Use Of Multimodal Resources Research Articles

The Approaches to Cultivating Chinese Cultural Communication Awareness in Senior English Teaching

Under the current background of globalization, it is particularly important to cultivate Chinese cultural communication awareness in Senior English teaching. However, the current researches show that the content of Chinese culture in English textbooks is relatively insufficient, and students’ awareness of cultural communication is very weak. In addition, students lack motivation in cultural learning, and teachers’ teaching methods are too simple to arouse their learning interests. Therefore, the research aims to explore the approaches to cultivating students’ awareness of Chinese cultural communication. The research results indicate that it is essential to fully explore Chinese cultural elements in teaching materials and design diversified cultural teaching activities. In order to stimulate students’ interest in learning, teachers are required to innovate teaching methods, promote interdisciplinary integration and make full use of multimodal resources. These approaches are beneficial to enriching students’ knowledge of Chinese culture, enhancing their cultural self-confidence, and ultimately cultivating their awareness of spreading Chinese culture.

Teaching the Use of Multimodal Resources in Speaking through Storytelling

Teaching the Use of Multimodal Resources in Speaking through Storytelling

A multimodal translingual approach to study a young learner's willingness to communicate

AbstractContrary to prevailing research on willingness to communicate (WTC) which treats spoken second language (L2) as the predominant indicator of WTC, this study examines a young English as a second language (ESL) learner's WTC expressed through multimodal means and her utilization of multimodal and multilingual resources for mediating WTC in translingual environments. Data were collected from videotaped ESL lessons and an interview. Adopting a multimodal conversation analysis (CA) approach, this cross‐disciplinary study analyzes the ESL novice's WTC expressions in two communicative settings: small‐group interactions in ESL class and a multilingual triad conversation in an interview. Findings reveal that (1) gestural WTC display can signify more than one's intention to enter discourse, (2) contrary to previous WTC studies, first language (L1) use can indicate L2 WTC, and (3) the learner used diverse semiotic resources to mediate WTC and sustain discursive engagement. Implications are discussed with respect to the findings. This study extends the understanding of WTC beyond spoken L2 expressions, emphasizing embodied display and L1 use in the learner's communicative repertoire. Additionally, it sheds light on the learner's strategic use of multimodal resources to sustain engagement in translingual environments, contributing to the broader field of language education and multimodal analysis.

<i>Du Iz Tak?</i>

This paper presents the results of the introduction to a project inspired by the éveil aux langues approach with the storytelling of the picture book Du Iz Tak? by the American/Canadian author Carson Ellis (2016). This propaedeutic activity was a multimodal input given in an unknown language to all children, namely an invented language. The aim of this study is to bring more evidence on how the development of metalinguistic awareness at a young age can help pupils meet their learning needs, especially pupils with SEN. Results show that telling a story in a invented language through the use of multimodal resources to convey meaning not only captures the attention of all pupils in the class, but leads them to observe and manipulate this language by making and developing hypotheses about languages, especially pupils with SEN.

Performing Parisian. Gender Performances, Elite Discourse and Multimodality on Instagram

This paper leans on the thematic dimensions of gender, tourism and multimodality to explore how Instagram users construct Parisian narratives at the Café de Flore geotag. Employing a sociolinguistic and social-semiotic framework, the present study discusses a corpus of 75 posts tagged at Café de Flore between 1st January and 31st January 2022. Two research questions were identified for this purpose. The first explores how the notion of “Parisian”, as both a noun and an adjective, is represented linguistically by Instagram users at Café de Flore. As a secondary line of inquiry, we examine how the Parisian themes established in the captions and hashtags of these posts are further elaborated semiotically through the use of multimodal resources. Findings suggest that the terms “Parisian” and “Parisienne” as both nouns and adjectives, are deployed as profitable labels in the networked context of Instagram. We conclude that Instagram users further elaborate on these linguistic representations in their posts by selecting and ordering semiotic resources associated with French cultural tropes. Gendered language and gender display were among the most salient of these resources. Used strategically, these discursive practices aid users in depicting themselves as expert, feminine narrators in an elite sociocultural context. Finally, our data suggest that Instagram users portray Café de Flore as a specifically Parisian (rather than French) site of engagement and a physical resource for the generation of profitable material online.

