Blog Post #4: The Magic of Multimodalism in ELA

I can't say that I have a ton of experience with digital multimodal composition, but my interest is definitely piqued. I remember using some of the more "basic" programs such as PowerPoint, Prezi, and Canva throughout middle school and high school, but I am eager to find ways to implement more than just images and text into how I communicate and express my literacy skills online. Things like PowerPoint presentations and Canva infographics set the foundation for students to explore the visual aspect of literacy and storytelling, but there are also factors such as sound, video, space, and movement that encapsulate the full potential of digital multimodal storytelling. Two genres I believe encourage this and have the potential to meaningfully engage my future ELA students are digital storytelling and book trailers. 

Digital storytelling asks its creators to think beyond how just words alone tell a story and invites them to consider what sounds, images, videos, and transitions/uses of space help bring these words to life. I love the idea that students can learn about the traditional "English-y" elements of stories and how to effectively execute them through something as creative and interactive as a digital story, while also simultaneously developing and honing in on their technological skills/literacies (which are becoming more vital than ever before!). In their study on the value that multimodal digital storytelling has on a student's understanding of place and storytelling in ELA, Chisholm and Trent came to some exciting conclusions for educators to consider: "Not only does the multimodal nature of this tool afford adolescents the opportunity to express themselves/their understandings in nonredundant ways that promote agency and the fostering of author identities, but multimodal composition also engages students in authentic disciplinary practices" (308-309). Just as a student plans, revises, and synthesizes information in a traditional written story, students creating a digital story are undergoing these vital literacy processes, while also finding new, creative ways to incorporate what digital platforms have to offer. I personally feel more creative and "free" to be myself when I am composing online, so why not give students this opportunity in our classrooms, a place where they should be discovering and playing with their voice and identity anyways?

 

Similar to digital storytelling, book trailers also invite students to think beyond just words when communicating a story. Though I have never created my own, I remember being exposed to them in middle school. After finishing my latest favorite YA book, I would go straight to YouTube to see if it was being made into a movie (since so many books were at the time- John Green novels, The Hunger Games, Divergent, etc,), usually only to find a handful of fan-made book trailers. I nonetheless devoured these videos and, to this day, believe they could be an extremely beneficial tool to get young students excited about and invested in sharing the books they read. Since book trailers use a variety of means such as sound, video, and text to "bring a book to life" and get viewers interested, students are required to identify key literary elements such as theme, tone, mood, setting, plot development, and characterization within their desired text. Rather than filling in a worksheet identifying their book's tone or taking a quiz about the story's sequence of events, book trailers give students the creative space to demonstrate their knowledge and produce a sharable representation of it. No two book trailers I've watched are quite the same, and this is something that should bring comfort and inspiration to students and teachers alike, as it shows the deeply individualized aspect of reading and literacy.

Outside of digital multimodal composition is a rising genre, the zine. I am new to this exciting, multimodal subculture of print communication, though I can already see its appeal to all ages. Buchanon touches on the numerous appeals that zines have for ELA classrooms, from their easy set-up and visual appeal to students being able to "interact with zines and zines creators in personal ways, creating a sense of involvement and connection not found in traditional stories and texts" (71). The openness and accessibility of the field lend to some highly unique opportunities for students to build connections with texts they consume and see print texts as something other than "static" words on paper. I, for one, think I need to start dipping my toes into this world so that I can give my students the stepping stones to follow suit and expand their view of literacy/multimodalism.