Doctoral Project (Nancy Mezzio, M.A.)
Project Description
Digital communication is fundamentally transforming not only the tools of foreign language teaching but also the underlying conditions of language acquisition. In digital environments, young people encounter Anglophone pop culture daily, gaining incidental linguistic experiences that transcend the linear progression of formal instruction (Sockett 2014; Sundqvist/Sylvén 2016). The research project investigates these digital language practices within lower and upper secondary education, analysing their visibility and potential integration into formal schooling. By integrating perspectives from foreign language, cultural, and media pedagogy, the study examines these practices across their linguistic, cultural and digital dimensions. Central to this inquiry is how out-of-school digital engagement can mitigate learning barriers and foster increased participation. Specifically, the project explores how incorporating digital spheres of action into lesson design can promote educational equity by leveraging learners’ existing digital competences and linguistic resources as a bridge to formal learning. Adopting a qualitative, exploratory-ethnographic approach (Geertz 1991), the study aims to systematise digital spheres of activity. Furthermore, it seeks to develop empirically grounded frameworks for English language teaching that address the digital transformation and leverage informal learning environments to enhance diversity and inclusion.