Expanding the Notions of "Multilingualism" and "Multimodality" by Examining Multilingual Practice Across Various Educational Contexts

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

This symposium attempts to explore and expand the concepts of “multilingualism” and “multimodality” in second language research, considering the experiences of educators who work with multilinguals around the world. Four presenters examine multilingual students’ communicative practice in various educational contexts through the lens of multilingualism and multimodality. These projects illustrate unique, local language use (involving English and other languages) and multimodal communicative practice (including diverse interactional resources like gestures, other embodied actions, and materials). By demonstrating the reality of multilingual practice across various educational contexts, we aim to promote multilingual, multimodal communication as a new norm for second language researchers and educators, as well as to reimagine the notions of multilingualism and multimodality in second language research.

Sub Unit

• SIG-Second Language Research

Chairs

• Yumi Matsumoto, The University of Pennsylvania

• Jin Kyeong Jung, Texas Tech University

Papers

• Languaging to Become Global Communicators: Transnational Adolescents' Digital Communicative Practice - Jin Kyeong Jung, Texas Tech University

• Embodied Semiosis of Transnational Trajectories in Collaborative Community Translanguaging - Sujin Kim, George Mason University

• Multilingual Repertoire in Use and Development: A Conversation Analytic Study of a Peer Language Tutorial - Daisuke Kimura, Tokyo Institute of Technology

• Student-Initiated Use of Smartphones in Multilingual Writing Classrooms: Making Learner Agency and Multiple Involvements Visible - Yumi Matsumoto, The University of Pennsylvania

Discussant

• Kelleen Toohey, Simon Fraser University