<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Engaging with social, political, and cultural topics can pose challenges in English language teaching classrooms. These sites represent linguistically diverse settings housing distinct ideologies. This article documents classroom interactions that began with exposure to a science fiction film and progressed to a discussion of contemporary sociopolitical concerns that resonated with ELLs. Drawing on this case study, the article explores how an instructor and her ELL students addressed sociopolitical topics in a science fiction–themed classroom. The author analyzes student–teacher and student–student interactions in the classroom and the instructor’s subsequent self-reflection. Findings suggest that, when adopting intellectually stimulating materials that foster ELLs’ agency in learning, teachers need scaffolding to meaningfully incorporate such tools into a critical pedagogical approach.</p>
</abstract>

Engaging with social, political, and cultural topics can pose challenges in English language teaching classrooms. These sites represent linguistically diverse settings housing distinct ideologies. This article documents classroom interactions that began with exposure to a science fiction film and progressed to a discussion of contemporary sociopolitical concerns that resonated with ELLs. Drawing on this case study, the article explores how an instructor and her ELL students addressed sociopolitical topics in a science fiction–themed classroom. The author analyzes student–teacher and student–student interactions in the classroom and the instructor’s subsequent self-reflection. Findings suggest that, when adopting intellectually stimulating materials that foster ELLs’ agency in learning, teachers need scaffolding to meaningfully incorporate such tools into a critical pedagogical approach.

Science Fiction and Political Imagination: ELLs Co-constructing Critical Social Justice Narratives in the ELT Classroom

Journal of Language and Cultural Education

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Engaging with social, political, and cultural topics can pose challenges in English language teaching classrooms. These sites represent linguistically diverse...

Science Fiction and Political Imagination: ELLs Co-constructing Critical Social Justice Narratives in the ELT Classroom

Published Online: Mar 01, 2023

Page range: 47 - 60

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jolace-2022-0005

Keywords
English language learner, science fiction class, sociopolitical issues, critical literacies, critical pedagogy

© 2022 Shuyuan Liu, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Science Fiction and Political Imagination: ELLs Co-constructing Critical Social Justice Narratives in the ELT Classroom

Published Online: Mar 01, 2023

Page range: 47 - 60

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jolace-2022-0005

KeywordsEnglish language learner, science fiction class, sociopolitical issues, critical literacies, critical pedagogy

© 2022 Shuyuan Liu, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
English language learner, science fiction class, sociopolitical issues, critical literacies, critical pedagogy