Implications of multimodal theories for literacy research and pedagogy

The expansion of multimodal forms of representation and communication, sociocultural and critical theories, and the requirements for leading fully literate lives has called attention to various multimodal theories, analytical frameworks, and instructional practices that are developed to understand and analyze these changes. To develop a curriculum that supports this definition of literacy would require acknowledging the changing nature of forms of representation and communication, embracing a broader definition of text, providing access to a more diverse set of reading materials for students, and establishing new interpretive repertoires that address the complex nature of multimodal ensembles and the social practices in which these texts are embedded. This chapter will consider the characteristics of specific analytical frameworks for researching multimodal phenomena, and the potential impact these frameworks have on pedagogical approaches to literacy education.