Multimodality in Language Education – Exploring the Boundaries of Digital Texts

Abstract

Considering the challenges of contemporary communication, largely due to the rapid development of media technology, the purpose of this article is to discuss the implications that these challenges may have for language education. In a digitalized society, texts more often than not include several modes, such as images, symbols, film clips and sound. What does this widened notion of texts mean for language subjects and teachers and how are these changes in texts reflected in curricula? In the article we use a multimodal framework to understand and discuss meaning-making when a widened notion of texts is incorporated in language education and the conflicts that may occur are discussed from an activity theoretical point of view. We conclude by arguing for native language education to fully embrace and recognize multimodal meaning-making.