Multimodality
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Information in the real world comes in a very extent array of meaning-making systems -modes- and supports, usually in combination. For example, a text might also provide images to illustrate a phenomenon, or a picture might be tagged to direct the viewer’s attention to the point it aims to make.
This phenomenon has experienced a dramatic increase in recent years as a result of the population’s extended accessibility to the Information and Communication Technologies. And education has not stayed out of it. As educators, we need to keep up with the society and the challenges it poses. Thus, it is not surprising to see how diversity of learning inputs, rather limited in the past, has grown exponentially.
This communication theory has been termed as Multimodality. Kress and Van Leeuwen (2001) define it as “the use of several semiotic modes in the design of a semiotic product or event.” (p. 20) In learning, multimodality requires a “full repertoire of meaning-making resources […] (actional, visual and linguistic)” (Kress et al., 2001: 42). That is why many educational app developers have channelled their efforts in this direction. This is the case of Padlet - an virtual board -, Insert learning - a Chrome extension that allows users to add interactive questions to websites - and Flipgrid - a platform where students can share videos that respond to a trigger question.
All of them put forward means to present, exchange and access information that is presented in a range of modes. In Padlet, for instance, collaborators can add their own notes in the form of text, links, documents, videos, drawings and maps among others. This variety allows users to opt for the one that is most likely to succeed when conveying certain information.
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Social Media
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Somehow related is the tendency of schools to incorporate software that makes it possible for learners to share information and ideas on a topic or issue. Language acquisition requires socialisation and interaction. Thus, the use of social media is very suitable: it facilitates means through which users can interact and essential communication and connection can take place. In addition, social media makes it possible for the learners to have authentic, synchronous or asynchronous conversations and practise English.
They offer new ways to explore different issues, and certainly enable students to gain the communication skills they already need and will continue to use.
A webpage that has brought networks closer to learners and teachers is Classtools. This a webpage that contains an array of tools ranging from timers to diagram creators and even a fake facebook page students can use safely. Unlike other school-like social media, this particular tool has been designed following in accordance with the aesthetics of Facebook, which makes it seem more realistic. Still, it is worth mentioning that it lacks some of the features Facebook has. With it, students can look into a historical character, for instance, and use this platform to document his/her life.
Alternatives include the design of blogs. These personal written journals require its users to play multiple roles as writers, readers or reviewers, and thus create a network in which communication is authentic. In addition, a wider audience can access their posts. Some platforms to create blogs are Blogger, Edublogs or WordPress. A little bit more complex are Wix and Weebly and their focus is more on webpages.
Students might be asked to write about a specific topic, or students themselves can shed light on the topic of their choice. Part of a project or as an isolated task, what is clear is that blogs provide good opportunities to practise and improve one’s writing.
Despite the attractiveness of this trend, it should not be forgotten that there is some degree of danger in the use of online tools. In paper, the teacher can easily ensure messages pose no threat to the pupils. Yet, in the web, this is not guaranteed.
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Film and video
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Another growing tendency is the use of video. It is authentic material that puts forward real use of the language. In addition, it is very engaging to learners of all ages. Video provides a support of English Language Teaching through a variety of ways. On the one hand, teacher and learners can discuss the elements of videos while using their target language by employing different techniques such as freeze frames or sound and images. Other ways to address the teaching of languages through film include looking at characters, the story, the setting, the camera, the colour and the sound. Finally, another option consists in using prompt questions that encourage conversation such as “Was there anything you liked?” or “Were there any patterns?”
For the purpose of English Language Teaching, short film has gained supporters, as it is more manageable in a classroom than longer clips. But not only are students invited to talk about others’ productions, but they can also produce their own. Flipgrid is a good tool that allows teachers to follow this attractive trend. It is a platform where students can share videos that contribute to a certain discussion. They usually respond to a trigger question, related to any topic. This tool ensures that all pupils have a chance to speak and be listened to. The visualisation of each-other’s productions creates additional opportunities for reflection and learning. In addition it fosters creativity and a strong feeling of community. However, it is also true that it can be quite messy to record in class.
This trend, therefore, provides opportunities to work on all four language skills
Another tool which is somehow related is Edpuzzle. This platform allows the teacher to add questions in informative videos. The questions require the viewer to reflect upon the content of the video and answer immediately in order to proceed watching the video. The focus is no longer necessarily on concepts related to cinema, but on the contents that the video seeks to transmit.
