ql-align-justify">One of the most important sites of multimodal communication that I see in my everyday life and that I expect to continue using in the long term as a Filipino student and as a future teacher is Facebook and Messenger. It is a digital space that has become a dynamic learning environment, showing how different modes can be combined. These include text for announcements, emoji reactions for expressing emotion or gestural meaning, the sharing of different kinds of images that represent visual-spatial meaning, the use of voice mail which represents oral or audio meaning, and the sending of videos that show processes or instructions. In the Philippines, where technology is widespread, especially cellphones and mobile data as primary tools for communication, Messenger in particular functions as an accessible multimodal learning platform.

A multimodal analysis is useful because it allows us to see that meaning-making in a class group is not limited to written text. For example, when a classmate shares an infographic explaining procedures for an activity in a Messenger group, it combines design elements such as color, layout, and icons to support understanding. If someone replies using a voice note to further clarify instructions, the meaning shifts into an oral mode, adding tone and emphasis that text alone cannot provide. According to Cope and Kalantzis (2009), meaning-making involves both representation thinking using external tools like notes, diagrams, and drafts, and communication, which is the sharing of meaning with others. In one group, many students draft notes or screenshots first as private representations before communicating them publicly.

This also aligns with the concepts of available designs, designing, and the redesigned (New London Group, 1996). For example, Facebook reactions, message threads, infographics, and voice notes are part of the available designs that we use as digital users. When students combine these such as posting reminders with emojis, using screenshots to highlight parts of a PDF, or turning text instructions into short videos, they are actively designing meaning. What results is a redesigned communication practice: a class culture where multimodal messaging becomes normal and effective.

This contrasts with traditional notions of literacy, which mainly focus on alphabetic reading and writing, correct grammar, and linear essays. Traditional literacy often treats text as separate from images or oral expression. However, multimodal literacy sees students as designers of meaning who draw on multiple modes to express and understand ideas (Kress, 2010; Jewitt, 2008). In our Messenger group, learning is never purely textual. Students share diagrams, photos of handwritten notes, TikTok videos, and even color-coded reviews. These practices show that literacy today is not just about reading and writing; it is about integrating different modes to communicate effectively in digital environments.

As a future Filipino teacher, this understanding will guide how I design lessons. I can encourage students to show their understanding through multimodal outputs such as infographics, narrated slides, diagrams, and short videos, not only written essays. This supports deeper thinking through synaesthesia, or mode shifting, where ideas move from oral to visual to written forms (Cope & Kalantzis, 2015). By recognizing Facebook and Messenger, or similar platforms, as legitimate literacy spaces, I can help students engage meaningfully using the multimodal tools already present in their daily lives.

Multimodal Communication in Digital Spaces: The Role of Facebook and Messenger in Student and Teache