Week 9: Multiliteracies Approaches

After reading the article by Stein and Tan I think that the use of language as a form of meaning making should not be seen as the only way of expression but should go beyond this. Any form of expression of meaning making is inflected with the relations between culture, history, and power that particular communities and institutions have evolved (Stein).

This would mean that all expression as a form of meaning making is specific to culture of the particular community. For instance, in the DUSTY project, the use of slang in the lyrics is specific to the “Black” community and should the meaning of the song should therefore be interpreted from the lens of these people and not from those who have little or no knowledge about the Black culture and community.

In Tan’s article, it was discussed how she see the incorporation of mulitiliteracies as a reconciliation of differences in the education system in Singapore.

While it’s easy to highlight the fallacy of her proposal, however I feel that the incorporation of mulitiliteracies into the curriculum may be beneficial to students here especially to the under achievers. This may provide an alternative platform for these underachievers to “showcase” their potential. Akin to that of the DUSTY project, teachers may try to develop and explore these underachivers’ potential in these areas.

However, one might say that such a project may not add value to these underachivers’ portfolio as the “valued success” is still through the traditional mode of assessment, ie the PSLE for the primary school students. Perhaps, teachers might want to identify ways to incorporate the teaching of content such as grammar and vocabulary through mulitiliteracies. This way, it empower students and allow them to develop a sense of ownership in their learning while the teachers are able to “cover” the syllabus required for the PSLE.

To sum it up, teachers should explore the possibilities of integrating multiliteracies into the curriculum as a strategy to add to teachers’ repertoire.