Multimodal Literacy and Design in the Classroom
Maureen Walsh (2010) from the Austrailian Catholic University, posed an important and interesting question: "A crucial issue for literacy educators is whether those 'basic' aspects of reading and writing 'on screen' ential different processes from the reading, writing, and producing of print-based texts" (p. 213). She notes that "the theory of multimodality has been the basis for the contention that the simultaneous processing of different modes of text, image, sound and gesture in visual, media or digital texts is a different function from the linear, sequential reading of print-based texts" (Walsh, 2010, p. 214). I believe this observation is accurate, and should not be looked upon as being detrimental in any way to the use of multimodality with students, rather it should be seen as a repertoire of powerful and necessary complementary literacy tools to traditional print-based texts. Multimodality empowers students to construct meaning with much more depth, in a much more holistic manner. It should be used in the classroom, especially the classroom of English Language Learners as they endeavor to construct meaning in their new language.
Students as Designers
Moreover, secondary students often possess a wealth of digital literacy skills that educators too often neglect to incorporate into their classroom strategies and assignments. Christopher A. Walsh, a classroom teacher in New York City's Chinatown, recognized his own shortcoming in this area, and,
"began to incorporate multiliteracies practices into [his] literacy instruction. This approach positioned students as multimodal designers who could use their creativity resourcefully to exploit the semiotic potentials of modes other than print. Moving beyond print-based representations, [he] set assignments and projects that required students to integrate and orchestrate images, written text, sound, music, animation and video into their designs" (2007, p. 79).
"began to incorporate multiliteracies practices into [his] literacy instruction. This approach positioned students as multimodal designers who could use their creativity resourcefully to exploit the semiotic potentials of modes other than print. Moving beyond print-based representations, [he] set assignments and projects that required students to integrate and orchestrate images, written text, sound, music, animation and video into their designs" (2007, p. 79).
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Walsh (2007) decided to stimulate and harness his students' creativity through his instruction and their assignments. He "designed a curriculum, which changed what counts as literacy work in my classroom. [He] incorporated a wider variety of forms of media (e.g., books, PCs, MP3 players) and modes (e.g., writing, image, HTML), which are valued by students outside of school. [He] required students to come together in collaborative teams to design websites, online tutorials for one another, curricular resources that became central classroom texts, peer assessment on message boards and online literacy circles" (p. 80).
In conclusion, Walsh (2007) explains that his study, "highlights the importance of making school-based literacy practices relevant to students’ life worlds. It also identifies implications for educators, administrators, curriculum developers and teacher educators concerning the need for broader public discussions and classroom understandings about the field-specific social consequences of literacy instruction. It points to the fact that literacy education, if it is to make any consequential difference in students’ life trajectories, has to extend beyond the school. It also suggests that individual teachers, when thinking about what counts as literacy, could view youths’ creative design – or the social and cultural capitals they possess in fields other than school – as significant in helping them acquiring more traditional school literacies" (p. 84).
In conclusion, Walsh (2007) explains that his study, "highlights the importance of making school-based literacy practices relevant to students’ life worlds. It also identifies implications for educators, administrators, curriculum developers and teacher educators concerning the need for broader public discussions and classroom understandings about the field-specific social consequences of literacy instruction. It points to the fact that literacy education, if it is to make any consequential difference in students’ life trajectories, has to extend beyond the school. It also suggests that individual teachers, when thinking about what counts as literacy, could view youths’ creative design – or the social and cultural capitals they possess in fields other than school – as significant in helping them acquiring more traditional school literacies" (p. 84).
Multimodality in Meaning-Making
Many researchers endeavoring to uncover the effects and implications for practice that multimodal instruction may afford first pay homage to the reality that we are living in a multimodal world, perhaps now more than ever before. This is certainly changing the way we think about literacy and literacy instruction. Hull & Nelson (2005) note that, "what counts as a text and what constitutes reading and writing are changing...in this age of digitally afforded multimodality...it is possible now to easily integrate words with images, sound, music, and movement to create digital artifacts that do not necissarily privilege linguistic forms of signification but rather that draw on a variety of modalities--speech, writing, image, gesture, and sound--to create different forms of meaning" (p.224-225). This idea of making meaning through multiple modes is especially relevant and crucial when educators are considering instructional design for English Language Learners. Mulitimodal instruction and assignments can, as Ms. Michelle put it in her interview, bridge the gap for ELLs when they face barriers to comprehension or meaningful production (speaking and writing) and learning due to their lack of language proficiency.
Furthermore, encouraging students to utilize multiple modes in the ESOL classroom, allows for their own wealth of knowledge, that is so often not accounted for in traditional American classrooms, to be validated and brought to bear in their own and other students' learning.
