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.