- An exploration of how children’s language learning can be transformed when teachers place creativity and stories at the centre of the curriculum and experiment with digital storytelling in the classroom Macleroy, Vicky; Sahmland, Susi and Hackney, Claire. 2021. An exploration of how children’s language learning can be transformed when teachers place creativity and stories at the centre of the curriculum and experiment with digital storytelling in the classroom. Modern Languages Open, 1(1), 18. ISSN 2052-5397
- Translanguaging through the lens of drama and digital storytelling: shaping new language pedagogies in the classroom Stavrou, Sotiroula; Charalambous, Chryso and Macleroy, Vicky. 2021. Translanguaging through the lens of drama and digital storytelling: shaping new language pedagogies in the classroom. Pedagogy, Culture & Society, 29(1), pp. 99-118. ISSN 1468-1366
- Different ways of descending into the crypt: methodologies and methods for researching creative writing Gilbert, Francis and Macleroy, Vicky. 2021. Different ways of descending into the crypt: methodologies and methods for researching creative writing. New Writing: The International Journal for the Practice and Theory of Creative Writing, 18(3), pp. 253-271. ISSN 1479-0726
- Research in depth - Multilingual Digital Storytelling Macleroy, Vicky. 2020. Research in depth - Multilingual Digital Storytelling. EAL Journal, Autumn, pp. 58-62. ISSN 2398-8533
- A moving story from Dhaka to London: revealing vibrant identities in young people’s intercultural encounters with mobile art, embroidery and artefacts Macleroy, Vicky and Shamsad, Shabita. 2020. A moving story from Dhaka to London: revealing vibrant identities in young people’s intercultural encounters with mobile art, embroidery and artefacts. Language and Intercultural Communication, 20(5), pp. 482-496. ISSN 1470-8477
- The art of belonging: exploring the effects on the English classroom when poetry meets multilingual digital storytelling Hirsch, Sara and Macleroy, Vicky. 2020. The art of belonging: exploring the effects on the English classroom when poetry meets multilingual digital storytelling. English in Education, 54(1), pp. 41-57. ISSN 0425-0494
- Creative and critical approaches to language learning and digital technology: findings from a multilingual digital storytelling project Macleroy, Vicky; Anderson, Jim and Chung, Yu-Chiao. 2018. Creative and critical approaches to language learning and digital technology: findings from a multilingual digital storytelling project. Language and Education, 32(3), pp. 195-211. ISSN 0950-0782
- Connecting worlds: interculturality, identity and multilingual digital stories in the making Anderson, Jim and Macleroy, Vicky. 2017. Connecting worlds: interculturality, identity and multilingual digital stories in the making. Language and Intercultural Communication, 17(4), pp. 494-517. ISSN 1470-8477
- Multilingual representation in children's literature Macleroy, Vicky. 2017. Multilingual representation in children's literature. EAL Journal(3), pp. 17-29. ISSN 2398-8533
- Exploring Digital Creation Macleroy, Vicky; Budach, Gabriele; Chapman, Bo; Flynn, Zoe; Charalambous, Chryso; Dumic, Mirela and Smith, Marc. 2017. Exploring Digital Creation. EAL Journal(2), pp. 14-15. ISSN 2398-8533
- Books: Our pick of this term's reading matter Macleroy, Vicky. 2017. Books: Our pick of this term's reading matter. EAL Journal(4), pp. 52-53. ISSN 2398-8533
- Making Space for Learners' Languages Macleroy, Vicky. 2015. Making Space for Learners' Languages. NALDIC Quarterly, 15(3), pp. 18-20. ISSN 1751-2182
- Cultural, linguistic and cognitive issues in teaching the language of literature for emergent bilingual pupils Macleroy, Vicky. 2013. Cultural, linguistic and cognitive issues in teaching the language of literature for emergent bilingual pupils. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 26(3), pp. 300-316. ISSN 0790-8318
- Meeting the Challenge of the Multicultural Classroom through Continuing Professional Development Macleroy Obied, Vicky and Grammatikopoulou, Vicky. 2013. Meeting the Challenge of the Multicultural Classroom through Continuing Professional Development. NALDIC Quarterly, 13(3), pp. 7-9. ISSN 1751-2182
- Innovative practice in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) to enhance new teachers’ ability to effectively teach learners of English as an additional language (EAL) Macleroy, Vicky. 2013. Innovative practice in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) to enhance new teachers’ ability to effectively teach learners of English as an additional language (EAL). NALDIC Quarterly, 13(4), pp. 19-20. ISSN 1751-2182
- Languages, literacies and learning: from monocultural to intercultural perspectives. Anderson, Jim and Macleroy Obied, Vicky. 2011. Languages, literacies and learning: from monocultural to intercultural perspectives. NALDIC Quarterly, 8(3), pp. 16-26. ISSN 1751-2182
- Professional development for staff working in multilingual schools Macleroy Obied, Vicky. 2010. Professional development for staff working in multilingual schools. Council of Europe, 1(5), pp. 1-64.
