1. What is the main argument presented in this article?
The main argument presented in this article is that literacy is entangled; it encompasses more than just reading a book or writing a paper. People express themselves in multiple ways, forms, and communications. Multimodality allows people to express themselves through other mediums. For example, they can create digital projects that combine their words, art, and music.
2. Why is it imperative that teachers and educational policy makers recognize the role multimodality plays in redefining literacy in the 21st century?
Today, a literate person must be able to read and create a range of texts, from paper-based to online texts. They will need to be able to research information, and verify the reliability of their source. Companies may require their employees to communicate through email or create multimedia presentations. A literate person must also be able to participate in and create virtual settings. Online communities, such as blogging and social media, require knowledge of reading and writing in this medium. Finally, a literate person must be able to critically analyze multimodal texts.
3. What is the fundamental philosophical orientation of educators who engage in multimodal literacy instruction?
Children and adults learn best when they are engaged in complex, socially constructed, personally relevant, creative compositions of texts that incorporate a variety of communicative modes. This kind of instruction incorporates higher order thinking, collaboration, personal interest, and choice. It is instruction that is relevant and motivating for students.
4. What is the rational for engaging children in learning through the arts promoted by educational philosophers like Maine Green and Elliot Eisner?
Do you share this philosophical orientation? Why? Why not?
Engaging children in learning through art enables them to become different and look through the lenses of various ways of knowing, seeing, and feeling in a conscious endeavor to change one's perspective on the world. Yes, I definitely share this perspective. I believe art is so important for our students. At my school we don't have an art teacher, so part of my curriculum is teaching art. It is so great to watch how motivated and alive my students become when they are creating art. I really get to see their personalities come through. The best part is, for some of my students who struggle in reading or math, this is really their place to shine. So I do believe that art can change their perspective on themselves and the world.
5. Name three benefits of multimodal reading and writing for students? Be specific and use quotes from the text to support your claims.
(1) "Their ideas are imaginative and their language in discussing them is unusually descriptive."
By integrating art and writing it gives the students the opportunity to free up their thinking. Their are no guidelines or restrictions; they create the art they want to make and discuss it using their own language.
(2) "These stakeholders must also become familiar with how today's messages are sent, received, and interpreted."
Multimodal learning prepares students for the real world. They must learn how to read, write, and send emails and documents. They may have to interpret or create their own multimedia presentation.
(3) "...they revealed themselves as individuals, members of families, and as members of school through art and writing."
Through multimodal projects, students are able to express themselves and tell us who they are. Teachers are able to get to know their students better.
6. Give an example of how blogging supports the four aspects of multimodal theory proposed by Kress and Jewitt.
Materiality-is in the ideas that you express and the pictures and videos you use in your post
Framing-the way you format your words; from the type of font you use to the spacing. In blogging you keep your post short and to the point so that they can be read easily
Design-is the way we express ourselves; the format of our background, personal pictures, the colors we use
Production-technical skills; actually setting up and creating blog posts; our final product
7. What can teachers learn about their students from their image productions? Why is this important?
Image productions can show us traces of past experiences. They can tell us who are students are; where they're from, their family, their interests. It is important because it is a way to bridge a connection between home and school.
8. According to this article, why should teachers use technology in their teaching?
Some teachers are wary of using technology because they are unfamiliar with it and they like to teach what they know. However, if they gave it a chance and started incorporating it into their lessons they would become more comfortable with it. This would provide more opportunities for students to use multimodal literacy. The better they become, the more prepared they will be. In order to be successful in the 21st century they need to be literate in more than just reading and writing in a traditional way.
9. How does multimodal literacy realte to 21st century literacy?
New technical stuff-we are doing things we've always done, just in a new way. For example, we used to communicate by letter or phone, now we do it through text or Facebook.
New ethos-we are taking our ideas and knowledge and sharing it worldwide. For example, students in West Virginia can create a podcast on the history of our state and share it with students in another country.
10. What project described intrigued you the most?
I really liked reading about the "DC Area Literacy Map Podcast." I think it is a really cool idea for students to create a podcast and share it with students somewhere else. I would like to try this someday with my students. It would be a great multicultural project.
11. What challenges to integrating multimodal reading and writing into schools do you most identify with?
I can identify with those who are afraid to integrate a content area they are unfamiliar with. At my school we also don't have a music teacher, so I am responsible for music instruction as well. This really overwhelmed me because I have very limited musical knowledge. I love music, but I wasn't sure how to teach it. I can see why those who are unfamiliar with technology are so resistant to integrate it.
12. Why is mulitmodal literacy essential in preparing students for work, play and democratic participation in the 21st century?
We all think, learn, and express ourselves differently. Multimodal literacy reaches those who are marginalized; those who are not traditional learners. It encompasses all learning styles and intelligences. Their is something for every student to excel at.
13. Find and embed an image in your blog posting that relates to mulitmodal literacy.
Source
