Playing texts against each other in the multimodal English classroom

Abstract

This article explores the way adolescents and adults are experimenting with the multimodal affordances of contemporary intertextual practices. Drawing on a considerable number of recent research studies, we outline how young people and young adults are consistently engaging with the opportunities of the digital environment. We explore the recent history of multimodality, examining how we can help students move from simply using intertextuality for their own enjoyment, to a far more critical and informed position. This critical position, we feel, is especially powerful when students engage in intercontextuality and when they investigate issues of identity through the affordances of multimodal texts. Drawing on the research studies, we offer a number of ways in which English teachers can utilize the potential of their students’ capability with the new technologies.

• Critical inquiry
• hypertexts
• hypermedia
• intertextuality
• multi-genre writing
• multimodal writing
• placed-based writing