Crossing boundaries with filmmaking: Screen-based literacy in the elementary school classroom

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 88-93)This qualitative study examines the disconnect between children's in-school and out-ofschool\ud literacy practices, and how it can be reconciled when schools implement a variety\ud of literacy practices that are based on students' backgrounds and interests. The aim of the\ud study is to fmd out whether bringing the process of filmmaking into an elementary school\ud classroom where traditional literacy is mandated would change the students' practice and\ud understanding of literacy. A discussion of the fmdings shows how a class of second grade\ud students changed their literacy practice as they worked in groups to develop their stories,\ud used technology to depict and compose images, and produced dynamic texts as a result of\ud their new understanding. This study concludes with reflections on a new definition of\ud literacy that includes methods for teaching and learning that accommodate the needs of\ud students, teacher training for new literacy practices, and a need for more long term\ud research on multiliteracies education in elementary schools