The Effects of Using Multimodal Approaches in Meaning-Making of 21st Century Literacy Texts Among ESL Students in a Private School in Malaysia

Malini Ganapathy, Saundravalli A/P Seetharam

Abstract


In today’s globalised digital era, students are inevitably engaged in various multimodal texts due to their active participation in social media and frequent usage of mobile devices on a daily basis. Such daily activities advocate the need for a transformation in the teaching and learning of ESL lessons in order to promote students’ capabilities in making meaning of different literacy texts which students come across in their ESL learning activities. This paper puts forth the framework of Multimodality in the restructuring of the teaching and learning of ESL with the aim of investigating its effects and students perspectives on the use of multimodal approaches underlying the Multiliteracies theory. Using focus group interviews, this qualitative case study examines the effectiveness of ESL teaching and learning using the Multimodal approaches on literacy in meaning-making among 15 students in a private school in Penang, Malaysia. The results confirm the need to reorientate the teaching and learning of ESL with the focus on multimodal pedagogical practices as it promotes positive learning outcomes among students. The implications of this study suggest that the multimodal approaches integrated in the teaching and learning of ESL have the capacity to promote students’ autonomy in learning, improve motivation to learn and facilitate various learning styles.

Keywords: Multimodal Approaches; Multiliteracies; Monomodal; Flipped Classroom; Literacy; Multimodal texts; Ipad


Full Text:

PDF

References


Annan, E. (2014). Challenges Confronting the Beneficiaries of the Vodafone/ Uew Educational Fund for Future Women Leaders in Science & Technology in the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. International Journal Of Education And Research, 2(3), 1-8. Retrieved from http://www.ijern.com/journal/March-2014/46.pdf

Asfar, N., & Zainuddin, Z. (2015). Secondary Students' Perceptions of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Use in Promoting Self Directed Learning in Malaysia. The Online Journal Of Distance Education And E-Learning, 3(4), 78. Retrieved from http://www.tojdel.net/pdf/v03i04/tojdel-volume03-i04-08.pdf

Basheer Nomass, B. (2013). The Impact of Using Technology in Teaching English as a Second Language. ELLS, 3(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ells.v3n1p111

Baxter, P., & Jack, S. (2008). Qualitative Case Study Methodology: Study Design and Implementation for Novice Researchers. The Qualitative Report, 13(14), 544-559. Retrieved from http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR13-4/baxter.pdf

Bearne, E., & Wolstencroft, H. (2007). Visual approaches to teaching writing. London: Paul Chapman.

Bergmann, J., & Sams, A. (2012). Flip your classroom. Eugene, Or.: International Society for Technology in Education.

Birks, M., & Mills, J. (2015). Grounded theory. Los Angeles, Calif.: Sage. Retrieved from: https://books.google.com.my/books?id=G9xtBgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Boshrabadi, A. M., & Biria, R. The efficacy of MMA vs. Print-based texts for teaching reading comprehension skills to iranian high school third graders. International Journal of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics World. 5(1). 365-380. Retrieved from: http://www.academia.edu/9202933.

Campbell, J. (1999). Student discipline and classroom management. Springfield, Ill.: C.C. Thomas Publisher.

Carroll, J. (2011). From Encyclopaedias to Search Engines: Technological Change and its Impact on Literacy Learning. Literacy Learning: The Middle Years, 19(2), 27-34. Retrieved from http://www.alea.edu.au/documents/item/180

Cooper, J. (2011). Classroom teaching skills. Belmonte, CA: Brookes/Cole. Retrieved from https://books.google.com.my/books?id=KJOe3n9pK3wC&pg=PA91&dq=constructivist+theory+in+teaching+and+learning&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CBsQ6AEwAGoVChMIs5qksOajxwIVUFSOCh3hDwIu#v=onepage&q=constructivist%20theory%20in%20teaching%20and%20learning&f=false

Cope, B., & Kalantzis, M. (2000). A Pedagogy of Multiliteracies: Designing social futures. In The New London Group, Multiliteracies: Literacy Learning and the Design of Social Futures (1st ed., pp. 9-42). London: Roultledge.

Cope, B., & Kalantzis, M. (2000). Introduction: Multiliteracies: the beginnings of an idea. In B. Cope & M. Kalantzis, Multiliteracies: Literacy Learning and the Design of Social Futures (1st ed., pp. 4-8). London: Roultledge.

