"I Am Learning Things I Didn't Know!" Multilingual Adolescents' Academic Learning Through Multimodal Composing

• In Event: Interrogating Assumptions to Pursue Truth: Research That Reframes How We Talk About and Teach Readers

Abstract

Purpose: A growing body of research emphasizes the benefits of multimodal composing for supporting student engagement, identity expression, and collaboration (Author, 2020; Yi et al., 2019). However, only a handful of studies have examined the learning that occurs when multilingual students make meaning across modalities. The purpose of this comparative case study (Stake, 2006) is to understand multilingual adolescents’ academic learning through digital multimodal composing in two different contexts—a 10th grade English Language Arts classroom and a summer STEM and Literacy (STEM+L) program.

Theoretical Framework: This study is guided by a social semiotics (Kress, 2010) view of multimodality that emphasizes how various modes are integral in meaning-making. This study is also grounded in sociocultural theories of literacy that emphasizes how meaning-making is mediated between composers and their cultural tools (Wertsch, 1998). These tools—both material and psychological— can play a critical role in shaping learning and composing processes.

Methods: Both studies were situated in a major southeastern city in the United States with a large population of the students having a heritage language other than English. The first study was conducted in four 10th-grade ELA classes at an urban Title 1 charter school. Students participated in multimodal literature units where they created three projects—a hypertext literary analysis, persuasive soundscape, and video theme analysis. The second study was conducted in a one-week STEM+L program where students (grades 6-8) created multimodal science fictions that proposed creative solutions to the climate crisis.
Ten small groups of students (5 from each study) were examined to understand their multimodal composing processes (n=28). Data sources included screen capture and video observatons, design interviews, and final multimodal projects.
Multimodal analysis of the screen capture and video data was conducted to gain an in-depth understanding of students’ collaborative composing processes. The second phase of analysis involved open and axial coding (Strauss & Corbin, 1998) across video data and student interviews to develop overarching themes.

Findings: Comparative case analysis revealed common themes in how multimodal composing mediated multilingual students’ academic learning. Students collaboratively engaged with content while transmediating meaning across visuals, sound, text and movement. Additionally, students described being able to “visualize,” “feel,” and “see” the content in new ways when representing their ideas multimodally. Finally, the multimodal composing included embedded opportunities for students to authentically write at different stages of their processes.

Scholarly Significance: While multimodal projects are often viewed as simply engaging and creative, this presentation will examine the innovative learning potential and implications of multimodal meaning-making for multilingual students.

Author

• Blaine E. Smith, Vanderbilt University
  Presenting Author