Ecology and multimodality: an eco-stylistic and eco-linguistic analysis of entertainment products to promote spontaneous learning

Abstract

Considering Virdis, Zurru, and Lahey (2021) analysis, the present research will examine some selected entertainment products, adopting an eco-critical perspective, in order to investigate their multimodal nature and how they can influence children's spontaneous learning. In fact, as sets of visual and verbal inputs, these products can be seen as examples of multimodal metaphors, as defined by Forceville and Urious-Aparisi (2009), Zurru (2021), and Pillière (2021). The plurality of stylistic choices made in the creation of these works, such as movies (e.g. Strange World by Disney) and videogames, allows to promote the environmental awareness of very young learners and, at the same time, to foster their knowledge of English language.

Keywords
adaptation
Environment
language understanding
Literature and Early Childhood Education
multimodality
ERC sector(s)
SH Social Sciences and Humanities
Name supervisor
Giuseppina Di Gregorio
E-mail
giuseppina.digregorio@unict.it
Name of Department/Faculty/School
Department of Law
Name of the host University
University of Catania (UNICT)
EUNICE partner e-mail of destination Research
leonardo.mirabella@studium.unict.it
Country
Italy
Thesis level
Master
PhD
Minimal language knowledge requisite
English B2
Thesis mode
Hybrid
Start date
Length of the research internship
6 months
Financial support available (other than E+)
Maybe