- Can one‐parent families or divorced families produce two‐language children? An investigation into how Portuguese–English bilingual children acquire biliteracy within diverse family structures Macleroy Obied, Vicky. 2010. Can one‐parent families or divorced families produce two‐language children? An investigation into how Portuguese–English bilingual children acquire biliteracy within diverse family structures. Pedagogy, Culture and Society, 18(2), pp. 211-227. ISSN 1468-1366
- How Student-teachers Approach the Teaching of Reading: At the Interface Between Personal History, Theory and Practice Pitfield, Maggie and Macleroy Obied, Vicky. 2010. How Student-teachers Approach the Teaching of Reading: At the Interface Between Personal History, Theory and Practice. Changing English, 17(1), pp. 35-44. ISSN 1358-684X
- How do siblings shape the language environment in bilingual families? Macleroy Obied, Vicky. 2009. How do siblings shape the language environment in bilingual families? International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 12(6), pp. 705-720. ISSN 1367-0050
- 'Why did I do nothing?' Poetry and the experiences of bilingual pupils in a mainstream inner-city secondary school Macleroy Obied, Vicky. 2007. 'Why did I do nothing?' Poetry and the experiences of bilingual pupils in a mainstream inner-city secondary school. English in Education: Poetry Matters, 41(3),
- Siblings: help or hindrance? Macleroy Obied, Vicky. 2004. Siblings: help or hindrance? The Linguist, 43(2),
Professor Vicky Macleroy
Staff details
Position
Professor of Language and Literacy, Head of MA Children's Literature programme, Head of Centre for Language, Culture and Learning
Department
v.macleroy (@gold.ac.uk)
Links
Goldsmiths Research Centres/Groups
Vicky’s expertise is in language and literacy with a strong focus on creative practices and digital technologies.
I am a Professor of Language and Literacy, Head of the MA Children’s Literature programme, and Head of the Centre for Language, Culture and Learning at Goldsmiths, University of London. I teach at postgraduate level on the MA Children’s Literature, MA Creative Writing and Education, and MPhil/PhD programmes.
My research focuses on: multiliteracies and digital storytelling; multimodal composition and creativity; language development, poetry and multilingualism; transformative pedagogy and activist citizenship; children’s literature and Young Adult Fiction.
Underpinning my research is a commitment to research methodologies that embrace collaborative and creative ways of researching.
I am co-director of a global literacy project ‘Critical Connections Multilingual Digital Storytelling’ (2012-ongoing) that uses digital storytelling to support engagement with language learning and digital literacy and has been applied in over 50 schools in the UK and in 14 further countries.
Academic qualifications
- Bachelor of Arts in English (main) and Education (subsidiary) at York University 1982
- Post Graduate Certificate in Education in English with Drama at York University 1983
- Masters of Arts in Education in Language and Literacy; Child Development; Adult Learners, Education and Training at the Open University 1996
- Educational Research MA Module in Educational Research in Action at the Open University 1997
- Doctorate in Education in Language and Literacy at the Open University 2002
Teaching and supervision
I am currently supervising 8 MPhil/PhD students in the areas of ecological identity and children’s poetry; children’s comic making and self-published comics; adaptation in YA historical fiction; language and gender in YA fantasy fiction; girlhood and female role models in the Carnegie Winners 1936-2020; Hip Hop and Spoken Word Education; textual transactions and Interactive Fiction.
