Developing multimodal literacy through critical practices : an examlpe from an english for the media university program
Date Issued
December 2023
Author(s)
Abstract
Among the challenges for language instructors nowadays is to prepare learners to be active-
ly and equitably engaged in digitally mediated environments. Drawing on research in Criti-
cal Pedagogy that highlights the importance of raising learners’ critical awareness through
language (Luke, 2012), this presentation discusses how critical practices of identifying and
negotiating the expression of personal opinion in multimodal texts, in an English for the Me-
dia context can enhance the development of multimodal literacy. The instructional design
discussed in the presentation, is framed by the Critical Thinking (CT) construct of myside
bias (Stanovich et al., 2013a) defined in Cognitive Psychology as the inclination to evaluate
and generate evidence in a manner biased towards an individual’s own opinions. The design
includes the use of authentic multimodal texts such as advertisements and online articles to
engage learners in collaborative critical analysis informed by Systemic functional Linguis-
tics (Halliday, 1994).
The analysis is designed to foreground the social purpose of multimodal texts through
explicit discussion of the ways authors use language and other multimodal components
such as images to promote or suppress specific views. The design is iterated, assessed
and refined as advocated by Design Based Research (DBR) methodology in support of the
development of design principles that guide, inform and improve both practice and research
in educational contexts. (Collective, 2003). Data analysis indicates that using CT to frame
learners’ engagement with multimodal texts can enhance their understanding of the func-
tional role of language and other multimodal components in construing meaning (e.g. avoid-
ing bias). Furthermore, data shows that iteration of such critical questioning processes may
develop habits of mind which seem to enhance learners’ multimodal literacy skills. Finally, it
is suggested in this presentation that such or similar practices can be effectively developed
or adapted and applied in different language contexts.
ly and equitably engaged in digitally mediated environments. Drawing on research in Criti-
cal Pedagogy that highlights the importance of raising learners’ critical awareness through
language (Luke, 2012), this presentation discusses how critical practices of identifying and
negotiating the expression of personal opinion in multimodal texts, in an English for the Me-
dia context can enhance the development of multimodal literacy. The instructional design
discussed in the presentation, is framed by the Critical Thinking (CT) construct of myside
bias (Stanovich et al., 2013a) defined in Cognitive Psychology as the inclination to evaluate
and generate evidence in a manner biased towards an individual’s own opinions. The design
includes the use of authentic multimodal texts such as advertisements and online articles to
engage learners in collaborative critical analysis informed by Systemic functional Linguis-
tics (Halliday, 1994).
The analysis is designed to foreground the social purpose of multimodal texts through
explicit discussion of the ways authors use language and other multimodal components
such as images to promote or suppress specific views. The design is iterated, assessed
and refined as advocated by Design Based Research (DBR) methodology in support of the
development of design principles that guide, inform and improve both practice and research
in educational contexts. (Collective, 2003). Data analysis indicates that using CT to frame
learners’ engagement with multimodal texts can enhance their understanding of the func-
tional role of language and other multimodal components in construing meaning (e.g. avoid-
ing bias). Furthermore, data shows that iteration of such critical questioning processes may
develop habits of mind which seem to enhance learners’ multimodal literacy skills. Finally, it
is suggested in this presentation that such or similar practices can be effectively developed
or adapted and applied in different language contexts.