey
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Visual Justice and Multilingual Meaning-Making: Refugee Students' Critical Engagements with Wordless Picturebooks
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