This week, GREIP members and PhD students had the privilege of attending an insightful talk titled “Multiliteracies Pedagogy in Action: Argumentative Meaning-Making in Written vs. Multimodal EFL Tasks,” presented by Dr. Pedro Antonio Férez Mora and Dr. Yvette Coyle from Murcia University.
Following the principles of multiliteracies pedagogy (Kalantzis & Cope, 2016), the speakers highlighted that English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) should prioritize not only linguistic development but also multimodal competencies, critical thinking, and democratic values, all essential for advancing social justice. Their talk drew on recent research with a group of high school students (ages 13 to 14) to examine how they develop argumentation and critical awareness around a social justice topic, with meaning-making processes carried out in two distinct formats: a conventional written essay and a digital, multimodal PowerPoint presentation.
Concluding their presentation, Dr. Férez Mora and Dr. Coyle shared insights into how students used specific modal resources to shape their socially charged arguments. These talks organized with the doctoral studies consistently provide valuable food for thought, and we are grateful to host such distinguished speakers.
GREIP’s insight
Ha estat tot un honor acollir el Dr. Férez Mora i la Dra. Coyle per parlar sobre l’aprenentatge multimodal en EFL!