AZCALL 2020

 Virtual Conference

Multilingual and Multimodal Literacy beyond School: A Case Study of An Adult Vlogger in China  

Xiao (Katy) Tan; Arizona State University

Contact: xtan42@asu.edu 

Biography

Xiao Tan is a doctoral student in Writing, Rhetorics, and Literacies at Arizona State University. She is also working as a First-year Composition instructor at the same institution. Her current research interests include multimodal writing, second language writing and teacher education. 


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Abstract

Second language literacy research in recent years has attended to emerging genres and various literacy practices. Less explored, however, are the innovative ways of meaning-making and communication facilitated by the use of multimodal resources in a foreign-language context. To bridge the gap, the study investigates how a Chinese-English bilingual speaker coordinates and orchestrates design elements in her vlogs and how decision makings are informed by various factors. Interview data and vlog analysis show that the participant is skillful in using digital technologies, anticipating audiences’ needs, fulfilling rhetorical purposes, and negotiating with constraining contextual factors. The study challenges the view that learners in an EFL country have limited opportunities to use the language due to the lack of contact with the target language community. It also suggests that EFL/ESL educators could build on what learners do on their own while encouraging them to repurpose the use of vlogs and mobile technologies.

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