Lights, Camera, and Action… Education for Global Citizenship, interculturality and cooperative learning in EFL Teaching

Maria Botella Martinez; Maria Alcantud-Díaz

doi:10.33776/EUHU/linguodidactica.v6.8120

Maria Botella Martinez University of Valencia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7899-2132
Maria Alcantud-Díaz University of Valencia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4188-3765

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33776/EUHU/linguodidactica.v6.8120

Keywords:

Cooperation, Cinema, Intercultural Education, Citizenship, Secondary Education

Abstract

This paper explores the transformative potential of cinema as a formative and educational tool for shaping values. It outlines a teaching model based on a previous documentary review, observations, and quantitative research from a foster teaching intervention evaluated through the use of cinema with students in the second year of Bachillerato, the post-16 stage of education in Spain.

The study focused on key objectives: fostering reflection, promoting intellectual growth, cultivating empathy, and nurturing critical thinking skills in young individuals. The central inquiry of this research is whether the integration of intercultural cinema as a pedagogical tool can contribute to a deeper understanding of unfamiliar social issues, foreign cultures, and people.

The overarching goal is to examine whether this approach enhances students’ communication skills, cooperative abilities, and motivation within an educational context. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the potential benefits of incorporating Education for Sustainable Development, Global Citizenship, and the Cooperative Learning technique. It argues that these strategies not only have a positive impact on English learners but also play a crucial role in shaping the citizens of the future.

The research contends that by engaging with intercultural cinema, students not only acquire knowledge about diverse social issues but also develop essential life skills. Communication and cooperation are highlighted as pivotal aspects that improve through this pedagogical approach. In conclusion, this paper asserts that cinema can be a powerful medium for shaping values and fostering holistic development in students. The integration of intercultural cinema, alongside pedagogical strategies aligned with global citizenship education, proves to be instrumental in enhancing several crucial factors, contributing to the comprehensive growth of individuals as future citizens.

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Author Biographies

Maria Botella Martinez, University of Valencia

Dr. María Botella-Martínez is a translator, project manager in marketing and translation, member of the TALIS Research Group at the University of Valencia, and secondary school teacher of foreign languages (English and French). She has completed research stays at the University of Geneva (Switzerland) and the Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (Norway). Her main research interests are language teaching, interculturality, Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship, and education through the arts.

Maria Alcantud-Díaz, University of Valencia

Dr. María Alcantud-Díaz is a philologist, Associate Professor at the University, and Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Education, with 2 six-year research periods and 4 five-year teaching periods. She completed a research stay at Queen Mary University of London (United Kingdom). She founded the TALIS Research Group at the University of Valencia. She has supervised six doctoral theses, the most recent in November 2025. Her main research interests are innovation in foreign language teaching and the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the education curriculum.

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