New Frontiers in Language Teaching: Embracing Digital Film and Literature

We are excited to be hosting an online conference exploring the evolving roles of film and literature in language teaching.

In today’s digital age, the ways we consume and access film and literature have changed dramatically. Platforms like YouTube, Instagram Reels, streaming services such as Netflix, and digital publishing have reshaped traditional media, offering both new opportunities and challenges for educators.

The conference will take place on June 13–14, 2025, and is organised by Dr. Antonio da Silva and Dr. Neophytos Mitsigkas from the Department of Language and Linguistics at the University of Essex.

Call for Presentations

Conference Themes

We invite educators, researchers, practitioners, and scholars to submit proposals for online presentations and/or workshops that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:

• Historical Context: The traditional roles of film and literature in language teaching.
• Redefining Film and Literature: What do film and literature mean in this age and time within the context of language teaching? How have digital media transformed our understanding and consumption of these forms?
• Modern Consumption: The impact of platforms like YouTube, Instagram Reels, streaming services, and other digital media on the consumption and creation of film and literature for language teaching.
• Short-Form Video in Language Teaching: The role of short-form videos in language learning.
• Streaming Services for Language Learning: How platforms like Netflix, using tools such as the language learning extension on Google, can be leveraged in language teaching.
• YouTube and Language Learning: Case studies of YouTube channels that effectively teach language through film.
• Interactive Media in Language Education: The use of interactive films and virtual reality in immersive language learning experiences.
• Digital Literature for Language Learning: Exploring e-books, audiobooks, and other forms of digital literature in language teaching.
• Self-Publishing in Language Education: Impact of self-publishing platforms on the availability (e.g. blogs) and diversity of literature for language learning.
• Social Media and Storytelling in Language Teaching: How platforms like Wattpad and X (formerly Twitter) are changing literary creation and consumption for language education.
• Memes in Language Learning: Teaching language and cultural nuances through memes.
• Diversifying Content for Language Teaching: Including diverse voices and perspectives in language teaching materials.
• Decolonial Approaches in Language Education: Strategies for decolonising the language curriculum through film and literature.
• Case Studies in Language Teaching: Examples of decolonisation efforts in language teaching.
• Technological Advances in Digital Film and Literature for Language Teaching: The impact of emerging technologies on the future of film and literature in language teaching.
• Sustainability and Accessibility in Digital Language Resources: Ensuring that digital resources are sustainable and accessible to all learners.

Submission Guidelines

Details

• Abstracts: Please submit an abstract of no more than 300 words, or a group of three abstracts for panel proposals, detailing the topic, methodology, and potential practical applications.
• Presentation Length: Presentations should be designed to fit within a 20-minute time slot, followed by a 10-minute Q&A session.
• Workshops Length: Workshops sessions should last up to 60 minutes, consisting of a 30 to 40-minute workshop followed by a Q&A session.
• Format: Please indicate if your presentation will include multimedia elements (e.g., videos, interactive components).
• Deadline: Abstracts should be submitted by 1 May 2025. Notifications of acceptance will be sent by 16 May 2025.

Submission Process

Please submit your abstracts for individual or panel presentations or workshop using our online submission form.

For further information, feel free to reach out to the conference organizing committee at film-literature2025@essex.ac.uk.