Linguistic layering: Social language development in the context of multimodal design and digital technologies | Culture and communication in digital worlds

Author(s): Myrrh Domingo

Year of publication: 2012

Keywords: Linguistic layering, Multimodal design, Social language development, Transcultural youth, Digital technologies

Methodology/Sample: Ethnography/6 students

Reference: Domingo, M. (2012). Linguistic layering: Social language development in the context of multimodal design and digital technologies. Learning, Media and Technology, 37(2), 177-197. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2012.670645

Abstract

In our contemporary society, digital texts circulate more readily and extend beyond page-bound formats to include interactive representations such as online newsprint with hyperlinks to audio and video files. This is to say that multimodality combined with digital technologies extends grammar to include voice, visual, and music, among other modes for articulating ideas beyond written language. In this paper, I discuss these multimodal designs in relation to a group of transcultural youth and their multilingual exchanges online. I examine patterns that reveal how their linguistic exchanges both drew from and extended beyond in-school literacy practices. Using discourse and multimodal analyses, I examine data from a 3-year ethnography that documents specific ways in which their multimodal design migrated across contexts and facilitated their social language development. In so doing, I describe their artistic approach to attending to language variety beyond code-switching through a process I identify as linguistic layering.

> Summary

The paper explores multimodal design and linguistic layering in literacy practices among transcultural youth.
It emphasizes the importance of integrating social and cultural contexts in literacy education.
The research highlights how digital technologies enhance interactive and participatory literacy experiences.
It critiques traditional grammar structures, advocating for a more dynamic understanding of language.
The findings suggest that multimodal pedagogy fosters social language development and cultural awareness.

> Problem statement

The paper critiques traditional literacy practices that neglect cultural contexts, leading to disempowerment in classrooms.
It highlights the inadequacy of defining literacy as a finite skill set in a globalized world.
The research addresses educational inequity stemming from a homogenizing literacy curriculum that fails to be socially responsive.
It emphasizes the need for multimodal literacy practices that reflect students’ lived experiences and cultural identities.
The study explores how youth navigate linguistic and cultural identities through digital and multimodal exchanges.
Overall, the paper advocates for a shift towards recognizing the dynamic nature of literacy in contemporary society.

> Methods used

Data were collected through online and offline interactions using three ethnographic methods: semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews, and participant observations.
Descriptive and reflective field notes were recorded during participant observations to enhance understanding of linguistic diversity and cultural knowledge.
Literacy artifacts were collected, which were often dynamic and required innovative analytical approaches for representation.
A migratory research approach was employed, examining literacy practices across digital and physical spaces.
The study utilized multimodal analyses to explore linguistic exchanges and their impact on social language development.

> Practical implications

The findings are relevant for educators seeking culturally responsive academic experiences for students.
The study illustrates the importance of interactive literacy learning in transcultural exchanges.
It proposes new ways to conceive grammar in literacy classrooms, extending beyond traditional structures.
The research emphasizes the significance of linguistic layering in understanding hybrid language identities.
It highlights the role of digital technologies in shaping multimodal literacy practices among youth.
The study encourages educators to rethink literacy as an active, dynamic process rather than a fixed skill set.