23/01/2018

Multimodality

During our third session we got the chance to experiment and create multimodal presentations using the programme ActivInspire. A text may be described as multimodal when it combines two or more semiotic systems. There are five semiotic systems in total:

• Linguistic
• Visual
• Audio
• Gestural
• Spatial

“The multimodality of technology is another reason to use it, as it allows teachers to present an idea in a variety of different ways to help pupils understand it” (Beauchamp, 2012, p.8). This is a clear way to summarise how using programmes that involve more than one semiotic system are effective as children learn, react and engage with subjects and materials differently. Children who struggle to take in written information may find it easier to understand when pictures, sounds or videos are included, helping them grasp the information that is in front of them.

ActivInspire creates the opportunity for teachers to feel empowered while teaching and using technology to bring lessons to life. Using programmes like this not only allows students and children to develop their own individual learning but also develop communication, team work and collaboration skills within the classroom which they can then use outside the classroom. Teachers can create presentations that are not only interesting and engaging for children but also memorable and personalised to the children they are teaching to allowing them and their students to reach their potential.

“…We must challenge the implicit assumption that speech and writing are always central and sufficient for learning” (Beauchamp, 2012, p.81).

Our task in this session was to create a presentation covering either a literacy outcome or mathematics outcome, using the programme ActivInspire. Choosing a simple layout and design to get across the outcome of simple addition and subtracting, I managed to navigate my way around the programme which I had never used from a student teacher point of view.

         

These pictures represent slides from the presentation to help children understand simple addition and subtraction using everyday objects and environments they see in real life. During the activity the children would be required to volunteer for a question and approach the board. They would then use the interactive pen to circle the apples they could see to help them count while doing the addition and subtraction and then they would write their total at the end of the sum.

This is an effective way of teaching as it gets the children engaged with the material and allows them translate and breakdown the instruction of the sum into a simpler and easier instruction to understand. Putting what they are being told into action, theory into practice.

Reference List:

Beauchamp, G. (2012) ICT in the primary School: From Pedagogy to Practice. Pearson.