Update #3: Multiliteracies

Everyone learns differently, and so we should as we are all unique individuals. But, if you’re a high school teacher teaching six class periods a day, with an average of 25 students per class equaling 150 students, then you have, for the most part, just as many learning styles. How, then, do you communicate course material to so many students in such a way that is actively engaging and creates meaning for each student? One way to do that is through multiliteracy.

According to the New London Group there are five communication modes, or broad meaning making systems[1]:

Meaning Systems

Adapted from the New London Group (1996/2000)

A combination of two or more of these modes within an activity, assignment, assessment, or project, is called multimodal.

I am a big proponent of multimodal learning. As a high school teacher, I found that I could satisfy every student’s learning style and successfully impart the course material in a way that boosted comprehension, understanding, and retention. For example, at the end of a unit, I opted to give my students a multimodal final performance task as a summative assessment rather than a traditional test. Usually, I gave them two, sometimes three options from which to choose that they could do alone or with a partner depending on the task. Here are a couple of those multimodal project examples, a bit shortened for brevity:

Create a storyboard for an educational video for middle-school students that illustrates the unit’s four objectives in a way that is appealing and accessible to young adolescents. Then film it to create a 10-15-minute video using two or more creative methods such as imagery, animation, music, etc. to convey the key elements of each objective.[2]

Communication modes used in this example: written (storyboard), audio (vocals, dialogue, narration, music), visual (images, animation), spatial (placement of objects, stage), gestural (facial expressions, movement of characters/people)

Imagine you’ve been invited by the Biblical News Network to produce a talk show called “Hidden Figures: Lessons from Lesser-Known Biblical Characters.” Choose three biblical characters. Write a script for the show. As the interviewer, pose questions to your guests about certain topics. Conclude your script with a one-two paragraph personal reflection on what you, the interviewer, have learned from spending time with these biblical figures. Arrange to either film your talk show or perform your talk show live for the class. [3]

Communication modes used in this example: written (script, personal reflection), audio (dialogue among characters and interviewer), visual (students as biblical characters in costume and interviewer), spatial (placement of props, chairs), gestural (movement of characters and interviewer interviewing characters, bodily movements, facial expressions)

Both of these examples use all five multiliteracies. Although the development and presentations of student final tasks could be time consuming, I found the projects to be well worth the time. Students were fully engaged and attentive in creating their projects, collaborated and cooperated with their classmates, learned at a deeper level, had fun during the creative process, and became more aware of their learning preferences. This balanced approach led them to greater understanding, comprehension, and retention of the course material.

References:

https://zybristol.wordpress.com/2016/10/19/a-pedagogy-of-multiliteracies-designing-social-futures-the-new-london-group-1996/

https://academics.uafs.edu/academic-success/visual-learning-strategies

https://newlearningonline.com/multiliteracies

[1] http://vassarliteracy.pbworks.com/f/Pedagogy+of+Multiliteracies_New+London+Group.pdf

[2] Schroeder, Carrie, “Revelation and the Old Testament Teacher Guide”, Saint Mary’s Press, 2019, (editor: May Lane), p. 27

[3] Schroeder, Carrie, “Revelation and the Old Testament Teacher Guide”, Saint Mary’s Press, 2019, (editor: May Lane), p. 253