Journal Article

Emergent Bilingual Students and Digital Multimodal Composition

Pacheco, Mark B., Smith, Blaine E., Khorosheva, Mariia

2021

Overview

With increasing cultural and linguistic diversity in today’s classrooms, a growing body of research continues to explore the varied ways in which digital tools and multiple modalities can tap into emergent bilingual students’ academic and linguistic strengths. To understand the empirical landscape of this growing research, the authors systematically reviewed the literature on emergent bilinguals and digital multimodal composition in secondary classrooms. Through an inductive approach, the authors analyzed 70 studies to understand key findings and characteristics of the extant research. Five main themes of findings emerged across the research. First, a majority of studies illustrated how digital multimodal composing supports emergent bilingual students’ identity expression. With expanded opportunities to share ideas through multiple modes, students used their projects to bridge transnational identities, (re)present themselves, and communicate in empowering ways. Second, nearly half of the studies emphasized how the integration of digital multimodal projects can reshape classrooms by challenging language ideologies, transforming the classroom as a locus for social justice, and expanding temporal and spatial boundaries as students compose for multiple audiences. Third, many studies demonstrated how emergent bilinguals develop as designers and leverage the unique semiotic resources of multiple modes when composing. Fourth, approximately a third of the studies showed how multimodal composition offers emergent bilinguals opportunities to expand their existing linguistic repertoires. Finally, a quarter of the studies illustrated the potential of multiple modes to mediate learning during composing processes. The authors discuss the implications of these themes and critical new directions for future research on digital multimodal composing with emergent bilingual students.

• Publisher: Wiley,Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subject: 3‐Early adolescence / 4‐Adolescence / Bilingual Education / Bilingual Students / Bilingualism / Classrooms / Cultural differences / Cultural identity / Digital Literacies / Digital/media literacy / Educational Facilities Improvement / English (Second Language) / English Language Learners / Identity / Ideology / Immigrant students / Information Technology / Language Attitudes / Language diversity / Language ideologies / Language learners / Linguistics / Multiculturalism & pluralism / Multimodal Composition / Multimodality / Multiple Literacies / New Literacies / Qualitative Research / Research Reports / Research Synthesis / Second Language Learning / Secondary School Students / Self Concept / Semiotics / Social Justice / Socio‐cultural / Students / Systematic review / Teaching Methods / Writing / Writing Processes