Multiple Literacies & Multi-Modal Texts

Using Microsoft Power Point Presentation software, I created a multi modal text based on The Little Mermaid Story. Due to my experience with using the software, the process was simple. However, this task revealed many uses of Power point that I was unaware of. For example, it can be used as a multimodal text that uses interactive ways of reading, such as word banks. It is also an effective way of making reading enjoyable as it can include every child in the class. Therefore, integrating literacy into multi modal text will be a transferable skill that will enable me to teach lessons that generate a high level of pupil excitement and engagement (Stafford, 2011).  During school experience, the use of multimodal texts became apparent. The teacher used Microsoft power point when sharing ‘The Lighthouse Keeper’s Picnic’ with the class. It enabled the teacher to make the reading interactive through word banks, which involved the whole class and provided children the opportunity to contribute. Not only was it motivating, it also enabled the class to be engaged with their learning (Carrington and Robinson, 2009).

As stated by Future Lab (2010) children need to be able to negotiate information in multiple modes as well as learn how meaning can be represented in those modes. Therefore, this multimodal text would support children’s reading as well as their ability to make meaning from text. As well as this, it has been found that the use of multimodal text can enable teachers to draw on their current ways of responding to, and assessing, children’s work in order to extend and enhance teaching and learning of texts and how they communicate (QCA/UKLA, 2004). It could therefore be argued that implementing this multi modal text within the classroom is beneficial for both teacher’s and pupils.

Although there are many benefits associated with using this software, there are limitations for everyday practice. The main draw is that it was very time consuming. Thus, it is not practical for everyday practice. In addition, there are certain skills and knowledge that must be accessible for the teacher and the class in order to include this multimodal text in their classroom. These include having the ability to transition from one mode of media to another. This would therefore need to be addressed by the teacher and discussed in detail (Evans, 2004).  However, children are surrounded by visual texts of all kinds at school as well as home. Therefore, children have experience of a wide range of texts that combine words and pictures, movement and sound, therefore they can use this developed knowledge when interacting with multimodal texts in the classroom (QCA/UKLA, 2004).

Creating this multimodal text has revealed to me the importance of supporting a child’s knowledge of multimodal literacies in order to enable them to hold a positive response and attitude towards reading (Evans, 2004).

Bibliography

Carrington, V & Robinson, M. (Ed) (2009) Digital Literacies: Social Learning and Classroom Practices London: Sage Publications Ltd

Evans, J. (2004) Literacy Moves On: Using Popular Culture, New Technologies and Critical Literacy in the Primary Classroom. Abingdon: David Fulton Publishers

FutureLab. (2010) Digital Literacy across the Curriculum. [pdf] Available from: http://www2.futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/handbooks/digital_literacy.pdf(Accessed: 25/02/14)

Stafford, T. (2011) Teaching Visual Literacy in the Primary Classroom London: Routledge

QCA/UKLA (2004) More than words: Multimodal texts in the classroom. London: QCA