The creation of multimodal texts of adult English language learners in a Canadian university – A case study

Abstract

This paper reviews the larger context of English language learning and multimodality and attempts to shed light on how multimodal texts impact adult English language learners’ social practice of second language learning and their identities. The theories of multimodality and identity texts shape this study. The data in this case study were collected through participant observation, interview, and artefact elicitation. The results show that multimodal text creation could help adult English language learners transform the learning model from competition to cooperation, from operational aspects to social aspects, and from monolingual to multimodal, as they invest their identities in the creation of these texts. Some implications and recommendations for English language teaching instructors and researchers are provided. / Keywords: multimodal texts, international education, English language learning, language and identity, artefact elicitation