Make Beliefs Comix

Creative use of language is a central tenet of learner-centric pedagogy, and as such has become a big part of today’s language classrooms. Students who are allowed to use their creative impulses are often more engaged during in-class activities (Gregory et al., 2013). This is precisely one of the primary motivators for teachers to leverage students’ creativity in designing pedagogical materials and classroom activities. It is often challenging, however, to apply creativity in the absence of stimulating and engaging content. To address this, one possible means of engaging students is exploiting the potential of comic strips, which are intuitive and straightforward media for students to practise reading, listening, and writing in a second language. For example, Williams and Williams (2011) found that comics can play a role in promoting student-centred learning by offering a motivating canvas upon which students can deploy their creative resources. Further, other recent studies have found that engagement with comics in learning activities led to positive attitudes towards learning, as well as elevated engagement and ownership (Kılıçkaya and Krajka, 2012). One such web-based comic-making application, Make Beliefs Comix, provides features which can potentially be effective in supporting learners to practise a target language in a stimulating and engaging manner. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s).