Beyond the Alienating Alphabetic Literacy: Multiliteracies in Indigenous Education in Mexico

Abstract

This article proposes a pedagogy of multiliteracies for Mexican indigenous groups. Using the Multiliteracies Framework developed by the New London Group (Cazden, Cope, Cook, Fairclough, Gee, et al., 1996), specifically the notions of multimodality and design, it is argued that many “illiterate” indigenous people are in fact “literate” and that an autonomous view of literacy has alienated indigenous grandparents and parents from schools. A brief history, including the current state of the education of indigenous groups in Mexico, is provided. Using the notions proposed by the New London Group, past and current designs are analyzed to broaden the notion of text and acknowledge the literacies that indigenous people have designed. Finally, this article concludes with a discussion of pedagogical implications.