What Does Burmese Refugee Children's Multimodal Work Represent? A Case Study

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 8
  In Roundtable Session: Narratives, Testimonios, and Counterdiscourses to Transform Immigrant Education

Abstract

This study explores the research question: How do refugee children make meaning of their life experiences by blending multiple modes in a family literacy project? A social semiotics multimodal perspective is used as the theoretical framework to support this study. Data sources included video recordings of each visit, participants’ artifacts, and informal conversations with the participants. Findings revealed a focal participant created representational meaning of her life experiences associated with these two themes: family past experiences across global contexts and representation of current life experiences in the United States. For example, the multimodal approach allowed the participant to convey the meaning of how her family celebrated an important religious holiday and maintained family relationships. Implications for educators are discussed.

Author

• Aijuan Cun, The University of New Mexico