Fostering a Co-constructed Multimodal Learning Space Through Digital Multimodal Compositions in Elementary Multilingual Classrooms

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 1:45 pm - Gold 4
  In Roundtable Session: Multimodal Literacies: Visual, Digital, and Oral Perspectives

Abstract

Previous research revealed challenges of integrating multimodality in language and literacy classrooms due to the conventional notions of “language” as the only legitimate way to communicate and the pressure of language-focused standardized assessments. In this research, the researcher and a teacher redesigned and co-facilitated three writing modules in a 5th grade English language development (ELD) classroom over one academic semester. This research firstly identified the focal teacher’s perception and integration of multimodality as the foundation for later contextualized lesson redesigning. Then this research unfolded how the researcher and teacher collaboratively navigated challenges of integrating multimodal projects in the formal curriculum and identified strategies for fostering a multimodal learning space through digital multimodal composition projects to support multilingual students’ writing experiences.

Authors

• Hongye Zeng, University of Maryland

• Hannah Park, University of Wisconsin - Madison