Integrating Digital and Multimodal Texts into Primary Classrooms

 

         Using digital tools and multi-modal text takes planning as well as thought to student needs 

(Coiro et al., 2019). It is also important to consider district expectation and guidelines. However, long 

before mastering formal writing skills young children interpret meaning from multiple modes (Mills, 

2011). For student who are considered readers using digital text is somewhat easier, but for those readers

that are developing reading skills it can be a bit more challenging as they are in the early stages of reading

and just beginning to understand the rules of print (Bates et al., 1016). To help with integration of digital 

text in primary classrooms, educators should consider behaviors and strategies of early readers,  have a

complete understanding of supportive text characteristics, and be aware of digital text features that may or

may not help young students with literacy processing as well as help develop concepts of print (Bates et 

al., 1016). Moss and Lapp discuss in their book the creation of a newspaper in one classroom in which all 

students were involved. Heterogeneous student groups that  included above and below level readers, 

English language learners, and students with disabilities supported each other in a common goal and

outcome (Moss & Lapp, 2010). This shows primary teachers that students can successfully collaborate to

create with digital text and tools.

        While trying to actively integrate more multi-modal and digital literacy I have experienced success

this school year with my own second-grade students. Below I have included a poster that highlights the 

successes of a study using open-ended apps in early childhood classrooms. This study used a mixed-

method research design that answered the following question. "How does the use of mobile technologies

(tablets) to create multi-modal stories impact the literacy learning of young children (Oakley et al., 2018 

pg5)?" The article notes that teachers saw positive gains in sight word knowledge, oral language skills,

opportunity for collaboration, and expressive skills that transferred to traditional writing or picture

drawing to tell stories (Oakley et al., 10180.


 

 
        For each of my blog entries, I have provided an example from my own classroom as I am actively
 
working to integrate more digital and multi-modal text in my classroom as well as provide practice with
 
digital tools for my students. This week I am including a research activity I created in SeeSaw. This 
 
activity was created as a follow up to a story read in class about a little girl living on a wildlife
 
park in Kenya. I have also shared three student samples in which each student independently created and 
 
uploaded their work to SeeSaw.
 

 Student Sample 1
 
Student Sample 2 
 
Student Sample 3 
 
Students 1 & 2 are both grade level students that easily use the digital tools on SeeSaw.  Student 3 is a
 
below level reader and does not as easily manipulate the tools of SeeSaw,  He did not get the recording

done, but did use the website and wrote some facts. I'm proud that he did this completely by himself and

never asked once how to spell a word. I have  encouraged him many times to use what he knows

about letters and sounds to independently write. All three samples are examples of each student's 

best work!


Bibliography
 

Bates, C. C., Klein, A., Schubert, B., McGee, L., Anderson, N., Dorn, L McClure, E., Ross, R. H.

     (2016). E-Books and E-Book Apps: Considerations for Beginning Readers. The 

     Reading Teacher, 70(4), 401-411. https://doi.org/10.1002.trtr.1543

Coiro, J., Dobler, E., & Pelekis, K. (2019). From curiosity to deep learning: personal

     Digital inquiry in grades K-5. Stenhouse Publishers.
 

Mills, K. (2011). ‘I’m Making it Different to the Book’: Transmediation in Young 

     Children’s Multimodal and Digital Texts. Australasian journal of Early Childhood, 36(3),

     56-65. http://doi.ore/10.1177/183693911103600308 
 

Moss, B., & Lapp, D. (2010). Teaching new literacies in grades K-3. Guilford.
 

Oakley, G., Wildy, H., & Berman, Y.E. (2018). Multimodal digital text creation using 

     Tablets and open-ended creative apps to improve the literacy learning of children in early

     Childhood classrooms. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 146879841877817.

     https://doi.org/10.1177/1468798418779171  

 

 

Comments

  1. Sally BeachOctober 26, 2020 at 1:39 PM

    Thanks for sharing the student work! What great things they learned. I also like how you included the one with the developmental spelling.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Madeline SmithOctober 30, 2020 at 6:41 PM

    I like the integration of student work into your blog, and you can tell that you really love your students and are proud of their accomplishments!

    ReplyDelete

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