A Podcast Project
Smythe and Neufeld (2010) discuss their students' semiotic resources, noting that "many scholars have found that the cultural, linguistic, and popular culture resources of low-income, new-comer, and English-language learners are often devalued in school settings, with implications for equity in educational outcomes" (p. 491), yet this seems to be the opposite of equity.
Furthermore, encouraging students to utilize multiple modes in the ESOL classroom, allows for their own wealth of knowledge, that is so often not accounted for in traditional American classrooms, to be validated and brought to bear in their own and other students' learning.
A Podcast Project
Smythe and Neufeld (2010) discuss their students' semiotic resources, noting that "many scholars have found that the cultural, linguistic, and popular culture resources of low-income, new-comer, and English-language learners are often devalued in school settings, with implications for equity in educational outcomes" (p. 491), yet this seems to be the opposite of equity.
Smythe and Neufeld (2010), in an effort to investigate potential digital literacy interventions, conducted a podcast project with thier ELL students in the Dalare Community School in Canada. The podcast project was "part of a larger three-year study concerned with ELLs uneven academic progress, especially in the areas of reading and writing" (Smythe & Neufeld, 2010, p. 489).
The students created podcasts on subjects of their choice in pairs. Smythe and Neufeld (2010) note that, "students usually known as struggling readers and writers were repositioned as historical and cultural subjects, knowledgeable and skilled in practices embedded in their transnational identities" (p. 492). Also discussed in their article, is the notion of 'third space pedagogy' which Gutierrez et al. (1999) defined as "a classroom community of difference that uses multiple mediating tools and makes use of all the spatial, cultural, and linguistic resources of its participants" (p. 287). Through this multimodal project, these educators were giving their students a voice and ownership over their work and their worlds.
Multimodal Literacies
in the Secondary Classroom
Multimodal Literacies
in the Secondary Classroom
Sewell and Denton (2011) decided to incorporate multimodal instruction on a regular basis in their 6th and 7th grade English classrooms in Kansas. They state their rationale clearly: "We have adopted multimodal literacy practices in our classrooms primarily for two reasons. First, multimodality is now deeply ingrained in how our society communicates (Tierney, Bond, and Bresler 359). Thus, it may be possible to draw on students’ out-of-school literacies to help them perform better in our classrooms. Second, we recognize that not all of our students are proficient in multimodality (Mills 36); thus, they need training as well as access to technology to become competitive
in the workforce upon graduation from high school" (Sewell & Denton, 2011, p. 61).
Among other tools, they utilized 'anchored media instruction' which, "places learning in problems that seem authentic" (Sewell & Denton, 2011, p. 62). They used a great many videos, sounds, songs, and pictures to motivate their students to learn about whatever subject was at hand. This made the content more real and relevant for the students. Sewell and Denton (2011)note that, "Anchored media instruction raised many a sleepy head of our students who eagerly embraced our new lecturing techniques" (p. 62). However, were the students learning and retaining the information or just enjoying themselves more? As it turns out, according the Sewell and Denton, "anchored media instruction appears to be paying dividends in our efforts to raise test scores in that students on the spring 2010 KRA [the standardized benchmark exam in Kansas] rose from the previous low of 62.1 to an 80 percent" (Sewell & Denton, 2011, p. 63.
Although the experiment above did not occur specifically with a population of English Learners, we can certainly apply the investigators' rationale for the use of multimodal instruction in the classroom to ESOL classes. In addition, the promising results should certainly prompt ESOL educators to experiment with a variety of modes as we strive to facilitate our students' abilities to make meaning.
in the workforce upon graduation from high school" (Sewell & Denton, 2011, p. 61).
Among other tools, they utilized 'anchored media instruction' which, "places learning in problems that seem authentic" (Sewell & Denton, 2011, p. 62). They used a great many videos, sounds, songs, and pictures to motivate their students to learn about whatever subject was at hand. This made the content more real and relevant for the students. Sewell and Denton (2011)note that, "Anchored media instruction raised many a sleepy head of our students who eagerly embraced our new lecturing techniques" (p. 62). However, were the students learning and retaining the information or just enjoying themselves more? As it turns out, according the Sewell and Denton, "anchored media instruction appears to be paying dividends in our efforts to raise test scores in that students on the spring 2010 KRA [the standardized benchmark exam in Kansas] rose from the previous low of 62.1 to an 80 percent" (Sewell & Denton, 2011, p. 63.
Although the experiment above did not occur specifically with a population of English Learners, we can certainly apply the investigators' rationale for the use of multimodal instruction in the classroom to ESOL classes. In addition, the promising results should certainly prompt ESOL educators to experiment with a variety of modes as we strive to facilitate our students' abilities to make meaning.