Understanding children's funds of identity as learners through multimodal self-expressions in Mexico City

Abstract

This qualitative study examined the multimodal self-expressions of 39 students in grades 4th–6th attending public schools in Mexico City. Students' shared perspectives of their learning environments and of themselves as learners throughout their teachers' participation in a program designed to shift traditional teacher-centered practices toward co-constructions of learning spaces that are conducive to dialogue, reflection, and socio-emotional awareness through art and narratives. Drawing from a multimodal social semiotics and funds of identity theoretical framework, we analyzed students' responses to three prompts that elicited their perspectives regarding their own learning and their learning environments. Prompts were completed at three different points in time during one school year. Findings include: (1) changes in classroom configurations illustrating teacher-student relationships, (2) the emergence of additional materials and resources for learning, (3) variation in the learning approaches preferred by students, and (4) expanded purposes and motivations for learning. This study illustrates how student-centered pedagogies and teacher-mediated learning processes can mobilize students' funds of identity for learning by co-constructing knowledge and connecting to students' experiences through dialogue and art.