Beyond AI Tools: Digital Literacy and Critical Engagement in EFL Reading Comprehension

Abstract

In today’s digitally mediated learning environment, reading comprehension is no longer confined to printed texts. For English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, reading now requires the ability to navigate digital platforms, interpret multimodal information, evaluate online content, and use artificial intelligence (AI) tools critically. This study explores how AI-supported tools, digital literacy, and critical engagement contribute to EFL students’ reading comprehension. Rather than viewing AI as a substitute for human thinking, the study emphasizes learners’ reflective judgment, strategic reading behavior, and ability to construct meaning beyond surface-level understanding. This research employed a descriptive approach, integrating literature-based analysis with questionnaire data from university-level EFL learners experienced with digital and AI-assisted reading tools. The questionnaire examined vocabulary strategies, grammatical awareness, inferential comprehension, evaluation of textual credibility, use of digital tools, and engagement with visual or multimodal materials. The findings show that students frequently use digital dictionaries, translation tools, and AI-based applications to support vocabulary understanding and reading efficiency. They also demonstrate awareness of sentence structure and implied meaning, indicating analytical and critical reading practices. Overall, the study suggests that effective EFL reading instruction should move beyond AI tools alone by integrating technological support with digital literacy, critical reflection, and human interpretation.