Multiliteracy in Language Subjects A systematic literature review from 1996 to 2020
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Abstract
As a result of digital, social, and cultural transformations, literacy practices today incorporate different semiotic modes, media, and spaces both inside and outside the school. However, language teaching in schools has mainly focused on learning decoding skills and verbal literacy. Although a multiliteracy pedagogy was proposed over a decade ago, limited research has been conducted about the benefits and challenges of implementing it in primary and secondary education. Therefore, this article presents a systematic review of research findings on multiliteracy practices in school contexts within the Language subject in the period 1996-2020. Through two database searches and a subsequent inductive analysis, 26 empirical studies were selected. Three themes to understand how multiliteracy has been addressed emerged from the article analysis: multimodal genres, pedagogy of multiliteracy and diversity recognition. The results highlight how pedagogical practices enable the incorporation of semiotic modes beyond the verbal to foster communication and drive changes toward more democratic, dialogical, and inclusive classroom dynamics.
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