Loerts,+Terry


 * [[image:Terri_Loerts.jpg width="179" height="242" align="center"]] || The Ontario Ministry of Educationspeaks of engaging students “with a wide variety of texts and technologies” for“active, critical, responsible, and creative” communication in the 21st century (Literacy for Learning, 2004, p. 5). Positioning students as active designers of meaning is consistent within a multiliteracies framework as educators move beyond the traditional definitionof literacy (linguistic) to encompass multiple modes (Jewitt & Kress, 2003)of communication (i.e. image, sound effect, movement, visual, music etc.). This presentation focuses on these multiple modes of communication, often showcased through multimedia. Our 21st century has experienced what Kress (2000) calls a “revolution” where writing is no longer dominant, yet research continues to show a disconnect with literacy practices in school (Albers,2006; Gee, 2007; Mulholland, 2010). With this in mind, this presentation will focus on a multiliteracies framework,specifically asking what IS multimodality, HOW students are engaged with multimodality, and WHY should we focus our attention on them in the classroom. Examples of teachers’ multimodal literacy practices (grades 4-12) along with practical examples that teachers can use in their own classroom will be showcased as well as opportunity given for whole audience participation in navigating a free professional resource called //The SaltyChip//.

My interest is based on my PhD dissertation where I am in my 4th year at the University of Western Ontario. As an elementary school teacher with experience in grades 4, 5, 7 and 8, I have noticed the ever widening gap between what kinds of opportunities are created for students to communicate in different modes and what students already engage with in their out-of school lives. This presentation highlights some instances of practice where successful integration of multiple modes of communication are used - by real teachers in real classrooms!

I have uploaded highlights of my presentation as well as a reference list - use the search word "multi" for the powerpoint and "PDF" for just the reference list, or click on the links below.

[|multiple modes of communication-ABEL-Aug 22, 2011 - post on wiki.pptx]

[|PDF of references from multiple modes of communication-ABEL institute Aug. 2011.docx] ||