This document discusses multimodality and its importance for EFL teachers. It defines multimodality as using multiple means of communication, including visual, gestural, audio and spatial modes in addition to written and verbal language. It emphasizes fostering students' multimodal communicative competence by teaching them to understand and create multimodal texts that combine different modes of meaning. It also provides questions teachers can use to guide students in analyzing how different modes are used together in a text.

1. An overview of
multimodality for EFL
teachers
La Salle University
BA in Spanish and Foreign languages
Yamith José Fandiño Parra Bogotá, Colombia, 2021 1

2. Introduction
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3. Introduction
In our globalized and culturally diverse world, communication is increasingly
multimodal, hence the importance of devoting attention in the classroom to
how semiotic resources other than verbal or written language have been
used to create identities and to position people socially (Bezerra, 2011, p. 167).
In this context, more actions should be taken to foster students’ multimodal
communicative competence’, which involves “the knowledge and use of
language concerning the visual, gestural, audio and spatial dimensions of
communication, including computer-mediated-communication” besides
the other communicative competences described by Hymes (1972) and Canale
and Swain (1980) (Bezerra, 2011, pp. 167-168).
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4. Multimodal
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(O’Brien, 2013)

5. Multimodality
It is a recognition of the fact that people use multiple means of meaning
making (modes/designs) to produce and consume messages.
It is a recognition of the importance of studying how different kinds of
meaning making are combined into sending and receiving integrated,
multimodal texts or messages.
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(Bezemer & Jewitt, 2018, p. 282).

6. Multimodal
modes of
meaning
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(The New London
Group, 1996, as cited
by Álvarez, 2016, p.
101)

7. Multimodal literacy practices
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(Walsh, 2017, p. 29)

8. Reading Multimodal texts
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(Chia & Chan, 2017,
p. 100)

9. Reading Multimodal texts: probing
questions
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(Chia & Chan, 2017, p. 101)

10. Reading Multimodal texts: probing
questions
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(Chia &
Chan,
2017, p.
101)

11. Multimodal
analysis
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(Álvarez, 2016, p. 102)

12. Multimodal analysis
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(Instrell,
2017, p.
17)

13. Pros of Multimodality
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(Pasquini, 2019)

14. (New) literacies, multimodality and
multiliteracies
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15. Conclusion
It is important to bring forth once more the need for systematic
actions towards the preparation of teachers to work with
multimodal texts in their classes, especially for the fact that
students will undoubtedly have increased contact with texts
which not only use varied semiotic resources, but whose access
has also changed, including to a greater extent the computer-
mediated technologies (Bezerra, 2011, p. 175).
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16. References
Álvarez, J. (2016). Meaning Making and Communication in the Multimodal Age: Ideas for Language
Teachers. Colombian Applied Linguist Journal, 18(1), 98-115.
Bezerra, F. (2011). Multimodality in the EFL classroom. BELT Journal, 2(2), pp. 167-177.
Bezemer, J., & Jewitt, C. (2018). Multimodality: A Guide for Linguists. In L. Litosseliti (ed.), Research
Methods in Linguistics Second Edition (pp. 281-302). Bloomsbury Publishing.
Instrell, R. (2017). Teaching multiliteracy literacy. https://slideplayer.com/slide/12441171/
O’Brien, A. (2013). Modes and meaning systems. https://creatingmultimodaltexts.com/modes-and-meaning-
systems/
Pasquini, L. (2019). Designing Multimodal Approaches for Learning.
https://techknowtools.com/2019/10/03/multimodal-approaches/
Walsh, M. (2017). Multiliteracies, Multimodality, New Literacies and …. What Do These Mean for Literacy
Education?" In M. Milton and C. Forlin (eds), Inclusive Principles and Practices in Literacy Education (pp.
19-33). Emerald Publishing Limited.
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