Transcending Solely Print - based Texts through Blogging – A Multimodal Approach

Abstract

Students are often exposed solely to print-based texts as the primary sources of communication. In South Africa, English Additional Language (EAL) students struggle to engage conceptually with English-medium academic material and, in most cases, they transition to other forms of engagement such as imagery. This study from which this article derives explores the use of various modes of communication such as audio, imagery, and reading text in a scaffolded language that EAL students can better associate with. As literacies change to simultaneously incorporate new ways of communication, this paper examines the impact a blog could have on how EAL students understand text across a variety of different methods of communication. This study employs multimodality (Kress 2010). A case study design approach is used with a small sample of Extended Curriculum Programme first-year mechanics students and their lecturer at a South African university of technology. From the findings, the author reflects on mediating teaching and learning strategies to promote conceptual understanding of course material. Furthermore, the findings contribute to the debate that aims to find viable solutions for suitable teaching and learning practices to promote learner-centeredness in EAL contexts in higher education.

Making sense of architectural ‘language’: Implications for success in teaching and learning for ECP students at CPUT

“…Using the "social and cultural resources for meaning-making" (Kress, 2010:79) provided participants with the freedom to become agents of chance or change (Blommaert & Rampton, 2011;Stroud & Kerfoot, 2013). Using and contributing to non-linguistic features in the meaning-making process added value to the students' process of developing their appreciation of multiliteracies in the discipline (Rodrigues, 2017). Participants acknowledged the impact that the visual and auditory functions had on their learning process.…”

“…The terminology in the glossary was multifunctional and promoted cross-disciplinary knowledge creation. The use of such eclectic resources creates a platform for further learning possibilities and ultimately contributes to developing an appreciation of multiliteracies (Rodrigues, 2017).…”

“…In response to calls by the government (in the Constitution and the Language Policy for Higher Education) to promote multilingualism and increase meaningful visibility of indigenous languages in education (RSA, 1996;RSA DHET, 2002), several higher education institutions have embarked on several initiatives to that effect (Rodrigues, 2017). One notable initiative that various institutions undertook is the development of disciplinespecific multilingual glossaries.…”

“…Ralarala, Pineteh and Mchiza (2016) also draw our attention to English L2 students' struggle with grasping academic concepts, a challenge that eventually translates into poor academic performance. However, this attributes the failure to grasp concepts to limited L2 competence and adds "socio-affective deficient cognitive, background information, language skills and reading comprehension abilities" as contributing factors (Rodrigues, 2017). Nkomo and Madiba (2011:155) raise a similar point where they acknowledge that students' background could also impact their competence in specific subjects.…”