Exploring multiliteracies and selfesteem development through Disney villains in EAL Education

Resumen

This article explores how self-esteem develops in English as an additional language (EAL) students through the figure of the villain in Disney films. The study, conducted during the 2022-2023 academic year in a 3rd grade class at a public school in Valencia, employed the pedagogy of multiliteracies to enhance students' self-esteem and facilitate knowledge construction. Inspired by villains from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), 101 Dalmatians (1961), The Little Mermaid (1989) and The Lion King (1994), the didactic unit used these characters to teach English and to prompt discussions on acceptance and self-esteem. Various instruments were utilized to gather and interpret data in order to assess the research objectives. The incorporation of multimodal resources, as advocated by the pedagogy of multiliteracies, ensured that lessons were engaging and in line with contemporary language education practices. The results indicate a positive impact on students' self-esteem, knowledge construction, and motivation to express their ideas and reflections.