Chapter 12. Future Directions of Screen Media in Foreign Language Education
Matthew Wilson and Adrian Leis
Matthew Wilson and Adrian Leis
Abstract
The final chapter reflects on the future directions of screen media in foreign language education, drawing together insights from the preceding chapters and identifying areas for further inquiry. While the volume has demonstrated how screen media can support language development across skills such as speaking, writing, reading, and listening, it also highlights unanswered questions about effectiveness, learner diversity, and integration with emerging technologies. We emphasize three promising domains for future research. First, greater attention should be paid to understanding what works for whom, examining how learner variables such as proficiency, age, and cultural background influence outcomes. Second, the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and large language models demands investigation into how these tools can be productively integrated into screen-based pedagogy without undermining student engagement. Third, the growing accessibility of virtual and augmented reality technologies offers new opportunities for immersive, authentic language and cultural experiences, warranting systematic exploration. Alongside these opportunities, we acknowledge persistent challenges, including cognitive overload, access disparities, and risks of passive learning, as well as ethical issues around copyright and digital literacy. Ultimately, this chapter calls for innovative yet critical engagement with screen media, encouraging educators and researchers to balance its pedagogical promise with its limitations in shaping the future of language education
About the Contributors
Matthew Wilson has more than 26 years’ experience teaching in Canada, South Korea, and Japan. He is currently a professor and the head of the English program at Miyagi University. Matthew has published 17 books and textbooks on strategies for improving English proficiency and learning common English expressions in movies. He has also presented widely on the use of screen media in language education at various conferences and events around Japan.
Adrian Leis is a professor at Tohoku Gakuin University in Japan with more than 25 years of experience teaching English. He earned his PhD from Tohoku University, and his research focuses on language learning motivation, computer-assisted language learning, and language pedagogy. He is the author of Insights into Flipped Classrooms and co-editor of Mindsets in Language Education and Innovations in Flipping the Language Classroom. Adrian is also the co-author of the Dictogloss in Action textbook series and serves as editor of the JACET Journal.
Citation
Wilson, M., & Leis, A. (2025). Future directions of screen media in foreign language education. In A. Leis & M. Wilson (Eds.), Screen media in foreign language education (pp. 269-277). Candlin & Mynard. https://doi.org/10.47908/37/12
The final chapter reflects on the future directions of screen media in foreign language education, drawing together insights from the preceding chapters and identifying areas for further inquiry. While the volume has demonstrated how screen media can support language development across skills such as speaking, writing, reading, and listening, it also highlights unanswered questions about effectiveness, learner diversity, and integration with emerging technologies. We emphasize three promising domains for future research. First, greater attention should be paid to understanding what works for whom, examining how learner variables such as proficiency, age, and cultural background influence outcomes. Second, the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and large language models demands investigation into how these tools can be productively integrated into screen-based pedagogy without undermining student engagement. Third, the growing accessibility of virtual and augmented reality technologies offers new opportunities for immersive, authentic language and cultural experiences, warranting systematic exploration. Alongside these opportunities, we acknowledge persistent challenges, including cognitive overload, access disparities, and risks of passive learning, as well as ethical issues around copyright and digital literacy. Ultimately, this chapter calls for innovative yet critical engagement with screen media, encouraging educators and researchers to balance its pedagogical promise with its limitations in shaping the future of language education
About the Contributors
Matthew Wilson has more than 26 years’ experience teaching in Canada, South Korea, and Japan. He is currently a professor and the head of the English program at Miyagi University. Matthew has published 17 books and textbooks on strategies for improving English proficiency and learning common English expressions in movies. He has also presented widely on the use of screen media in language education at various conferences and events around Japan.
Adrian Leis is a professor at Tohoku Gakuin University in Japan with more than 25 years of experience teaching English. He earned his PhD from Tohoku University, and his research focuses on language learning motivation, computer-assisted language learning, and language pedagogy. He is the author of Insights into Flipped Classrooms and co-editor of Mindsets in Language Education and Innovations in Flipping the Language Classroom. Adrian is also the co-author of the Dictogloss in Action textbook series and serves as editor of the JACET Journal.
Citation
Wilson, M., & Leis, A. (2025). Future directions of screen media in foreign language education. In A. Leis & M. Wilson (Eds.), Screen media in foreign language education (pp. 269-277). Candlin & Mynard. https://doi.org/10.47908/37/12
Information About the Book
Title: Screen Media in Foreign Language Education
Editors: Adrian Leis and Matthew Wilson
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Title: Screen Media in Foreign Language Education
Editors: Adrian Leis and Matthew Wilson
Read more...