Of Elementary Engineers and English Learners: Multimodal Communicative Improvisations in Problem-Solving Contexts

• In Event: 56.074 - Semiotics in Education: Signs, Meanings, and Multimodalities

Abstract

In the context of an elementary level engineering club, this research uses multimodal interactional analysis to examine the use, range, and complexity of communicative modes by an elementary-age English Language Learner (ELL). We are interested in how Ben, a Chinese third grader, used modes in interaction to communicate with his design partner. Data includes multimodal transcription and modal density visualizations drawn from an engineering project in which two boys engaged in problem-solving. Ben leveraged nonlinguistic modes during communication purposefully and differently than his fluent-English speaking counterpart, illustrated by modal densities displayed by each boy. This evidences the viability of multimodal, productive communication for demonstrating knowledge and problem-solving by ELLs, moving beyond historic privileging of language in student interactions.

Authors

• Katarina Nicole Silvestri, University at Buffalo - SUNY

• Lynn Shanahan, University at Buffalo - SUNY

• Mary B. McVee, University at Buffalo - SUNY