Researching ELT 4.0 and Transmediality: Fostering Transliterate Reading through Transmedia Storytelling

Abstract

The notion of Education 4.0 has directed to the utilization of various media platforms in teaching, which, in this context, is the adoption of Transmedia storytelling. Transmedia storytelling is the material presented to the students during the teaching and learning session that aims at fostering students transliterate reading. Through transmedia storytelling students are introduced to reading activities that enable them to read through multiple media platforms presented in class. A number of studies have been done in researching transmediality in the area of communication studies, however only little is known in ELT research. Therefore, this paper endeavors to explore the ways in which transmedia storytelling helps foster students’ transliterate reading. Adopting Transmedia Play and Storytelling theories grounded in transmediality, the paper utilizes a case study as the research design. Employing classroom observation and students’ response sheets, the findings reveal that transmedia storytelling promotes students transliterate reading through facilitating them in engaging with multiple types of visual, audio and interactive media activities. It helps them develop awareness in three areas: 1) awareness of the function of pictures for story comprehension and vocabulary acquisition; 2) awareness of the way sound helps for narrative elements interpretation; 3) awareness of the needs of text-reader transaction through new media for comprehension.