The Use of Digital Storytelling in Bilingual/Multilingual Students’ Meaning-Making: A Systematic Literature Review

Existent literature shows that marginalization and silencing of cultures and languages of bilingual and multilingual students are overt and covert in various educational contexts (Bauer et al. in J Literacy Res 49:10–37, Bauer et al., Journal of Literacy Research 49:10–37, 2017). Scholars call for transformative pedagogies that recognize diverse learners’ linguistic and cultural repertoires (e.g., Cummins et al. in TESOL Quart 49:555–581, Cummins et al., TESOL Quarterly 49:555–581, 2015) and foster their creative solutions to the twenty-first century challenges (e.g., Kuby and Rowsell in J Early Literacy Res 17:285–296, Kuby and Rowsell, Journal of Early Literacy Research 17:285–296, 2017). Existing studies have documented digital storytelling as an innovative pedagogical approach (e.g., Smeda et al. in Smart Learn Environ 1:1–21, Smeda et al., Smart Learning Environments 1:1–21, 2014) or a decolonizing research practice (Jager et al. in Qual Rep 22:2548–2582, Jager et al., Qualitative Report 22:2548–2582, 2017) that supports minoritized students’ creative meaning-making that is closely related to their languages, cultures, and lived experience (e.g., Jager et al. in Qual Rep 22:2548–2582, Jager et al., Qualitative Report 22:2548–2582, 2017; Hancox in Hum Technol 8(1):65–76, Hancox, D. (2012). The process of remembering with the forgotten Australians: Digital storytelling and marginalized groups. Human Technology, 8(1), 65–76. 10.17011/ht/urn.201205141653; Iseke and Moore in Am Indian Cult Res J 35(4):19–38, Iseke, J., & Moore, S. (2011). Community-based indigenous digital storytelling with elders and youth. American Indian Culture and Research Journal, 35(4), 19–38. 10.17953/aicr.35.4.4588445552858866). In this chapter we systematically review research literature that addresses the issue of pedagogical approaches in literacy development that support and acknowledge the cultural diversity of our classrooms.