ABSTRACT

Classrooms are increasingly multicultural in their social composition, and students are increasingly connected, through digital media, to local and global networks. However, pedagogy has failed to take full advantage of the opportunities these resources represent. Multilingual Digital Storytelling draws attention to the interfaces between learner engagement, creativity and critical digital literacy, as well as addressing the multilingual within the multiliteracies framework.

Addressing a significant gap in the field of multiliteracies by focusing on multilingualism, this book explores new digital spaces for language learning and methods of extending understandings of youth literacy in an increasingly interconnected world. Drawing on innovative and multi-site research projects based in mainstream and community schools in London and overseas, this book discusses how young people become engaged creatively and critically with literacy by demonstrating how digital storytelling can be used as a tool for language development. The book begins by considering linguistic, cultural, cognitive and social dimensions of language learning from a theoretical perspective, whilst the second part focuses on practical case studies that reflect and illustrate these theoretical principles.

Offering a powerful new perspective on multiliteracies pedagogy, Multilingual Digital Storytelling will appeal to researchers and academics in the fields of education, applied linguistics, sociology and youth and community studies. It will also be an invaluable resource for teachers, teacher educators, curriculum planners and policymakers.

chapter 1|10 pages

Introduction

part I|117 pages

Principles

chapter 2|29 pages

Language and literacy

Challenging monocultural discourses

chapter 3|26 pages

Digital technology, culture and learning

Dialogical and critical approaches

chapter 4|19 pages

From literacy to multiliteracies

chapter 5|19 pages

Student participant-researchers

Learner agency and creative engagement

chapter 6|22 pages

Crossing the school gates

Connecting schools, communities and homes

part II|139 pages

Practice

chapter 7|15 pages

Critical Connections

Multilingual Digital Storytelling Project: Introduction and research methodology

chapter 12|10 pages

Engagement and motivation

chapter 13|13 pages

Sites of learning

School, home, community and online