A pedagogical framework for digital multimodal composing in the English Language classroom

ABSTRACT

With the increasing recognition in the importance of multiliteracies, this study argues for the need to develop a pedagogical framework to teach and support students’ digital multimodal composing practices, such as video production, in the classroom. The framework, informed by Systemic Functional Theory and Design Thinking, organises the knowledge and skills of digital multimodal practices into the critical, creative, and technical domains. Based on the framework, we develop a lesson package, comprising four lessons, which was implemented in a secondary school English Language classroom in Singapore. These findings suggest that rather than assuming students are intuitively capable of digital multimodal composing skills, a pedagogical framework that guides their development and demonstration of these skills can be useful.

KEYWORDS:

• Digital multimodal composition
• pedagogical framework
• English Language classroom
• multiliteracies
• video production

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the participating teacher and students in this study. This research has received clearance from the NTU-Institutional Review Board [IRB-2019-03-19].

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Wei Jhen Liang

Wei Jhen Liang researches on multiliteracies and she is interested in the teaching and learning of digital multimodal composing practices, specifically in the form of video production.

Fei Victor Lim

Fei Victor Lim is an Assistant Professor at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He researches and teaches on multiliteracies, multimodal discourse analyses, and digital learning. He is interested in how teachers can design meaningful learning experiences as well as what and how students should be learning in today’s digital age. He serves on the editoral teams of Asia Pacifiic Journal of Education, Computers and Composition and Designs for Learning.