View Content #23779

By Julie Sykes, CASLS Director

In InterCom this month, we are exploring how to reach the most students possible through multimodal approaches to instruction. Language learners around the world are a heterogeneous group of students requiring numerous types of resources and instruction. We will start to explore various perspectives and tackle the key principle:

Multimodal approaches to instruction should be used whenever possible to be as inclusive as possible of a diverse group of learners.

Multimodal approaches move beyond the commonly oversimplified notion of learning styles, to instead, offer information and learning approaches to students in ways that layer information and provide choice of format. Throughout the month, we will explore techniques for adapting language courses to students with diverse physical, emotional, and cognitive needs and address ways in which technology can facilitate differentiation and availability of resources in language classes.

To start, every teacher can begin with these simple tips:

1. Offer all instructions orally and in a visual format.
2. Allow for color coding and/or linear lists whenever possible.
3. Avoid the use of jokes or contexts that might only apply to half of the learners or offer resources that can be interpreted from a variety of viewpoints.
4. Let students use scissors, glue, markers and tape to create visual resources or, if they prefer, avoid tactile activities if that is their preference.
5. Encourage student reflection on their own preferences and encourage them to try formats they may not have tried before.
6. Group learners intentionally by similar skills sets, sometimes, and by diverse skill sets other times.
7. Consider seating assignments and or your presence in the physical space, depending on each group of students you teach.
8. Encourage evaluation all modes of communication in which multimodality can be extremely valuable – e.g., using visual elements to interpret text or understanding what you hear through written cues.