Interactional and categorial analyses of identity construction in the talk of female-to-male (FtM) transgender individuals in Japan

Abstract This study explores the identity construction of female-to-male (FtM) transgender individuals, utilizing membership categorization analysis and multimodal conversation analysis. ‘Identity’ in this study indicates a person’s display of category membership or ascription to category membership, which emerges in social actions. The study illustrates how participants make categories and associated features visible in their social actions through the use of multimodal resources. In particular, the study focuses on the participants’ orientation to Pn-adequate devices, particularly gender as a binary. The analysis shows that the participants’ orientation to gender ideologies, such as gender’s Pn-adequacy, plays a significant role in how they construct their FtM transgender identities.

Comparing the Multimodality of Chinese and US Corporate Homepages: The Importance of Understanding Local Cultures

Purpose: In this cross-cultural study, we investigated the similarities and differences in the multimodality of Chinese and U. S. corporate homepages. Method: We collected the homepages of 35 Chinese and 35 U. S. companies' local websites. We developed a framework for annotating different types of multimodal elements presented on corporate homepages. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, we compared the verbal-visual composition and arrangement on Chinese and U. S. homepages in terms of textual, pictorial, diagrammatic, and video elements. Results: We found salient differences in the use of multimodal resources between Chinese and U. S. homepages. Chinese homepages overall made greater use of textual and video resources, with emphasis placed on directional textual elements and Flash animations and videos. They also tended to arrange multiple news titles in a list, employ parallelly placed pictures, and use more QR codes. In contrast, U. S. homepages preferred to present individual news headlines with news summaries attached, use one large background picture with subordinate elements embedded in them, and offer more social media icons for further connection. Conclusion: The differentiated approaches to deploying multimodal resources between Chinese and U. S. corporate homepages were closely associated with the distinctive cultural orientations and communication styles between these two countries.

Teachers’ Beliefs of Using Multimodal Resources in Teaching English Skills

It is undeniable that language learning can be communicated through various modes. The innovation of technology has changed the way people read, write, and thought. Multimodal resources are defined as a medium communication that played important role in conveying the message that contained meaning. The research objective was to identify types of multimodal resources that teachers used in teaching English skills. Furthermore, this study aimed to define the teachers' perceived and reflected on using multimodal resources in teaching English skills. The research was conducted using a mixed-method design with an explanatory sequential design. The researcher utilized questionnaires, classroom observation, and in-depth interviews as the research instruments. The participants in the research were UIB English teachers with a total of 10 English teachers. The result of the study showed that the highest percentage of multimodal resources were speech (94%), facial expressions (92%), graphics (90%), and pictures (90%), and the lowest percentage of multimodal resources were physical movement (80%), music (80%), and writing (82%). In addition, this study also found out that teachers showed positive attitudes to the use of multimodal resources in teaching English skills. Teachers believed that multimodal resources were a communication bridge between the teachers and students in the class. The use of multimodal resources in English learning facilitated teachers to deliver the lesson materials easily. Therefore, the utilization of multimodal resources was significantly important in teaching English skills. It was found that the use of multimodal resources engaged the teachers and students to achieve meaningful language learning.

Constructing a Leader Identity: A Video Study of Teams in Interaction

Many leadership researchers now conceptualize leadership as a process of mutual social influence which is bound neither by formal roles nor hierarchy structures. This framing of leadership as inherently social and multi-directional in nature provides rich possibilities for new ways of understanding the interactional and relational processes which in turn lead to the construction of leader and follower identities. This qualitative study attempts to investigate the leader identity construction process through the use of video data. Teams of young adults engaged in an entrepreneurship program were video recorded during their team meetings in order to analyze the leader and follower identity construction process as it took place in real time. Leadership Identity Construction Theory was utilized as the theoretical lens with which to interpret the leader identity construction process, while interaction analysis was used to analyze the video data. Findings suggest that followers play critical roles in the leader identity construction process both as sources of support for leader identity construction as well as acting as challengers to this process. The findings also bring critical new insights regarding how individuals might resist unwanted identities. The paper also outlines how individuals make use of multimodal resources in the construction of their leader identity.

