The use of multimodal literacy through popular culture, animation and film (Key Stage Two)

1. The use of multimodal literacy through popular culture, animation and film (Key Stage Two) Digital Literacy: opening up new pathways

2. What are multimodal texts? Multimodal texts ... • are more than words • are texts that have more than one mode (print, image, sound, movement) • are already being used by children at home and at school • are cross-curricular however, our focus today is the use of multimodal texts in English 2004 – ‘More than words’ UKLA research team for QCA

3. What are the issues surrounding multimodal texts? • Confusion over meaning of multimodal • Lack of awareness of what is already in place • Some teachers and parents believe they ‘dumb down’ literacy • Shelf life • Motivation is one of the key ingredients needed if learning is to be effective • How can we apply? • How can we assess? Offers ways to: • Read and Write for a range of purposes on paper and on screen • Speak and Listen for a wide range of purposes in different context (Marsh & Millard, 2000:184; DfES ,2006)

4. Why are multimodal texts beneficial? It is important for our pedagogy to reflect the changes in society SCREEN PRINT

5. Why are multimodal texts beneficial? • Promotes language awareness (beneficial in multi-cultural settings) • More accessible • Acknowledges and utilises different learning style • Increased relevance to children’s learning • Potential to unleash creativity • Motivates children • Teaches children to communicate in a variety of forms • Boosts children’s self-esteem • Impossible to separate language from technology and their impact on communication • Give clues for meanings (Jonassen, 1995; Moline, 1995; Pompe, 1996; Pompe, 1996; BFI, 2002; Bearne, 2003; Murray, 2003; Stein, 2003; Gotz, Lemish, Aidman & Moon, 2005; DfES, 2006; Vincent, 2006; Crowther, 2009; Sneddon, 2009)

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7. How can we apply multimodal texts in the classroom? • Discussions about the purpose of text (link to speaking and listening) • Effect if gives to the reader- impact of different modes • Greater understanding when assessing the child Examples of multimodal texts in the classroom- YR4

8. Examples of types of multimodal texts

9. What are film and animation? Film and Animation ... • are tools for multimodality in the classroom • use different forms of communication (audio, visual and sometimes written text) • need to consider the importance of settings • Have an awareness of colour to affects mood and atmosphere • tell a story through a sequence of shots and screens • use of shots to show different characters’ viewpoints Traditional literacy takes priority over visual literacy (BFI, 2003; Murray, 2003)

10. Why are film and animation beneficial in literacy? • Help children to make sense of the world using images • More accessible - regardless of ability • Generates enthusiasm and motivation in literacy • Give a sense of common purpose and community- Collaborate team work • Opportunities to use new technologies and platforms in a safe learning environment • Encourages learning, critical understanding, debate and conversation about the issues and emotions films raise • Opportunities to become visually literate - through television, film, computer games and the internet • Medium which children feel comfortable and able to take risks as a learner • Vehicle for their own creativity • Extend their vocabulary (particularly the use of emotive language) BFI (2003) Film: 21st Century Literacy: A Strategy for Film Education Across the UK http://www.21stcenturyliteracy.org.uk/ ; DfES ,2006

11. What are the issues surrounding film and animation? • Teacher Confidence • Training is required to use equipment successfully • Expensive • Currently it has no fixed place in the Primary Curriculum • Parents and teachers hold strong views that the use of film in the Primary Curriculum does not enhance children’s learning as they prefer the use of traditional texts • Lack of appropriate resources Possible solutions: • Seek training from local authorities to train all members of staff • Access film clips from the The BFI, (Story Shorts Resource Pack) are along-established company that promotes the understanding and appreciation of film and television, providing access to a large pool of film clips that are suitable and appropriate for the Key Stage 2 age range • Resource affordable equipment e.g. Easy speak microphones Film: 21st Century Literacy, A Strategy for Film Education Across the UK http://www.21stcenturyliteracy.org.uk (accessed 14/03/2011)

12. How can we apply Film and Animation in the classroom? Offers ways to: • Use keyboard and ICT tools confidently to compose and present work • Read and Write for a range of purposes on paper and on screen • Respond imaginatively using different strategies to engage with texts • Speak and Listen for a wide range of purposes in different context • Traditional tales or children’s favourite books can be re-told using film and animation, which enhances the children’s overall understanding and comprehension. • Discuss how words, sounds and images can convey different information to a reader. Demonstrate how images and sounds can tell a reader a different version of a story. Children create their own digital story, adding dialogue and images to a written narrative. In addition, teachers can use shared reading and writing to meet the assessment strands mentioned. • composition and effect • text structure and organisation • sentence structure and punctuation, as well as spelling. (QCA, 2005; DfES ,2006)

