Digital Comic-Based Learning Media for Enhancing Reading Skills in French: A Research and Development Study at the A2 Level

Abstract

The integration of digital technology into foreign language education has created new opportunities for developing engaging and multimodal learning resources. This study aims to develop a digital comic-based learning medium and examine its effectiveness in supporting French reading skill (Comprehension Ecrite Debutante) at the A2 level. Employing a Research and Development (R&D) approach, the study involved several stages, including needs analysis, digital comic design, product development, limited trials, and evaluation of learning outcomes. The developed medium was created through the Tapas platform and incorporated visual narratives, contextual dialogues, and audio features to support learners’ reading comprehension, language structure awareness, and pronunciation skills. The effectiveness of the digital comic was evaluated through pre-test and post-test assessments involving A2-level French learners. The findings demonstrate that the use of digital comics contributed to significant improvements in students’ comprehension of French texts, identification of linguistic structures, and pronunciation performance. Furthermore, the integration of visual and audio elements enhanced learner engagement, motivation, and confidence during the learning process. The study concludes that digital comics function not only as innovative instructional media but also as effective multimodal learning resources that connect language learning with contextual and culturally meaningful experiences. This research highlights the potential of digital comics as an alternative pedagogical approach for foreign language education in digital learning environments.