<![CDATA[This study investigates the digital multimodal literacies (DML) of 297 Indonesian in-service English teachers across diverse socio-technological contexts. By employing a convergent mixed-methods design, the research differentiates between foundational digital competencies and the strategic application of multimodal pedagogy in the EFL classroom. Quantitative data from a structured survey provide a broad map of teacher readiness, while qualitative insights from focus group discussions (FGD) offer a “thick description” of the lived experiences and navigation strategies of practitioners. The findings reveal a significant conceptual gap: while a majority of teachers demonstrate high proficiency in functional digital competencies, such as internet navigation and the use of presentation tools, 66.3% remain unfamiliar with the formal framework of digital multimodality. This suggests that technical access and basic operational skills do not automatically translate into the pedagogical ability to critically design or evaluate multimodal texts. Furthermore, the study identifies a complex negotiation of “second-order” barriers, including institutional policies and infrastructure limitations, which often dictate the extent of technology integration. The implications of this study suggest a critical need for a paradigm shift in teacher professional development from basic ICT training toward specialized DML frameworks that prioritize pedagogical design. To foster sustainable digital innovation, policymakers and school leaders must address both the conceptual unfamiliarity and the structural constraints that currently hinder the realization of multimodal practices.]]>