A Study on the Application of Multimodal Vocabulary Teaching Mode

This study used questionnaires, interviews and teaching experiments to investigate the effectiveness of multimodal teaching mode in English vocabulary teaching. It was found that multimodal vocabulary teaching could improve teachers’ vocabulary teaching ability, promote students’ vocabulary learning ability and enhance their pragmatic skills. In English vocabulary teaching of junior high school, teachers should make full use of multimodal resources to mobilize students’ senses, bring into play their subjective motivation of vocabulary learning, and improve the efficiency of classroom vocabulary learning. At the same time, there are certain difficulties in applying multimodal theory-teachers need to choose the appropriate modality according to the actual situation.

English Phrase Learning With Multimodal Input.

Although multimodal input has the potential to lead to more sound learning outcomes, it carries the risk of causing cognitive overload, making it difficult to determine the exact effects of multimodal input on the second language (L2) phrase learning. This study tests the efficacy of multimodal input on L2 phrase learning. It adopts a mixed-method approach by utilizing both quantitative and qualitative data. The experimental design is a 2 × 3 mixed model, with a group [the experimental group (EG) and the control group (CG)] as the between-subject factor and time (pretest, midtest, and posttest) as the within-subject factor. A total of 66 participants were divided into two groups. All materials incorporated three aspects of phrase knowledge (form, meaning, and use), but the materials of the CG were unimodal in that they were offered only on paper, and of the EG were multimodal in that they included pictures, audio recordings, and video clips. After the treatment, a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were given to the EG learners to explore their perceptions of using multimodal materials to learn L2 phrases. The results indicate that both groups had significant gains in learning phrases, but students with the multimodal input achieved significantly better results than those with the unimodal input. Moreover, the EG students had a generally positive attitude toward the use of multimodal resources. This study validates the efficacy of multimodal input on the acquisition of English phrases and shows that cognitive overload was avoided by sequencing the information.

Designing and delivering representation-focused science lessons in a digital learning environment

Inquiry-based representation-focused approaches in science education have shown promising outcomes when students engage in knowledge building via an active process of constructing, coordinating, and evaluating representations. To date, much of the existing research around these approaches has taken place in pre-digital classrooms, but the increasing importance of digital technologies in contemporary science classrooms that has heightened during the on-going Covid pandemic could have ramifications for such approaches. To explore the potential for productive integration of a digital technology with active learning processes, this study investigated the role an interactive online learning platform played in supporting the construction and refinement of representations by students. This paper draws on research generated in the context of an Australian Grade 9 science class studying a physics unit focused on energy transfer considerations for sustainable housing. The research design featured an exploratory case study approach using multiple methods for data collection including video capture, interviews, and student artefacts. Data analysis involved the application of socio-semiotic perspectives to understand the nature of students’ meaning-making processes through their generation and coordination of both digital and non-digital multimodal representations. This study found that the online platform allowed for extended access and the flexible use of multimodal resources facilitated students’ representation construction activities. However, activities involving teacher-guided discussions and ongoing feedback were limited. The socio-semiotic analysis provided insights into the effective design of online learning sequences to guide conceptual development. This paper concludes by suggesting how specific affordances of interactive online platforms can effectively facilitate the design and delivery of active learning approaches involving representation construction.

