johndoe@gmail.com
Table 6.4
Multimodality assumes that people can communicate meaning and express themselves in multiple modes. Modes are “the effect of the work of culture in shaping material into resources for representation” (Kress and Jewitt 2003). Cultures vary in terms of what they consider to be resources. In a dominant Euro-North American culture, for instance, writing is a dominant mode for representing meaning, while many Indigenous cultures value oral communication of meaning. When multiple modes are included and valued, it broadens the possibilities for expression. For example, in the case of young children---who may not yet be able to communicate through the written word---teachers and family members can gain deeper insights into the meanings they are constructing by encouraging and interpreting their use of other modes. A multimodal approach combines two or more modes. A video, for example, communicates meaning through visual images and by auditory means. Below are some general categories of modes:
Mode | Explanation |
Written Language | Writing is a means of representing one’s own meaning to others and the self. Writing can be represented by hand, on the computer or an electronic device. |
Oral Language | Oral speech (either in person or recorded) is a mode for conveying meaning to others. Listening to oral language allows one to understand the meaning. |
Visual | A visual mode encompasses visual images (photos, picture books, artistic creations, drawings, and media texts) used to convey meaning. For example, well-known company logos are identifiable without any written words. One might analyze various elements of the visual image including shape, size, signs, symbols, and lines to understand the meaning. |
Tactile | A tactile mode draws on the senses of touch, smell, and taste to represent sensations or feelings. Examples can include direct physical contact, eating, tasting, cooking, smelling, and experiencing textures, temperature, and so forth. |
Audio | An auditory mode includes sounds, radio broadcasts, music, voice, oral speech and stories, songs, and so forth. |
Spatial | Spatial modes consider the relationship between individuals and the space; how each is organized or situated within the space, proximity, spacing, layout, and how individuals experience and make sense of the space. |
Gestural | Gestures involve using parts of the body (primarily the hands and face) to communicate with others. This can include: gaze, gestures, body positioning, facial expressions, dance, and movement, as well as ceremonies and rituals. Gestures can accompany speech, but are also a mode that can convey meaning on their own. An adult might wordlessly summon a child using a finger or a child might point at a desired object. Sign language is example of gesture being used as a more formalized mode of communication. Since modes are culturally constructed, the same gesture may also have very different meanings from one culture to the next. |
Source:
Jewitt, C., and G. Kress (2003). Multimodal Literacy, New York: Peter Lang.
Table 6.5 Developmental and Sociocultural Interpretations of Art
Examine the child’s drawing below. It is interpreted through two lenses; a developmental view which situates the drawing within a particular stage, and a sociocultural view which considers the meanings communicated by the drawing.
Developmental Interpretation | Sociocultural Interpretation | |
| From a developmental perspective, this drawing represents movement into the third stage symbolic making. Devin has produced a fairly realistic picture of his father’s head. | One of Devin’s favourite games in his early years was to take off his father’s glasses as he was being held by him. This drawing highlights his father’s head—and his glasses—showing the view Devin has of his father when he is being held. He has drawn his face with a smile to show the enjoyment they share when they play this game together. The picture thus tells of story of a special time together. |
