Transcultural-affective flows and multimodal engagements: reimagining pedagogy and assessment with adult language learners

Abstract

In this article, we present a research study with a group of newcomer and refugee learners who have resettled in the Niagara region in Canada to create new lives. Over the course of four months, we came to know the stories of fifteen adult language learners, and we witnessed their steady induction, acceptance and enjoyment of multimodal activities. Combining the notions of translanguaging and affective flows with multimodal assessment, we draw out artifactual and interview data to illuminate ways of reframing assessment making it more meaningful and agentive. We push for broader perspectives of language education and a reconceptualization of ways to teach and assess English language learners.

Keywords:

• Multimodality
• translanguaging
• resettlement
• affective flows
• assessment
• 3D model of literacy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported through a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Partnership Grant (grant number 895-2016-1008).