Research interests
My research in the field of multiliteracies recognises the power of story to educate and foregrounds new possibilities that project-based language learning with digital technology can open for language and literacy education. At Goldsmiths, I have created and led successful new sessions on multiliteracies, multimodal composing, multimodal theory and analysis, multimodal approaches in children’s literature, linguistic diversity in children’s literature, multilingual poetry, and multilingual digital storytelling (BA, PGCE, MA, MPhil/PhD).
Building on my research in the field of multilingual learning and digital technology and my co-edited book, Multilingual Digital Storytelling (2016), I have published extensively on digital language pedagogies as well as developing and maintaining the Critical Connections website (https://goldsmithsmdst.com/). The Critical Connections research project (2012-ongoing) has been recognised by the university as ‘Research which changes the world: Critical Connections’ (2021): https://www.gold.ac.uk/research/case-studies/.
The Critical Connections model has opened up opportunities for learning outside as well as inside school and for active participation in local and global communities online and offline. The model has been applied in over 50 primary, secondary, and complementary schools in the UK and 20 partnership schools in 14 further countries (Algeria, Australia, Cyprus, Egypt, Germany, India, Italy, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Palestine, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United States) around the globe. The Critical Connections model has engaged over 1,500 children in a digital storytelling community, including over 20 languages (with voice-over or subtitles in English), helping them to develop language skills and take pride in their intercultural understanding.
I am currently working with Professor Michael Rosen, Dr Julia Hope and postgraduate students (MA and MPhil/PhD) to publish a book, 'Children’s Literature in Action' (2022).
Featured publications
2016:
Multilingual Digital Storytelling: engaging creatively and critically with literacy
Edited Book
2022:
Liberating Language Education
Edited Book
2021:
Framing critical perspectives on migration, fairness and belonging through the lens of young people’s multilingual digital stories
Book Chapter
2021:
Stories, Communities, Voices: revitalising language learning through digital media within a project-based framework
Book Chapter
Grants and awards
2009:
Cultural, linguistic and cognitive issues in teaching the language of literary texts for pupils with EAL in secondary schools
Early Career Research Award, Goldsmiths, University of London
2011:
Meeting the Challenge of the Multicultural Classroom (in conjunction with Portugal)
European Comenius Regio Project
2012:
Leading Partner in English as an Additional Language Programme, TDA. Secondary School EAL
Training Development Agency
2012:
Critical Connections: a Multilingual Digital Storytelling Project.
Paul Hamlyn Foundation
2013:
A development project: Collaborative Community Approach to Migrant Education (in conjunction with France, Spain, Greece and Canada).
European Centre for Modern Languages (Council of Europe)
2015:
Critical Connections II: Moving Forward with Multilingual Digital Storytelling Project
Paul Hamlyn Foundation
2018:
Multilingual digital storytelling, museum artefacts and the arts: Creative pathways to language-and-culture learning
Small Grants Funding from Language Acts and Worldmaking AHRC project
2019:
Deptford Community Multilingual Digital Storytelling Project and Film Exhibition
Small Grants Funding from Language Acts and Worldmaking AHRC project
2020:
Our Planet – A Multilingual Poetry Workshop and Digital Storytelling Festival
Public Engagement Funding Goldsmiths, Univ. of London
2022:
Our Planet Festival 2022: Multilingual digital stories, artwork and poetry
Centre for Language Culture and Learning, Goldsmiths, University of London
Publications and research outputs
Book
- Critical Connections: Multilingual Digital Storytelling Project Macleroy, Vicky; Anderson, Jim and Chung, Yu-Chiao. 2014. Critical Connections: Multilingual Digital Storytelling Project. Goldsmiths, University of London.
Edited Book
- Liberating Language Education Lytra, Vally; Ros i Sole, Cristina; Anderson, Jim and Macleroy, Vicky, eds. 2022. Liberating Language Education. Bristol: Multilingual Matters. ISBN 9781788927932
- Multilingual Digital Storytelling: Engaging creatively and critically with literacy Anderson, Jim and Macleroy Obied, Vicky, eds. 2016. Multilingual Digital Storytelling: Engaging creatively and critically with literacy. Oxford: Routledge.
