Moving toward multiliteracies in foreign language teaching: Past and present perspectives … and beyond

Abstract

In recent years, literacy has emerged as a key critical term in foreign language (FL) teaching and learning. This essay reflects on the history of literacy and on current developments, in particular those related to the development of multiliteracies paradigms. The article concludes with a discussion of emergent topics related to literacy and language teaching and suggests ways in which research in these domains is posing new questions for the field of FL education.

When a heritage speaker wants to be a Spanish teacher: Educational experiences and challenges

“…Since the majority of initial teacher certification programs do not include such a course, even in areas with large heritage Spanish‐speaking populations (Potowski & Carreira, ), stakeholders should consider current HL teacher education proposals, in particular those advanced by scholars that apply multiliteracies approaches (Lacorte, ; Samaniego & Warner, ). Multiliteracies frameworks, which focus on developing analytical and conceptual abilities rather than merely comprehension, call for a redefinition of literacy by contemplating changes created by globalization, new technologies, and the social and cultural diversity of local communities (Warner & Dupuy, ). The pedagogy of multiliteracies, which draws on pedagogy and linguistics concepts, endorses cultural and linguistic diversity and variability and as a result does not limit language to monolingual or monocultural paradigms that must be reproduced.…”

“…The pedagogy of multiliteracies, which draws on pedagogy and linguistics concepts, endorses cultural and linguistic diversity and variability and as a result does not limit language to monolingual or monocultural paradigms that must be reproduced. By recognizing that HLs do not acquire genres passively, multiliteracies pedagogies “promote learners’ (re)construction of their hybrid or multiple identities in and across genres” (Warner & Dupuy, , p. 8).…”

Affordances, complexities, and challenges of intercultural citizenship for foreign language teachers

“…Underlying the concept of intercultural communicative competence as the basis of intercultural citizenship is a performative and multidimensional view of language learning as multiliteracies or pluriliteracies development (Cope & Kalantzis, ; Meyer, Coyle, Halbach, Schuck, & Ting, 2015; Rowsell, ; Warner & Dupuy, ) that involves dynamic and critical practices of translanguaging (Canagarajah, , ; O. García & Wei, ). In turn, translanguaging challenges a static focus on language systems (Canagarajah, ; Larsen‐Freeman, ; Taylor & Snoddon, ).…”

Sprinting to the Finish Line: The Benefits and Challenges of Book Sprints in OER Faculty-Graduate Student Collaborations

“…Two of the most important developments that the field of second language (L2) pedagogy has seen in the last 10 years have been the adoption of performance-and literacy-based instructional approaches (Allen & Paesani, 2010; American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages [ACTFL], 2012; Warner & Dupuy, 2018) and the increasing interest in open educational resources (OER; Blyth, 2014). The establishment and growth of two non-profit academic organizations-such as the Center for Educational Resources in Culture, Language and Literacy (CERCLL) and the Centre for Open Educational Resources & Language Learning (COERLL)-attest to these trends.…”