Flood, J., Heath, S., & Lapp, D. (2008). Handbook of research on teaching literacy through the communicative and visual arts. New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Retrieved from https://books.google.com.my/books?id=cIx4CAAAQBAJ&pg=PA442&dq=students+diengagement+towards+print+based+texts&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAmoVChMIxvmwqpybxwIVhQWOCh2eEQ78#v=onepage&q=students%20diengagement%20towards%20print%20based%20texts&f=false

Frost, T. (1999). The Everyday Life of a Household in Cyberspace. Presentation, Beijing, China. www.iso.org/iso/livelinkgetfile?llNodeId=21581&llVolId=-2000

Ganapathy, M. (2007). Using the Multiliteracies Approach to Promote Learner Engagement in an ESL Classroom: A Case Study in a Selected School in Penang (Post-Graduate). Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Ganapathy, M. (2011). The Effects of th Multiliteracies Approaches on the Writing Performance of EFL Students in a Chinese School in Penang: Teacher and Student Perceptions (Ph.D). Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Ganapathy, M. (2014). Using Multiliteracies to Engage Learners to Produce Learning. IJEEEE, 4(6). http://dx.doi.org/10.17706/ijeeee.2014.v4.355

Ghazali, S., Setia, R., Muthusamy, C., & Jusoff, K. (2009). ESL Students’ Attitude towards Texts and Teaching Methods Used in Literature Classes. English Language Teaching, 2(4). http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/elt.v2n4p51

Gill, P., Stewart, K., Treasure, E., & Chadwick, B. (2008). Methods of data collection in qualitative research: interviews and focus groups. BDJ, 204(6), 291-295. doi:10.1038/bdj.2008.192

Gumbo, M. (2014). An Action Research Pilot Study on the Integration of Indigenous Technology in Technology Education. MJSS. doi:10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n10p386

Gunderson, L. (2009). ESL (ELL) literacy instruction. New York: Routledge. Retrieved from https://books.google.com.my/books?id=nak3AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA239&dq=ESL+and+Literacy&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAmoVChMI9eqxlZihxwIVx5COCh0syADC#v=onepage&q=ESL%20and%20Literacy&f=false

Hagood, M. (2003). New Media and Online literacies: No Age Left Behind. Reading Research Quarterly, 38(3). Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/4151825

Jewitt, C. (2008). Multimodality and Literacy in School Classrooms. Review Of Research In Education, 32(1), 241-267. doi:10.3102/0091732x07310586

Kaur, S., & Ganapathy, M. (2014). Multiliteracies in Education: Concept and Focus. In S. Kaur & S. Abdul Manan, Contemporary Perspectives in English Language Studies: Linguistics and Literature (1st ed., pp. 152-167). Penang: Universiti Sains Malaysia Press.

Kaur, S., & Wong, C. (2011). Transforming ESL Teaching by Embedding Infomration and Web Literacies into the Classroom. In A. Pandian, T. Chow & S. Mohamed Ismail, Curriculum Development, Materials Design and Methodologies: Trends and Issues (1st ed.). Penang: Universiti Sains Malaysia Press.

Kalantzis, M., & Cope, B. (2005). Learning by design. Melbourne, Aus.: Victorian Schools Innovation Commisstion.

Kress, G. (2009). Multimodality. Hoboken: Taylor & Francis.

Luan, L., & Wang, H. (2009). The Impact of Second Language Proficiency on Chinese ESL Students’ English Word Recognition. Asian Social Science, 5(1). doi:10.5539/ass.v5n1p37

Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission,. (2015). STATISTICAL BRIEF NUMBER SEVENTEEN: HAND PHONE USERS SURVEY 2014 (pp. 12-44). Selangor: Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission. Retrieved from http://www.skmm.gov.my/skmmgovmy/media/General/pdf/Hand-Phone-User2014.pdf

Manan, S. (2012). Linguistics, Literature and Culture. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Pub.

Mango, O. (2015). Ipad Use and Student Engagement in the Classroom. The Turkish Online Journal Of Educational Technology, 14(1), 53-57. Retrieved from http://www.tojet.net/articles/v14i1/1417.pdf

Manyasi, B. (2014). The Ethical Dilemma in Educational Research. Journal Of Education And Literature, 2(2), 68. Retrieved from http://www.rassweb.com/wp-content/uploads/PDF/JEL/Vol-2/Issue-2/Paper%204.pdf

Marlowe, B., & Page, M. (1998). Creating and sustaining the constructivist classroom. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.

