The power of filmmaking for bi/multilingual learners and their teachers: Interculturality, creativity, and freedom

Aims and objectives: Situated within Freire’s foundational work in critical pedagogy, as well as drawing on participatory action research and theoretical considerations on multilingualism and interculturality, this article investigates the potential of filmmaking praxis as a vehicle to engage with the lived experiences of ‘growing up’ as bi/multilingual learners and their teachers. Reading our work through the lens of Freire’s ‘practice of freedom’, we argue that our work finds resonance in the Storyline approach through its emphasis on a democratic and active engagement of the learners as citizens of this world. Methodology: The Storyline approach is used as a methodological framework for teaching and learning in this creative filmmaking project through participatory action research in three secondary schools, two in England and one in Italy. Data collection and analysis: The research project was conducted in close collaboration with three in-service language teachers and their learners and involved pre-and post-project questionnaires, collaborative workshops as well as informal classroom conversations and the production of a final experimental short film by each group. Findings: Themes that emerged from our project showcased the potential and impact of a filmmaking project to create spaces of freedom for bi/multilingual language exploration and learning, nurturing in turn the joy in learning, critical and creative thinking and reflection as well as empathy and collaboration. Furthermore, we found the learners welcomed the opportunities for playful engagement with their own linguistic repertoire, strengthening their confidence and creativity and showcasing translanguaging practices in action. Finally, we highlight the critical importance of providing opportunities for in-service teachers to take active part in the research process itself to bridge the gap between research and creative classroom practices. We showcase the relevance of this project to give voice to the ever changing and evolving experiences and opportunities for language teaching and learning that emerge within bi/multilingual classrooms and beyond and flag the need for future work and opportunities in this field.