1. Teaching Multimodal Literacy
Teaching (Multimodal) Literacy or What CfE Literacy across Learning forgot to tell you …
Rick Instrell
Deep Learning
Version 3.0: 3 June 2017
AMES/Deep Learning

2. What are modes? A mode is a communication resource: body language
sound
words
images
layout (for page-based texts e.g. print, web)
editing/pace (for time-based texts e.g. radio, film, music)
lettering
interaction
colour
sensations
movement
dress …
All communication is multimodal.

3. Submodes Each mode can be divided into submodes
body language: expression, posture, gesture
audio: speech, music, sound
words: written, spoken
image: still, moving
sensations: smell, touch, taste

4. Communication functions
Multimodal theory proposes 3 functions for any communication:
Ideational: information and ideas
Interpersonal: engaging the reader/listener/viewer
Compositional: making the text a unified whole
In other words:
Meaning
Audience engagement: how text ‘speaks’ to and involves the audience
Design: how modal items are combined to address audience and deliver meaning

5. Variables Each mode has a set of variables:
e.g. lettering has:
Font (serif, sans serif, SCRIPT, …)
Size (28 point, 12 point)
Weight (plain, bold)
Slope (roman, italic)
Case (UPPER, lower) …
e.g. music has: melody, pitch, timbre, rhythm, interaction, …
What variables are important depends on age, stage, learning context

6. Print ad terminology
It helps discussion if we know the technical terms.
headline
copy
illustrations (photographs, artwork, graphics, product)
slogan/jingle
logo

7. Step 1: Looking Look at this ad.
Q1. What type of text (or genre) is this? How do you know?
Q2. What are its purposes? How do you know?
Q3. Who is the target reader? How do you know?
Q4. What modes are used in the design?

8. Step 2: Noticing items Study the ad more carefully.
Q1. List the items you can see in the ad under 3 headings: images, words, body language.
Q2. How have the images been treated (camera angle and distance, focus)?
Q3. How have the words been lettered? (font, size, colour)
Q4. What is the meaning of the body language?

9. Step 3: Interpreting meanings
What meanings or ideas come to mind with each of the items you listed?
Images:
Words:
Body language:

10. Teaching tip: imagine it’s different
If pupils can not work out why the designer has made a particular choice then ask them to:
Imagine it’s different
How would that change the meaning?
Why did the designer select the one in the ad?
For example:
If pupils cannot not see why the countryside is used.
Ask them to imagine if a there was a city background.
How would the meaning change?
So why did the designer use the countryside?

11. Step 4: Noticing the design 1
Q1. What is the reading path in the ad?
Q2. Alignment is the way items are lined up on the page (horizontal, vertical, diagonal). How do alignments create a reading path?
Q3. The design is held together by repetitions. What repetitions can you see in images, words, lettering and colours?

12. Step 4: Noticing the design 2
Q4. Items that are different should look different (contrast). What contrasts can you see in images, words and lettering?
Q5. Proximity is how close items are to one another. Items next to one another tend to belong together. Why are some items next to each other?

13. Step 5: Message and evaluation
Q1. What is the ad saying to its audience? Try to say it one sentence.
Q2. Do you think that the design is effective in delivering the message? How?
Q3. Ads often lie or exaggerate. Does this ad lie or exaggerate?

14. Analyse this ad Look at ad (genre, purpose target reader) Notice items
Item meanings
Design (alignment, repetition, contrast, proximity)
Message
Evaluation

15. Analyse this ad Look at ad (genre, purpose target reader) Notice items
Item meanings
Design (alignment, repetition, contrast, proximity)
Message
Evaluation

16. Compare them …

17. Multimodal analysis Writing/ Creating Reading Writing/Speech
Print advert
Comic
Film
Purpose(s), Target audience(s)
Genre(s)
Topic, audience engagement, style -> Meaning
Whole text Ad
Narrative
Sections (e.g. chapters, dialogue)
Chapters/
episodes
Acts (e.g. beginning, middle, end)
Paragraphs
Page layout
Sequence of frames/
page layout
Sequence
Sentences
Linking images/words
Frames
Frame/shot
Words/sounds
Images/words/
body language
Images/sounds/
Words/body language

18. Implications for teaching media
Two main types of text are page-based (e.g. print, web) and time-based (e.g. moving image, audio, video games)
So we need to know the basic ‘grammar’ of each type i.e. how each is designed to engage the audience and deliver meaning
So, as a minimum, we need to teach:
Page layout principles for web and print
Continuity editing for moving image and audio
Analysis gives a scaffolding for creative practice. It should lead to groups of pupils collaborating to design, create and evaluate their own content using digital apps/applications.