Abstract:

The aim of the present paper is to map the methodological premises for the use of multimedia tools in learning English as a foreign or second language with a focus on the development of learners’ plurilungual and pluricultural competence. Understood as the ability to make use of a complex and intertwined linguistic and cultural repertoire according to the requirements of the communicative situation, plurilingual and pluricultural competence is seen as the overarching goal of language teaching and learning. Multimedia-based learning, which simultaneously employs the visual and auditory channel is believed to boost learners’ active engagement in the materials. This, in turn, paves the way towards intensified involvement of the attitudinal dimension of intercultural competence, which is arguably more challenging to monitor and foster, compared to the cognitive dimension. The paper includes an analysis of learners’ performance in selected multimedia-based activities, implemented in the form of e-Learning with undergraduate students of the Teacher Education programme. Specific area of interest in this respect were the scope and depth of cognitive involvement with the multimedia materials, as well as the peculiarities of possible affective engagement.

Keywords:

Multimedia-based learning, plurilingual and pluricultural competence (PPC), English as a foreign language (EFL), cognitive dimension, attitudinal dimension.