What is multimodal teaching?
What is multimodal teaching? Multimodal teaching refers to instruction or learning materials consisting of multiple modes to deliver content and assess student learning. When multiple modes are used together, they can result in a more effective learning experience. Although multimodal teaching is a requirement in the MYP language acquisition subject, students in different subject groups will also benefit from the multimodal teaching approach.
After some reading and researching, I am attempting to make sense of multimodal teaching not to feel too confused. In my interpretation, a multimodal teaching approach focuses on using learning materials incorporating a variety of semiotic modes—linguistic, visual, aural, spatial, and gestural meaning and interactivity that requires students to use different sensory modalities (i.e. listening, speaking, viewing, gesturing, touching, etc.) to understand the content. Students then have opportunities to demonstrate their understanding by using different modalities.
This may sound very technical, but we apply the multi-literacy skill in our everyday life. Our life is multimodal, and we constantly consume media that integrates different modes of expression (semiotic modes) via multimedia. How often have you come across information online with both text and video components? When watching a youtube video, we listen to understand the speech (tone of voice, intonation, etc.); read the title, subheadings, subtitles on the screen; view the facial expression, gestures, and so on to comprehend the video. When reading a blog post, we consider the title, headings, images, written text (tone of writing, style), layout and structure, etc.
This article will consolidate my understanding of what multimodal teaching is, why it’s used, and the different ways it can be implemented in our classroom.
The power of multimodal teaching
One of a teacher’s primary goals is to impart knowledge, develop conceptual thinking and foster skills, but there are many different ways to get that information across. The different modes of communication include visual (i.e., pictures, illustrations), auditory (i.e., speeches), reading and writing (news article, written handouts), and kinesthetic (i.e., movement, gestures). The VARK modalities, Visual, Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic, are important modes of perception in teaching. Teachers use more than one mode to create multimodal lessons—meaning they can teach through multiple modalities at once.
With a multimodal approach, teachers can move beyond just using texts. Instead, they can utilize multimedia resources that include images, audio and video to give students a wider variety of learning experiences. For example, the teacher uses various photos in their presentations to get their point across. They show a video with subtitles, speech, music, and gestures that deepen understanding of a topic. The more senses a student uses while being taught, the better they’ll remember what they’ve learned and how to apply it in real life. Using multiple modes can help students better understand complex topics and concepts and provide differentiated instructions.
Multimodal learning helps develop international- mindedness
Living in the globalized world, we need to communicate cross-culturally and understand other cultures. Communication can be facilitated in many ways, such as through different languages, gestures, body language, images or sounds. Additionally, with the advancement of technology, students have access to different media types such as podcasts, Twitter, Instagram posts, blogs, online interactive video games, etc. With a multimodal approach to communication and learning through language acquisition, students explore a variety of cultural perspectives, become more attuned to cultural differences and pick up on nuances that others miss.
By being exposed to various cultural perspectives, learners develop international mindedness, appreciate cultural differences, and increase awareness of their own cultural identity. They learn to embrace diversity and appreciate ways of communication that are unique to other countries. Additionally, multimodal learners can explore their assumptions and biases influenced by the culture they grow up with and life experiences by analyzing modes of communication in real-life authentic multimodal texts. In short, multimodal teaching help students understand that there is more than one way to do things and get our message across in our global world. It is important to develop multiliteracies, engaging with text in multimodal ways to construct meaning, and understand different communication modes.
Modes of communication
Mode is “a socially-produced, cultural resource which humans can draw on to make meaning material so that they can communicate with others. It is the medium used to communicate a message.” (MYP Language acquisition guide, page 70, published February 2020, updated April 2021.) Examples of mediums include video, image, text, and audio, such as film, newspaper, billboard, radio, television, theatre, and classroom (ibid).
I found this definition quite confusing. The language acquisition assessment objectives require students to understand and interpret an authentic text with more than one mode, such as a blog post with images (visual) and written words (linguistic). I am not a linguist. I just want to understand the guide better to design learning materials and help students develop multiliteracies. Therefore, I refer to an alternative definition of mode.
“Mode refers to a socially organized set of semiotic resources for making meaning. Examples of modes include image, writing, layout, and speech among others.” (“Introducing Multimodality”)
I refer to modes of communication in the MYP language acquisition teaching context as using more than one mode to communicate a message to the target audience. When teachers communicate information about specific topics to students, they select an authentic text through multimedia that utilizes several modes of communication to help students understand messages better and learn better by engaging several of their senses while learning new information. For example, a blog post contains words (linguistic mode) and images (visual mode).
Five modes of communication (semiotic modes)
There are five modes of communication, which also have been called semiotic modes: linguistic, visual, aural, gestural and spatial. They all represent different ways we express our thoughts and feelings to others. All five are important in multimodal teaching. In multimodal teaching, we teach students to understand each mode by learning components in each mode and then discuss how different modes are integrated to make meaning (modal affordance).
Multiliteracies through multimodal teaching
I created the poster entitled “Develop Multiliteracies through Multimodal Teaching” to illustrate my thinking. A multimodal teaching approach focuses on using learning materials incorporating a variety of semiotic modes—linguistic, visual, aural, spatial, and gestural meaning and interactivity that requires students to use different sensory modalities (i.e. listening, speaking, viewing, gesturing, touching, etc.) to understand the content. Teachers select the learning material through various mediums (video, blog post, news article, videogames, short film, etc.). Finally, students should have opportunities to demonstrate their understanding by integrating different semiotic modes and presenting them in a range of mediums.
When students learn to comprehend and interpret multimodal texts, teachers should prompt them to consider the following questions.
- What is the author (or implied author)?
- Who is the target audience?
- What is the purpose of this creation?
- Why was the text created? In what context was the text created?
- What is the genre of the text and its convention?
English poster
Traditional Chinese poster
Simplified Chinese poster
Conclusion
Multimodal teaching is helpful to help students access content in all subjects and is helpful for all students. This is especially true when we live in a world where people learn to read and write in many different ways. If a student can study a difficult topic or a complex concept via a video or text with images, that information is more relatable. When students have access to different modes of communication, they can be more successful and independent learners. And if teachers use multimodal methods to teach content across various subject areas, their classes will be filled with chances for interdisciplinary lessons. These practices allow students to tap into multiple ways of understanding information.
References
- Fillmore, Ann. “Multi-Modal Communication: Writing in Five Modes.” Openenglishatslcc.pressbooks.com, 1 Aug. 2016, openenglishatslcc.pressbooks.com/chapter/multi-modal-communication-writing-in-five-modes/#:~:text=Gestural%20Mode%3A%20includes%20movement%2C%20speed. Accessed 17 Feb. 2022.
- “Introducing Multimodality.” Routledgetextbooks.com, routledgetextbooks.com/textbooks/9780415639262/unit04.php.
- Maier, Cssandra. “Multimodal Teaching Strategies | Synonym.” Classroom.synonym.com, 12 Sept. 2011, classroom.synonym.com/multimodal-teaching-strategies-12049345.html. Accessed 16 Feb. 2022.
- “The Five Modes | UM RhetLab.” Courses-Lumenlearning-Com.translate.goog, courses-lumenlearning-com.translate.goog/olemiss-writing100/chapter/the-five-modes/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=zh-TW&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=op#footnote-860-1. Accessed 17 Feb. 2022.
