What are Multi-Modal Texts?

 

Multi modal refers to the integration of different modes of text to create meaning and to convey messages…eg. Linguistic refers to text type, vocab, genre, grammar etc. Other modes include audio design, visual design, spatial. Multi modal is not just electronic text (which, I think many people seem to think it is) it is photos, magazines, electronic magazines, electronic books, mobile web, video etc.

A wordle created from the words on this webpage. http://wordle.net

When we browse a webpage, there are many strategies we use to make meaning from the multi-modal texts on the webpage. Many of us do this automatically because of  prior knowledge…we know about hypertext…we know what links are and what they do, we know what part of the page is the main navigation and what is not. We know what a shopping cart is and why and how to use it. In comparison to printed text (which is static) electronic text is much more complex. Many more elements are involved with electronic text. Students need to have the skills to make meaning from electronic texts..…many come to us with these skills already, others do not. Imagine never having been exposed to webpages?? What a struggle to survive it would be, in today’s education system.  Student’s need to be able to navigate and search the web effectively…and, of course, they need to be critical users of the internet. (C Mayer, Discussion, March 14 2010)

‘Educators can guide students to be successful Internet readers by helping them recognize their experiences with various types of text and applying this knowledge to Internet reading. Literacy and technology are converging in classrooms where teachers provide opportunities for students to gain information from reading on the Internet. Through modeling and instruction, teachers can begin to build the bridge connecting literacy and technology’ (Schmar-Dobler, E. 2003)