Edited Journal
- Special Feature: Children's Literature Macleroy, Vicky, ed. 2017. Special Feature: Children's Literature, EAL Journal, (3). 2398-8533
- Collaborative Community Approaches to Migrant Education Macleroy, Vicky, ed. 2015. Collaborative Community Approaches to Migrant Education, NALDIC Quarterly, 15(3). 1751-2182
- Literature, Culture and EAL Macleroy, Vicky, ed. 2014. Literature, Culture and EAL, NALDIC Quarterly, 14(3). 1751-2182
Book Section
- How can young people’s multilingual digital storytelling foster intercultural responsibility and an ethics of care? Macleroy, Vicky. 2025. How can young people’s multilingual digital storytelling foster intercultural responsibility and an ethics of care? In: Eva Bauer; Nicole Haring and Roberta Maierhofer, eds. Mediating Social Challenges: Art, Storytelling, and Critical Pedagogies. Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, pp. 131-153. ISBN 9783837672770
- How can picturebooks and stories transform the way children learn languages and navigate digital spaces in the primary classroom? Macleroy, Vicky; Sahmland, Susi and Hackney, Claire. 2024. How can picturebooks and stories transform the way children learn languages and navigate digital spaces in the primary classroom? In: Grit Bergner and Charlott Falkenhagen, eds. Storytelling in Primary CLIL. Herne, Germany: Gabriele Schafer Verlag. ISBN 9783910594043
- New possibilities for heritage languages within a reshaped language education landscape Macleroy, Vicky and Anderson, Jim. 2023. New possibilities for heritage languages within a reshaped language education landscape. In: Ken Cruickshank; Jo Lo Bianco and Merryl Wahlin, eds. Community and Heritage Languages Schools Transforming Education: Research, Challenges, and Teaching Practices. New York: Routledge. ISBN 9781003302704
Article
- Drama, English and Digital Storytelling: Using drama to create digital stories across languages and cultures Macleroy, Vicky. 2024. Drama, English and Digital Storytelling: Using drama to create digital stories across languages and cultures. Teaching English, 35, pp. 68-74. ISSN 2051-7971
- Grassroots policymaking in practice: including heritage languages in the critical connections project through agency, activism, and alternative voices Macleroy, Vicky; Anderson, Jim and Chung, Yu-Chiao. 2024. Grassroots policymaking in practice: including heritage languages in the critical connections project through agency, activism, and alternative voices. Current Issues in Language Planning, 25(5), pp. 590-611. ISSN 1466-4208
- How Can Digital Storytelling Open Up Spaces for Activist Citizenship Where Young Children Create Stories of Hope and Resilience Across the World? Macleroy, Vicky and Chung, Yu-Chiao. 2023. How Can Digital Storytelling Open Up Spaces for Activist Citizenship Where Young Children Create Stories of Hope and Resilience Across the World? International Journal of Early Childhood, 55(3), pp. 441-461. ISSN 0020-7187
Conference or Workshop Item
- Object narratives, imaginings and multilingual communities: young people’s digital stories in the making Macleroy, Vicky. 2019. 'Object narratives, imaginings and multilingual communities: young people’s digital stories in the making'. In: International Digital Storytelling Conference. Zakynthos Island, Greece 21-23 September 2018.
Digital
- Collaborative Community Approach to Migrant Education Macleroy, Vicky; Young, Andrea; Tsokalidou, Roula; Garcia Carrasco, Ruth and Kostiuk, Melody. 2015. Collaborative Community Approach to Migrant Education.
- Critical Connections II: Moving Forward with Multilingual Digital Storytelling Macleroy, Vicky and Anderson, Jim. 2012. Critical Connections II: Moving Forward with Multilingual Digital Storytelling.
Report
- Deptford Storytelling Project 2020 Macleroy, Vicky. 2020. Deptford Storytelling Project 2020. Project Report. Language Acts and Worldmaking, King's Digital Lab.
