Mapping Children’s Identity and Belonging through Mapping in Multimodal Composition

• In Event: Shifting the Boundaries of Literacy: Writing, Identity, and Authenticity in Multiple Contexts

Abstract

Children shape and express their identities through dynamic processes (Genishi & Goodwin, 2008). This study explores how children's identities and senses of belonging are represented through mapping, a method that views experiences as meaningful knowledge (Marx, 2022) and provides insights into their worldviews and social interactions (Powell, 2010). Using visual methodologies to gather children’s perspectives on literacy practices (Hanke, 2014; Turner & Albro, 2017), we apply multimodal analysis to understand how various modes help children represent their identities and belonging addressing two research questions: (1) How is children's identity expressed through multimodal mapping? (2) How can children’s fluid identities be understood through multimodal analysis regarding their sense of belonging and inclusion in classrooms?
Multimodality encompasses traditional written words as well as visual, aural, embodied, and spatial modes of communication (Bezemer & Kress, 2008; Kress, 2010). It reveals how children construct meaning through multimodal compositions, integrating cultural artifacts, language use, and social practices. Previous studies using multimodal literacy have revealed the depth of children’s expression and understanding (Henward & Grace, 2016; Powell, 2010a, 2010b; Turner & Griffin, 2020), moving beyond traditional views of writing as mere communication. Linked to multiliteracy (Jewitt, 2008), this study offers insights into children's multifaceted literacy (Dyson, 2003; Genishi & Dyson, 2015) and highlights how mapping serves as a liminal space in writing. Acknowledging children develop “a sense of identity and of belonging to that group” when they belong to a group or community, share practices, and engage in interactions (Genishi & Dyson, 2015, p. 8), we use the concept of funds of identity (Esteban-Guitart & Moll, 2014) to explore how individuals draw on culturally accumulated and socially distributed resources. This approach helps us understand children’s participatory, cognitive, and emotional senses of belonging.
Maps and semi-structured interview data were collected from two K-4 classrooms in the United States and Korea. A total of 35 students depicted their comfortable spaces at school using multimodal compositions (e.g., drawing, writing, translanguaging, labeling). Three researchers analyzed each student’s dataset to explore identities and belonging using multimodal analysis (Bezemer & Jewitt, 2010; Jewitt, 2006; Jewitt et al., 2016). The qualitative data yielded four emergent themes: 1) social relationships and community (people and relationships), 2) academic and school-related aspects (academic subjects, school spaces), 3) personal identity and interests (preferences and identity), and 4) environmental contexts (home, places, materials). These themes deepen our understanding of children's fluid identities as reflected in their multimodal compositions, leading to three key findings: (1) The Interplay of Social Relationships and Community in Identity Formation, (2) Academic and School-Related Contexts as Foundations for Identity and Interests, and (3) Multimodal Composition and a Sense of Belonging. The study’s child-centered methodologies and multimodal approaches capture how children express their culture, preferences, interests, and perspectives while mapping ‘spaces.’ Educators can create environments where children actively construct knowledge, express themselves, and confidently navigate their physical and social worlds.

Authors

• Seongryeong Yu, Old Dominion University

• Hyeju Han, National Louis University

• Hyoju Ahn, Northern Illinois University