Student Teachers’ Multimodal and Digital Literacy Competence in Their Teaching Practice Program at High Schools in West Sumatera Province

Abstract

This study explores the multimodal and digital literacy competence of English education students during their teaching practice in high schools across West Sumatra. Utilizing a quantitative approach, data were collected from 54 student teachers via close-ended questionnaires consisting 37 statements, with 17 statements focused on multimodal literacy competence and 20 statements focused on digital literacy competence. The results reveal that most student teachers exhibit a good level of multimodal literacy with mean score 3.00, particularly in using various modes of communication. However, a preference for multimodal approaches is less prominent with mean 2.58. In digital literacy, students show strong proficiency with mean score 3.32 in very good categorize, especially in media literacy (3.50) and the use of digital devices, though limited access to digital resources and institutional support remains a challenge. These findings emphasize the importance of enhancing teacher education programs to equip future educators with the skills needed for effective integration of multimodal and digital literacies in the classroom.