A Mini Review of Social Semiotic and Critical Visual Studies in Language-Related Fields of Study

This article explores how social semiotic analysis promotes the field of critical discourse analysis and visual studies in EFL/ESL teaching materials, media, educational software packages, and also other language-related fields of study. At first glance, the article attempts to introduce social semiotics as a systematic methodology and discipline through summarizing theoretical backgrounds and methodological foundations. Secondly, it elaborates close relationships among the language, signs, and cultural values as meaning making resources and how these interrelated concepts are discussed in various studies in the past years. The article finally reviews a variety of studies done in this field and emphasizes that social semiotics is the key to highlight the hidden meanings usually imposed and dictated by higher institutions and cultural backgrounds. This article can be of potential help and use for those researchers who require a quick understanding of social semiotics and critical studies in language-related fields to conduct research in these areas.