https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/22326 Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:46:43 GMT 2026-04-24T15:46:43Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145499 Title: Rethinking migration : the intersection of multimodal composition and critical reflection Authors: Xerri, Daniel; Davis, Savannah Abstract: This chapter explores how multimodal composition and critical reflection can enrich English language learning and nurture critical engagement with migration discourse. Based on classroom-based research in Malta, it shows how a group of adult learners collaborated on reflective, multimodal texts about migration, combining AI-generated images with their writing. The analysis identified five key themes in students’ compositions, from economic concerns to personal experiences, and highlights the challenges and opportunities of fostering balanced perspectives, critical media literacy, and intercultural empathy. The chapter argues that multimodal composition and reflection can empower students as agents of change, equipping them with the critical tools to navigate and shape migration narratives in a globalised world. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145499 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145497 Title: Strange fruit : raising students’ awareness of racism through song Authors: Xerri Agius, Stephanie; Xerri, Daniel Abstract: This chapter presents a multimodal lesson plan for upper-intermediate or advanced high school English language learners (ages 16–18) that uses Billie Holiday’s 1939 recording of “Strange Fruit” (poem by Abel Meeropol) to raise awareness of historical and contemporary racism. It covers the song’s origins in the 1930 Marion, Indiana lynching, its jazz/blues genre, vivid imagery and symbolism (e.g., lynching as “strange fruit”), and historical context (Jim Crow laws, segregation). Activities include pre-reading context-building, vocabulary and grammar work (adjectives, -ing forms, stress/pronunciation), gap-fill exercises, discussion of stylistic effects, personal responses, and creative follow-ups (e.g., poetry, visual art, rap adaptations, or linking to modern migration issues). The lesson emphasizes sensitive delivery, creative reader response, and song as protest while connecting language learning to social awareness. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145497 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145040 Title: ‘Research doesn’t feel like an add-on. It feels like good teaching’ : Daniel Xerri on classroom research Abstract: Daniel Xerri’s plenary on classroom research at the 58th IATEFL International Conference in Edinburgh marked a significant moment, giving this essential professional practice the attention it deserves. Being a former ReSIG coordinator, he has spent years supporting teacher-led inquiry and encouraging educators to embark on their own research journeys. For ReSIG’s 35th anniversary, Josianne Block sat down with Daniel to explore his vision for classroom research and his commitment to making it more accessible to language teachers worldwide. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145040 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/144792 Title: Repositioning English language teaching for a sustainable future Authors: Xerri, Daniel; Popovski Golubovikj, Aleksandra; Graham, Christopher Abstract: This introductory chapter outlines the conceptual foundations of Sustainability in English Language Teaching by situating ELT within the broader ecological, social, and educational challenges of the Anthropocene. It traces the field’s recent evolution through key professional events that signal a growing recognition of ELT’s responsibility to contribute to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Drawing on contemporary research in ecopedagogy, foreign language education, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the chapter argues that ELT is uniquely positioned to foster ecological literacy, criticality, intercultural competence, well-being, and learner agency. It also identifies the systemic, curricular, and professional challenges that constrain implementation, providing a way of understanding both the potential and the complexities of sustainability integration. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/144792 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z