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VOL. 11, ISSUE 3 (2026)
Empowering language learners through filmmaking: A qualitative case study of project-based media creation in the EFL classroom
Authors
Jamal Assadi, Murad Tareq
Abstract
This qualitative study explores how
student-led filmmaking shapes language learning experiences in an English as a
Foreign Language (EFL) context. Situated within project-based and multimodal
learning frameworks, the study investigates how learners perceive the
opportunities, challenges, and linguistic transformations associated with
collaborative film production. Participants consisted of twenty-eight
undergraduate EFL students enrolled in an intermediate-level language course at
a university. Over an eight-week period, students engaged in all stages of film
production, including scriptwriting, rehearsing, filming, editing, and public
screening. Data were collected through reflective journals, semi-structured
focus group interviews, classroom observations, and project artifacts. Drawing
on thematic analysis, the study examines how learners negotiated language use,
constructed collaborative relationships, developed communicative confidence,
and navigated technological and creative challenges throughout the filmmaking
process. The findings reveal that filmmaking creates a meaningful environment
for authentic language use by encouraging sustained interaction, contextualized
vocabulary acquisition, and increased learner autonomy. Participants reported
that adopting dramatic roles reduced speaking anxiety and enabled greater
experimentation with language. At the same time, challenges related to
technology, time management, and group dynamics emerged as important dimensions
of the learning experience. The study argues that filmmaking transforms
language learning from a predominantly instructional activity into a socially
situated practice in which learners actively construct meaning through creative
production. The findings contribute to current discussions on multimodal
pedagogy and project-based language learning by highlighting the pedagogical
value of student-generated media in fostering engagement, agency, and
communicative competence.
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Pages:19-28
How to cite this article:
Jamal Assadi, Murad Tareq "Empowering language learners through filmmaking: A qualitative case study of project-based media creation in the EFL classroom". International Journal of Advanced Education and Research, Vol 11, Issue 3, 2026, Pages 19-28
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