Multilingual and Multimodal Literacy Beyond School : A Case Study of an Adult Vlogger in China

Second language literacy research in recent years has attended to emerging genres and various literacy practices. Less explored, however, are the innovative ways of meaning-making and communication facilitated by the use of multimodal resources in a foreign-language context. To bridge the gap, this study investigates how a Chinese-English bilingual speaker coordinates and orchestrates design elements in her vlogs and how decision makings are informed by various factors. Interview data and vlog analysis show that the participant is skillful in using digital technologies, anticipating audiences’ needs, fulfilling rhetorical purposes, and negotiating with constraining contextual factors. This study challenges the view that learners in an EFL country have limited opportunities to use the language due to the lack of contact with the target language community. It also suggests that EFL educators could build on what learners do on their own while encouraging them to repurpose the use of vlogs and mobile technologies.

Translanguaging and multimodality in workplace texts and writing

ABSTRACT Professionals working in international companies in Sweden are expected to speak, read, and write in Swedish and English in their daily work. This article discusses professional writing in different languages. Through the use of methods from linguistic ethnography, we aim to enrich the understanding of workplace literacy by studying writing and texts in multilingual business contexts. Our results show that professionals are expected to navigate between a translanguaging mode and a more monolingual mode in everyday communication. Also, when they opt for producing monolingual texts, literacy practices that surround those texts are often multilingual. Moreover, they imagine a future, secondary audience for their texts, often resulting in the choice of English for reaching out, or in the choice of Swedish as a way of keeping matters local. Knowing when to choose a translanguaging mode or a more monolingual mode is a necessary skill or competence in this type of workplace. Our results also show that the use of multimodal resources includes the material placement of texts, and that old materialities such as pen and paper are still essential. Different linguistic and semiotic resources are used, including resources from academic, business and personal discourse.

The Use of Multimodal Resources by Technical Managers and Their Peers in Meetings Using English as the Business Lingua Franca

Background: Engineers increasingly work and advance their careers in international business settings. As technical managers, they need management and technical skills when working with different stakeholders with whom they may not share a common first language. Studies have revealed that informal oral communication skills are of prime importance for global engineers who face challenges in building shared meaning and formulating clear messages in meetings with non-native speakers of English. This article proposes that studying the use of multimodal resources (spoken language, gaze, gestures, and objects) in meetings can unpack how work tasks are accomplished in business through different communicative strategies. Literature review: This paper focuses on engineers’ and technical managers’ needs and challenges in professional and intercultural communication where English is used as a business lingua franca (BELF) in multimodal meetings. While multimodal conversation and discourse analytic studies highlight the dynamic nature of meeting interaction, previous technical and professional communication and BELF research on multimodality is limited. Research questions: 1. How do technical managers use multimodal resources to articulate their ideas in BELF meetings with their peers? 2. How does the use of multimodal resources contribute to the construction of shared meaning in explanatory, consensus-seeking, and solution-finding communication? Methodology: This study reports on two case studies and multimodal discourse analysis of video-recorded meetings among technical managers and their peers in four companies. The use of multimodal resources is analyzed in explanatory, consensus-seeking, and solution-finding communication. Results and conclusions: In BELF meetings, assemblages of spoken language, gestures, tools, whiteboard, and documents contribute to constructing shared meaning. This study has implications for global professional and engineering communication. Future research should further examine multimodality in BELF meetings.

Signs of understanding and turns-as-actions: a multimodal analysis of deaf–hearing interaction

This article examines the interaction between deaf and hearing interlocutors in order to demonstrate how understanding (and misunderstanding) can be expressed and inspected through the situated use of multimodal resources. In this communicative situation, participants have asymmetrical experiences of being deaf and being hearing, and ‘codified’ (either speech or sign-language) resources are little shared among participants. The multimodal analysis of an interactional sequence between a young deaf child, her deaf friend and her hearing mother demonstrates ways in which participants use semiotic resources to take, execute and give turns in the presence of sensory asymmetries. The organization of turn taking in this sequence provides insights into the ways in which understanding (or lack of it) can be demonstrated, monitored and co-constructed by participants throughout the interaction. The findings demonstrate that turns offer a useful point of analysis for the recognition and inspection of signs of understanding in the context of sensory asymmetries but there needs to be a qualitative orientation to assessing this. This contribution to the research on situated multimodal sign-making underlines the need for the development of multimodal frameworks that can account for, and effectively document, situated meaning-making beyond ‘codified/linguistic’ resources.