13. QCA (2005) also make reference to the use of Film and Animation in the Primary Classroom, an example is shown below.

14. The use of film and animation within multimodal texts? • Interactive books, or ‘talking books’ are both terms which have been used to describe the combination of text, animation and audio. • Technological literacy has been conceptualized as part of the same paradigm as multimodal literacy (Kress, 2003; Fehring, 2001); although a text can be multimodal without incorporating the use of technology. • The use of technology can be regarded as a tool to further traditional multimodal classroom practises. • The use of technology to enhance literacy can heighten children’s enjoyment and thus motivation to engage in the reading and writing process (Marsh and Millard, 2000) • Audio is often used alongside text to assist in the development of decoding skills, as a result these are generally seen to have more place in an early years setting. • More recently, the value of interactive books as a resource for developing the comprehension skills of bilingual language learners has been explored, they are seen by many as a ‘pathway to literacy for a substantial group of students (Kervin, 2009) • In literacy, both the reading and producing of these types of media have been seen to revolutionise the way that we communicate (Bearne, 2006: 1); Kress stated that technological literacy will fundamentally alter the very nature of writing (Kress, 1998:1)

15. Resources

16. Bibliography • Murray, J., (2003) Moving Words TES www.tes.co.uk (accessed 17/02/2011) • Lambirth, A., (2003) ‘They get enough of that at home: understanding aversion to popular cultures in schools’ Reading31 (1) pp.9 – 13 • Arthur, L., (2005) ‘Popular cultures: views of parents and educators’ in Marsh, J., (2005) Popular Culture, New media and Digital Literacy in Early Childhood Oxon: RoutledgeFalmer • Bearne, E., (2003) ‘Re-thinking literacy: communication, representation and text’ Reading pp.98-103 • UKLA (2007) Reading on Screen Leicester: UKLA • Honan, E., (2008) ‘Barriers to teachers using digital texts in literacy classrooms’ Literacy 42 (1) pp.36-43 • Bearne, E., and Wolstencroft, H., (2007) Visual Approaches to Teaching Writing. Multimodal literacy 5 – 11 London: Sage • Bromley, H., (2001) ‘A question of talk; young children reading pictures’ Reading, literacy and language pp. 62 - 66 • Byron, T., (2008) The Report of the Byron Review. Safer children in a Digital world London: HMSO • Cremin, T., Bearne, E., Dombey, H., and Lewis, M., (2009) Teaching English Creatively Oxon: Routledge • DfES (2006) 2020 Vision. Report of the Teaching and Learning in 2020 Review Group London: DfES • Walsh, M., (2011) Multimodal Literacy. Researching Classroom Practice Australia: Primary English Teaching Association • BFI (2003) Look Again! A Teaching Guide to using Film and Television with three to eleven year olds, London: DFES • Film: 21st Century Literacy, A Strategy for Film Education Across the UK http://www.21stcenturyliteracy.org.uk (accessed 14/03/2011) • Sneddon, R., (2009) Bilingual Books: Biliterate Children: Learning to read through dual language books. Staffordshire: Trentham Books Limited. • Moline, S., (1995) I see what you mean: Children at work with visual information. Melbourne: Black Cockatoo Publishing Pty Ltd. • Kervin, L. (2009)‘Get Reel’: engaging Year 6 students in planning, scripting, actualising and evaluating media text. Literacy 43 (1) pp. 29-33 • Vincent, J., (2006) ‘Children writing: Multimodality and assessment in the writing classroom’ Literacy 40 (1) pp. 51-57. • Anstey, M. And Bull, G., (2006) Teaching and Learning Multi-Literacies: Changing Times, Changing Literacies. Kensington Gardens: International Reading Association and Australian Literacy Educator’s Association. • Kress, G. (2000) A curriculum for the future. Cambridge Journal of Education, 30.1, pp. 133-145 • QCA (2004) Writing task assessment criteria. Criteria produced annually for S.A.T. English tasks. http:// www.qca.org.uk/downloads/4987_en_below_write_crit.pdf • Holum, A. and Gahala, J. (2001) Critical Issue: Using Technology to Enhance Literacy Instruction. http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/reading/li300.htm(accessed 15/03/2011) • Crowther, S. (2009) Successfully Using and Making Multimedia Multilingual talking books http://www.irespect.net/CIRCLE/EMAS/(accessed 15/03/2011) • Durrant, C. And Green, B., (2000) Literacy and the new technologies in school education: meeting the l(IT)eracy challenge? The Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 23.2, pp. 89-108 • Jonassen, D. (1995) Supporting communities of learners with technology: a vision for integrating technology with learning in schools. Educational Technology, 35.4, pp. 60-63 • Gotz, M., Lemish, D. Aidman, A. and Moon, H. (2005) Media and the Make-Believe Worlds of Children: When Harry Potter meets Pokemon in Disneyland New Jersey, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates pp. 80-109 • (Moline, 1995; Holum and Gahala, 2001; Anstey and Bull, 2006; Walsh, 2011, UKLA, 2004)