- Multilingual digital storytelling, museum artefacts and the arts: Creative pathways to language-and-culture learning Macleroy, Vicky. 2019. Multilingual digital storytelling, museum artefacts and the arts: Creative pathways to language-and-culture learning. Project Report. Language Acts and Worldmaking, King's Digital Lab.
- Critical Connections: Multilingual Digital Storytelling Project [Research Flyer] Macleroy, Vicky; Anderson, Jim and Chung, Yu-Chiao. 2014. Critical Connections: Multilingual Digital Storytelling Project [Research Flyer]. Project Report. Goldsmiths, University of London.
Professional projects
Regional Lead Provider for the BBC School News Report (2011)
Research projects
2012-2022:
Critical Connections Multilingual Digital Storytelling Project
Funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation (2012-14; 2015-17); Language Acts and Worldmaking (2018-20); Goldsmiths, University of London (2020-22). Further funded research projects under grants and awards.
Media engagements
2015:
Goldsmiths launches multilingual digital storytelling project to boost literacy in schools
Critical Connections Project
2016:
Digital storytelling project celebrates success at BFI
Critical Connections Project with British Film Institute
2020:
Community films celebrate diverse Deptford
Critical Connections Project with Deptford Cinema
2021:
Deptford Storytelling Project: Celebrating One Year
Critical Connections Project with Deptford Cinema
Conferences and talks
2020:
Keynote: Creative multilingualism, digital storytelling and literacies: successes, challenges and future directions
Annual NALDIC Conference: Multilingual Britain: Successes, challenges and future directions
2021:
Our Stories: A multilingual community film-making project in Deptford
Language Acts and Worldmaking Conference 2020, Languages Future
2021:
Cultural Webs of Deptford: Multilingual Digital Stories of Friendship and Belonging
9th International Digital Storytelling Conference
2021:
Dragons in Cypriot Folk Tales: Transforming spaces of literacy through local literature, translanguaging and digital storytelling in a Cypriot primary
6th International Conference ‘Crossroads of Languages and Cultures’ (CLC6): Plurilingualism, Variation, Spaces of Literacy
2021:
Keynote: Stories, Communities, Voices: Revitalising Language Learning through Digital Storytelling
International Conference on Community/Heritage Language Education
2022:
Inspiring Young Multilingual Activists through Digital Technology and the Arts
Language World 2022: Language Learning for Social Justice
2022:
Language Education Collages
MOSAIC Group for Research on Multilingualism Seminar Series
2022:
Keynote: Insights into the Critical Connections Project: Revitalising Language Learning through Digital Storytelling
Storytelling in Primary CLIL Conference
2022:
Critical Connections Multilingual Digital Storytelling Project - DST Conference 2022: Rise Up! Reconnect. Rebuild. Recreate
10th International Digital Storytelling Conference:
Advisory Board, Academic Review Board, Scientific Committee, Editor
• Member of the Academic Review Board for the journal English in Education (2015 - ongoing)
• Associate Editor for EAL Journal (2015 – ongoing)
• Member of Advisory Committee for ‘Multilingual Creativity’ supported by Calouste Gulbenkian Society, King’s College London and Free Word Centre (2015 - 2018)
• Member of the Scientific Committee for the 4th International Conference of Ethnography and Education, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (11-14 July 2017)
• Member of the Scientific Committee for the 5th International Conference Crossroads of Languages and Cultures: Languages and Cultures at Home and at School, University of Crete (13-14 June 2018)
• Member of the Advisory Board for ‘Creative Translation in the Classroom’ (CTiC) programme led by the Stephen Spender Trust and funded by Rothschild Foundation and Polonsky Foundation (2019 – 2022)
• Member of the Advisory Board for ‘Young Poets’ Stories’ project led by Sue Dymoke (Nottingham Trent University) and Anthony Wilson (University of Exeter) and funded by the Foyle Foundation (2020 – 2023)
• Member of the Academic Review Board for the journal Pedagogy, Culture and Society (2020 – ongoing)
• Member of Scientific Committee for 6th International Conference Crossroads of Languages and Cultures (CLC6): Plurilingualism, Variation, Spaces of Literacy, University of Cyprus (2-4 September 2021)
