Dr. Jenifer Ho
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Session
3:50 pm
Digital multimodal composing as a translanguaging space in a university writing course Â
This presentation explores the intersection of digital multimodal composing (DMC) and translanguaging in a university writing course in Hong Kong. Engaging in DMC is an act of translanguaging where students make meaning through mobilising various multimodal resources, such as spoken and written language, images, and sound effects, also bringing with them their identities and experiences. This presentation argues that students’ beliefs and experiences of academic essays and presentations, together with their exposure to popular new media genres contribute to the creation of a translanguaging space as they designed and produced an instructional video to explain abstract concepts to a lay audience. The DMC task allows students to exercise creative agency in breaking boundaries of norms and conventions of academic writing, thus generating new identities for themselves. The presentation concludes by discussing the pedagogical implications of DMC and translanguaging practices in the language classroom.Â
About the speaker
Dr Jenifer Ho is Assistant Professor at the Department of English and Communication, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Her research interests are digital communication, translanguaging and social semiotic multimodality. She is particularly interested in conducting qualitative investigations of informal/recreational language learning and teaching practices, including the use of digital multimodal composing in the classroom. Her work has appeared in Applied Linguistics Review, Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, ELT Journal, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, Journal of English for Academic Purposes, Journal of Second Language Writing, Language and Intercultural Communication, Learning, Media and Technology, Qualitative Research, and System.