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The Flipped Classroom method
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I would also like to talk about the Flipped Classroom method. The idea is that the in-class time is devoted to apply, discuss and learn more about the theoretical content that is delivered in different formats outside the school. It moves the teacher out of the learning focus, and instead, places the learners. The teacher is a guide that helps students learn autonomously. (Kessler, 2012)
Camtasia studio is a tool that teachers use to create the videos that students will later on view. Alternatively, the teacher can provide Power Point presentations, texts, or encourage learners to post their ideas on a digital pin-up board. Edpuzzle or Insert Learning are two online platforms that make the user interact in a very simple way with the content s/he is presented. The former - Edpuzzle - focuses on video. It gives teachers the option to add questions to a video. In order to proceed, children will have to provide an accurate answer. It was mentioned when discussing the flipped-classroom method, but the truth is that it can serve a multitude of purposes. The latter - Insert Learning - was also mentioned when talking about multimodality. When reading a piece of writing or a website, children can reflect on questions or look at specific bits of highlighted text.
In English Language learning, it can be used to present a type of text, a grammatical structure, bits of vocabulary or a specific topic that the teacher wishes to work through the target language, just to name a few.
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Inductive Learning
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Finally, I would like to include Inductive Learning. This can apply to all areas; not just in languages, but also in sciences, mathematics, music and even plastic arts, for that matter. In Inductive Learning, in contrast to its counterpart - Deductive Learning -, students study examples of a specific concept or rule first, and then they make generalisations that will bring them closer to an understanding of the rule. This practice very often requires students to look at the similarities and differences of a group of elements and draw conclusions from them. Thus they think in higher levels of complexity (analysing) as opposed to deductive learning, whose focus is on remembering, understanding and applying, found in the lower levels of Bloom’s taxonomy. As it is the children who build the rules from their own understanding, learning becomes more effective. (González, 2014)
Let’s look at an example of English Language Teaching: let’s say we want look at the rule that states ‘“i” before “e” except after “c”’. The teacher can provide small cards with words such as “believe”, “ceiling”, “receive”, “cashier”, “piece” and “field” and have the children organise them. They can divide them into 2 groups, one with the words that contain the digraph “ie” and the other one with the words that contain the digraph “ei”. Then, they need to look at what the words of the same group have in common (“ei” is preceded by a “c”, while “ie” is not) and state the rule.
Inductive learning is the backbone of pedagogies such as Project-Based Learning, Discovery Learning, Inquiry Learning or Case-Based Learning, which have gained much recognition recently. Regardless of the nature of the final outcome of the project, pupils might encounter the need to look at a particular grammatical feature, for instance, or see how different types of texts are more or less similar in order to ensure that communication is effective.
Hyperdocs is a tool that can come in handy. It is a digital document that grants students access to a range of materials by the means of hyperlinks. These materials structure all the components of a learning cycle. As it is designed by the teacher, s/he can promote this learning fashion: first providing the examples and then looking at how they conform to a rule.
In addition, Hyperdocs promotes student responsibility and autonomy. The teacher takes the guide role and can provide one-to-one attention. What is more, the tool puts forward an easy way to differentiate, as different documents can be made accessible to different children and they can work at their own pace. Students have more privacy and they are exposed to different media. In turn, it allows pupils to work on all 4 linguistic skills.
However, it is true that adaptable as it may be, Hyperdocs is quite individualistic. Unless the teacher addresses it, the tool will very often discourage learner interaction, which might be counterproductive. When analysing different options, the children might greatly benefit from peer discussions, which is unlikely to happen when using this tool.
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English Language Teaching and Technology
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Technology and its use in English Language Teaching are in constant change. And while this certainly poses a challenge, when used purposefully, the educational community can greatly benefit from their use. First of all, it is a source of engagement, which is crucial for the learning of languages. Technology offers a myriad of alternatives and new experiences that may enrich the learning process. It prepares students for their live outside the school, both by boosting job opportunities and by giving them tools to keep learning outside the classroom. What is more, with technology students can travel virtually all over the world and get to know other cultures. It also allows them to access sites from English-speaking countries and experience the native language, or contact people who are also learning English.
However, it is important to remember that getting the most of technology is not just simply bringing technology into the classroom and sending students off to work on the computer on a task that they could be doing by hand.
In addition, we need to be realistic about the school’s possibilities. Very often, the available material is quite limited. Laptops eventually stop working, batteries run down, internet connection is very often weak or even non-existent… And teachers must keep it into account and have alternatives at all times. There are a multitude of tools at teachers’ disposal, but not having the suitable material to use them might thwart all efforts to incorporate them. In addition, the fact many teachers feel they lack some knowledge on the use of these tools does not help either.
Furthermore, some of the trends might not be in line with the school’s ideals. Let’s take the flipped-classroom method as an example. It requires the pupils to do out-of-school work, which is strongly disapproved in many schools whose policies defend not giving homework to pupils until they are in the upper cycle.
In contrast, teachers of all subjects can benefit from the use of some tools. In a context where technology is present in all spheres of our lives, it is not surprising to see how it has also come to offer good assets and alternatives to all the academic circles.
And the same applies to languages: all subjects provide solid ground for language learning. All teachers are language teachers in the sense that learning can’t take place without communication and interaction. These interactions are excellent opportunities for language development.