The Complex Process of Mis/Understanding Spatial Deixis in Face-To-Face Interaction

Abstract In general, understanding requires cognitive and linguistic skills, encompasses cultural, social, contextual and individual aspects, and is characterised by gradualness and dynamicity. In this study, the intertwined set of relevant components involved in the complex process of understanding space deixis will be analysed in the specific context of face-to-face interaction. In everyday conversation, this process is unavoidably mutual and may include misunderstanding (which often opens up a way to understanding), repairs, reformulations and negotiation cycles, all of which eventually lead to understanding and mutual comprehension or to communication failure. Many scholars have already pointed out several elements that influence interactants’ understanding in a positive or negative way: on the one hand, shared physical context, cotext, common ground, shared knowledge and avoidance devices; on the other, ambiguity, speakers’ failures, and interactants’ asymmetric features with regard to language and culture. The interactional context, the cotext and the use of multimodal resources (resorted to as co-speech or to substitute language) play a significant role in the dynamic process of understanding spatial deixis, often helping to overcome the difficulties related to peripheral cases of spatial deictics and other causes of misunderstandings, which can either work as a starting point for understanding or lead to communication failure.

A escrita acadêmica no fórum de discussão do Facebook

Neste texto, analisamos a escrita acadêmica e digital desenvolvida por participantes de um curso de especialização em Linguagem e Tecnologia (LINTEC). Exploramos uma perspectiva etnográfica e proposições teóricas apontadas pelos Novos Estudos do Letramento para examinar o fórum de discussão de um curso de pós-graduação lato sensu realizado durante a disciplina Novos Letramentos, que utilizou o Facebook como Ambiente Virtual de Aprendizagem (AVA). A análise das condições de produção da escrita nesse contexto de formação evidenciou aspectos composicionais de um fórum de discussão em que se destacam a sequencialidade e a temporalidade dos turnos (postagens), o registro formal e informal da língua portuguesa e o uso de recursos multimodais.

Collaborative use of multimodal resources in discussions of L2 grammatical meaning

Gesture use in the second language classroom has been a focus of much recent research pairing a micro-discourse analytic lens with sociocultural theory (Matsumoto and Dobs, 2016; Rosborough, 2014; Smotrova and Lantolf, 2013; van Compernolle, 2015; van Compernolle and Smotrova, 2014), with several researchers noting that examination of gesture use during grammar lessons is an under-researched area (Hudson, 2011; Lazaraton, 2004; Smotrova, 2014). This study addresses this gap by examining the collaborative multimodal interaction of learners and their teacher during a teacher-fronted grammar lesson in an adult English as a Second Language classroom, with particular focus on gesture. By revealing how spontaneously occurring gestures in the classroom facilitate discussion, and ultimately, understanding of a grammatical form, this study underscores the value of using fine-grained analysisof multimodal classroom interaction to reveal microgenesis.

Hvorfor og hvordan ’betyder’ nethandel? Om blandingen af teksttyper i Zalandos netbutik

Shopping is one of the many everyday activities which are increasingly digitally remediated. This not only transforms the high streets of our villages and towns, but also the way customers and retailers interact, the way retailers present goods to customers, the way customers can examine goods, and the perceived and real risks customers are exposed to. Goods that can be touched and handled in markets and brick-&-mortar shops must now be inspected and selected by means of words and images, which presupposes linguistic and visual literacies. In this article, we shall analyse Zalando’s use of multimodal resources and show how a number of different registers intertwine, and we shall point to the increasing importance of language. The text analysis shall be related to findings from eye-tracking research and to findings from marketing studies, so spearheading new bridges between different approaches to the study of online shopping.