A multimodal social semiotic exploration of the 'glocal' in EAL

Many English as an additional language (EAL) teachers around the world want to improve their professional practice in classrooms. In Angola, one particular approach to teacher training utilized two different video series published by the United States Department of State, to address the pedagogical concerns and methodological needs of teachers. One video is distributed around the world and the other is designed for particular local teachers. Both training videos utilize editing techniques like those in film to merge moving and still images, written and spoken text, voiceover and music. Reactions to the videos in Angola varied, but generally informal feedback from teachers after trainings implied that the video used methods that were not relevant for Angolan contexts. Although studies have investigated the impact of training materials on teacher practice (Kuter, Gazi, & Aksal, 2012; Kaskaya, 2011; Britsch, 2010; Orlova, 2009; Mitchell, 2008; Taylor, 2002; Maheshwari & Raina, 1998), no studies have examined the materials themselves in order to explore this mismatch between pedagogical material and context. Thus, this study contributes to an understanding of how multimodal semiotic resources in EAL teacher training videos construct English teaching in global settings. The investigation of the videos utilizes a multimodal social semiotic lens based in the work of Kress and Van Leeuwen (2006) and grounded in Halliday (1978). The study includes three steps: The first explores multimodal semiotic resources within the videos that construct 'glocal' configurations. The second examines what the configurations realize about the field of EAL teaching. The third explores how these configurations can inform principles to consider in future video production that are mindful of local contexts within current sociolinguistic dynamics of pluralism (Canagarajah, 2006) and super-diversity (Blommaert and Dong, 2010). Multimodality conceptualizes communication as being possible through multiple modes such as the written, spoken and the musical. Social semiotics can be defined as "what can be said and done with images (and other visual means of communication) and how the things people say and do with images can be interpreted" (Jewitt & Oyama, 2001: 134). Thus, the combination of multimodality and social semiotics used in the study provides a suitable framework for exploring meaning potential within the semiotic choices of resources in the videos. The analytical lens also allows for an exploration of the power-related assumptions and ideologies about EAL teaching that are constructed through the semiotic choices made in the videos. Many English as an additional language (EAL) teachers around the world want to improve their professional practice in classrooms. In Angola, one particular approach to teacher training utilized two different video series published by the United States Department of State, to address the pedagogical concerns and methodological needs of teachers. One video is distributed around the world and the other is designed for particular local teachers. Both training videos utilize editing techniques like those in film to merge moving and still images, written and spoken text, voiceover and music. Reactions to the videos in Angola varied, but generally informal feedback from teachers after trainings implied that the video used methods that were not relevant for Angolan contexts. Although studies have investigated the impact of training materials on teacher practice (Kuter, Gazi, & Aksal, 2012; Kaskaya, 2011; Britsch, 2010; Orlova, 2009; Mitchell, 2008; Taylor, 2002; Maheshwari & Raina, 1998), no studies have examined the materials themselves in order to explore this mismatch between pedagogical material and context. Thus, this study contributes to an understanding of how multimodal semiotic resources in EAL teacher training videos construct English teaching in global settings. The investigation of the videos utilizes a multimodal social semiotic lens based in the work of Kress and Van Leeuwen (2006) and grounded in Halliday (1978). The study includes three steps: The first explores multimodal semiotic resources within the videos that construct 'glocal' configurations. The second examines what the configurations realize about the field of EAL teaching. The third explores how these configurations can inform principles to consider in future video production that are mindful of local contexts within current sociolinguistic dynamics of pluralism (Canagarajah, 2006) and super-diversity (Blommaert and Dong, 2010). Multimodality conceptualizes communication as being possible through multiple modes such as the written, spoken and the musical. Social semiotics can be defined as "what can be said and done with images (and other visual means of communication) and how the things people say and do with images can be interpreted" (Jewitt & Oyama, 2001: 134). Thus, the combination of multimodality and social semiotics used in the study provides a suitable framework for exploring meaning potential within the semiotic choices of resources in the videos. The analytical lens also allows for an exploration of the power-related assumptions and ideologies about EAL teaching that are constructed through the semiotic choices made in the videos.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

School of Education

Year dc:date.issued

2015

Author dc:creator

• Pearman, Akisha Estelle

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Archer, Arlene

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20135

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/20135