Semiotic modes accentuating learners’ metafunctions: The systemic functional approach to multimodal discourse analysis

Abstract

Drawing on the systemic functional approach to multimodal discourse analysis, this study investigates how struggling multilingual writers use semiotic modes to achieve different metafunctions in their multimodal composition. This study used the systemic functional approach to multimodal discourse analysis as a potential linguistic method to analyse how students’ semiotic choices work together in their multimodal composition to reflect three metafunctions of language (i.e. ideational, interpersonal and textual). The study analysed a hundred samples of multimodal composition and interviewed ten teachers to explore how students’ use of different semiotic modes reflected different metafunctions in multimodal composition. The study concludes that students conveyed different metafunctions in their multimodal composition via blending different semiotic modes that, in turn, reframe the conception about semiotic modes from meaningless isolated modes to those that create opportunities for constructing meaning. Theoretical and pedagogical implications for linguistics, applied linguistics, multilingualism and the systemic functional approach to multimodal discourse analysis research are discussed.