This presentation outlines a film-based pilot study in an English as foreign language (EFL) class in China. The presenter proposes that intellectually substantive sci-fi films can develop students’ critical literacies via multiliteracy pedagogy and promote participation as global citizens. Implications regarding learners’ identities and power in class are also discussed.
Teaching using films offers an alternative to traditional literacy pedagogy, drawing on the effects of visual images and aural sounds on the written word in today’s digital environment. Scholars have shown increasing interests in films as a way to promote literacy (e.g., Bruti, 2016; Wu, 2016). As a unique literary genre, science fiction films has begun to attract a wider audience; however, few studies have considered how multimodal science fiction films can be used to foster students’ critical literacies and address the needs of diverse EFL learners. This paper presents a pilot study of incorporating intellectually substantive science fiction films into EFL classrooms in China using a critical literacy approach. This strategy aims to develop students’ critical thinking about new technology and corresponding societal controversies in today’s world. Two films, I am Legend and Blade Runner, are analyzed as possible teaching resources. The study presents data from an EFL high school class in China, where these films were integrated into the curriculum via a multimodal pedagogical design. Qualitative data were collected using classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and students’ reflective reports. Findings concern the extent to which EFL learners acquired critical literacies and how the need to recognize global challenges was addressed in class. Results reveal that such films’ multimodalities and intriguing content improved reading engagement among China’s elite youth and promoted critical literacies in understanding the films’ target audiences and how particular messages are conveyed. Such engagement can encourage students to examine important societal perspectives by foregrounding science and technology ethics and globalization to reinforce their identities as global citizens. The presenter also discusses the notions of power, identity, and access in classroom interactions. The presentation concludes by considering how science fiction films can be used to enhance students’ critical literacies and draw upon their identities in EFL settings.
