Multiliteracies – An Insignificant Concept?

What role do multiliteracies play for writing in the 21st century?

When I first heard the term “multiliteracy”, I had no idea about its meaning. I simply figured that it was
just another one of the concepts that sound great in theory but are hardly applicable in an actual
classroom or that are so obvious that talking about them seems dispensable. When I started to read
about the pedagogy of multiliteracies, my initial thoughts seemed to be correct at first. Considering
the variety of meaning transporting modes which even make a simple spoken communication
multimodal, multiliteracies seemed to be omnipresent and already integrated in the (English)
classroom.
However, the more I read about the topic of multiliteracy the more I discovered its importance. Due
to the constant changes related to factors like digitalization, we as (future) teachers are obliged to
prepare our students for the chances and challenges that arise with the current changes. The call for a
broader definition of literacy (Elsner & Viebrock 26) reflects this change and is important not only but
also in terms of writing.
When we write, we do this in order to transport information of any kind. This information can be
scientific in an academic text, personal in a letter, aesthetic in a poem – this list of examples could
probably go on for pages. What all of these written products have in common is the fact that by being
a means that transports information that we consider to be important enough to be shared, they aim
to encourage the recipient of our writings to engage in a process of meaning-making.
Considering the increasing multiculturality and plurilingualism in our society, it becomes clear why
multiliteracy is crucial to writing in the 21st century. As literacy is restricted to linear texts composed
of words, sentences and phrases according to the traditional definition (Elsner & Viebrock 20), the
process of meaning-making can hardly overcome linguistic barriers. Decoding a text which is written in
a foreign, unknown language is hardly possible. By including visual, audible, spatial and gestural modes
and, therefore, broadening the definition of literacy, this barrier can be overcome more easily. To
enable students to participate and represent their position in intercultural and interlingual
interactions, they need to be able to operate not only in linguistic modes but to support their ideas by
expressing their ideas in manners that are understandable in spite of linguistic barriers. Only this way,
students cannot only master the challenges that they face with regards to multiculturality nowadays
but also be able to see them as chances for intercultural learning and understanding.
One might argue now that multiculturality plays a rather small role for many individuals in our society
due to the monolingual habitus that is present in numerous parts of the German society and
educational system. This claim might be valid to some extent but on the other hand, the omnipresence
of the German habitus might even increase the need for multiliteracies. The ability to transport
meaning in more than one way might help to enable persons to participate in German society in
spite of being challenged by the German language. Furthermore, problems with understanding might
also occur between speakers of the same language. Multiliteracies can be helpful to negotiate meaning
in these situations as well.
The best idea can only be as good as the way it is expressed and therefore made comprehensible for
others. This claim supports the importance of multiliteracy for writing in the 21st century with regards
to a new and broad definition of literacy. Therefore, educating ourselves on the topic of multiliteracy
is crucial for all (future) teachers who want to enable their students to express their ideas in a manner
that allows the decoding of meaning without being defeated by linguistic borders.

By Johanna

Works Cited
Elsner, D. & Viebrock, B. “Developing Multiliteracies in the 21st Century: Motives for New Approaches
of Teaching and Learning Foreign Languages.” Plurilingualism and Multiliteracies. Ed. Daniela Caspari.
Frankfurt a. M.: Peter Lang Edition. 17-32. Print.