Martin, T. (2006). Qualifications in Education for TAFE lecturers in Western Australia: Background, Functions and Concerns (Ph.D). University of Western Australia. Retrieved from http://www.uwa.edu.au/__data/assets/rtf_file/0010/99856/Martin_Theresa_EdD.rtf

Md. Shah, P., & L. Empungan, J. (2014). ESL Teachers’ Attitudes towards Using ICT in Literature Lessons. IJELE, 3(1), 201. doi:10.5296/ijele.v3i1.7158

Mehrabi Boshrabadi, A., & Biria, R. (2014). The efficacy of MMA vs. print-based texts for teaching reading comprehension skills to Iranian high school third graders. International Journal Of Language Learning And Applied Linguistics World, 5(1), 365-380. Retrieved from http://www.ijllalw.org/finalversion5130.pdf

Mikulecky, L., & Kirkley, J. (1998). Literacy Instruction for the 21st-Century Workplace. Peabody J. Of Educ., 73(3), 290-316. doi:10.1207/s15327930pje7303&4_14

Ministry of Education Malaysia. (2012). Preliminary Report: Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025. Ministry of Education Malaysia.

Mohd Ghani, M., Mahmood, F., Abdul Halim, H., & Rajindra, S. (2013). The Impact of Technology on Reading Texts Selection among Upper secondary ESL Students. International Journal Of Humanities Social Sciences And Education (IJHSSE) Volume, 1(3), 15. Retrieved from https //www.arcjournals.org/pdfs/ijhsse/v1-i3/3.pdf

Neville, M. (2005). Innovation in Queensland Education: Multiliteracies in Action. In M. Kalantzis & B. Cope, Learning by Design (1st ed., pp. 231-256). Melbourne: Common Ground Publishing Pty Ltd.

O'Rourke, M. (2005). Multiliteracies for 21st century schools. Australian National Schools Network, Faculty of Education, University of Technology, Sydney.

Pathak, A & Intratat, C. (2012). Use of Semi-Structured Interviews to Investigate Teacher Perceptions of Student Collaboration. Malaysian Journal of ELT Research, 8 (1), 1-10. Retrieved from www.melta.org.my

Pathak, R. (2008). Methodology of educational research. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors. Retrieved from https://books.google.com.my/books?id=OANf7tHNhwAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=purpose+of+research+in+education&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CDoQ6AEwBmoVChMIz9XygY2qxwIVkBiOCh2TQwqi#v=onepage&q=purpose%20of%20research%20in%20education&f=false

Reyes, S., & Vallone, T. (2008). Constructivist strategies for teaching English language students. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Rush, L.S. (2003). Taking a broad view of literacy: Lessons from the Appalachian Trail thru-hiking community. Reading Online, 6(7). Retrieved from http://www.readingonline.org/newliteracies/lit_index.asp?HREF=rush/

Sankey, M., Birch, D., & Gardiner, M. (2010). Engaging students through multimodal learning environments: The journey continues. In Ascilite 2010 (pp. 852-861). Sydney: Ascilite. Retrieved from http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/sydney10/procs/Sankey-full.pdf

Siemens, G. (2014). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved from http://www. itdl. org/journal/jan_05/article01. Htm

Solvie, P., & Kloek, M. (2007). Using Technology Tools to Engage Students with Multiple Learning Styles in a Constructivist Learning Environment. Contemporary Issues In Technology And Teacher Education, 7(2), 7-27. Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/22811/

Subramaniam, B. (2015). On the social media circuit. The Star. Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Education/2014/01/05/On-the-social-media-circuit/

Tyner, K. (1998). Literacy in a digital world. Mahwah, N.J.: L. Erlbaum Associates. Retrieved from https://books.google.com.my/books?id=Cc-QAgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Vayaravasamy, P., & Abdullah, A.C. (2011). Students’ and Teachers’ Preferences of ESL Classroom Activities. In A. Pandian, T. Chow & S. Mohamed Ismail, Curriculum Development, Materials Design and Methodologies: Trends and Issues (1st ed.). Penang: Universiti Sains Malaysia Press.

Yunus, M. M., Salehi, H., & John, D. S. A. (2013). Using Visual Aids as a Motivational Tool in Enhancing Students Interest in Reading Literary Texts. arXiv preprint arXiv:1305.6360.

Walsh, M. (2010). Multimodal literacy: What does it mean for classroom practice?. Australian Journal Of Language And Literacy, 33(3), 211-239. Retrieved from https://www.alea.edu.au/documents/item/63

Wrigley, H., & Guth, G. (1992). Bringing literacy to life. San Mateo, CA: Aguirre International for the U.S. Dept. of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Bookmark and Share


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

2010-2023 (CC-BY) Australian International Academic Centre PTY.LTD.

Advances in Language and Literary Studies

You may require to add the 'aiac.org.au' domain to your e-mail 'safe list’ If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox'. Otherwise, you may check your 'Spam mail' or 'junk mail' folders.