Week Two - Multimodality and Synaesthesia

Multimodality is making meanings in more than one way (Kalantzis. 2012) and how these modes of  meaning are interconnected in our practices of representation and communication.  In the 21^st Century it is so easy to learn through a multimodal way without knowing it.  There are seven (7) modes of meaning:

• ·         Written meaning (writing and reading)
• ·         Visual meaning (perception and image)
• ·         Spatial meaning (location and positioning)
• ·         Tactile meaning (touch and bodily sensation)
• ·         Gestural meaning (body language)
• ·         Audio meaning (sound and music)
• ·         Oral meaning (speaking and listening)   

Multimodal literacies are imperative in the 21^st century classroom as individual learners have strengths and weaknesses relating to these modes of meanings.  A class may be learning through a didactic approach, writing and reading facts about Australia’s geography, however by introducing visual meaning, perception and image, students are making meaning in more than one way and it is evident that the modes are interconnected through the representation and communication of knowledge and understanding.  During school, my teachers and facilitators recognised my need for visual aids and prompts to make meaning, as well as the written mode.  This, in turn provided me with extra knowledge and gave me sufficient modes of learning. 

Synaesthesia is making meaning in one way, then another; shifting between one mode and another.  Knowing how to represent and communicate things in multiple modes is a way to get a multifaceted and, in this sense, a deeper understanding of these things as Kalantzis, 2012 suggests.  I think of when I encounter this type of meaning making and what comes to mind in my usual study habits.  Earphones plugged in, textbook open and FaceBook messenger in hand, for the occasional question being sent to a fellow student, shifting between these modes and making meaning in many ways is how I express synaesthesia on a near regular basis.  This is a great way to initiate meaning and understand concepts through many modes. 

Representation, communication and interpretation are the cycle of literacy meaning making.  Representation is what you are telling yourself, communication is what you are telling others and interpretation is what you are telling yourself what you think others mean.  This cycle can be processed and initiated by any other the seven (7) modes of meaning making (Kalantzis, 2012).

Collectively speaking, written meaning is the most significant mode of literacy as, without it, it is deemed someone is illiterate.  Thus, it can be suggested that written meaning is the most important literacy for students to learn, however, through a synaesthesia meaning making approach, a deeper understanding may be achieved.  Overall, in the 21^st century it is vital to see literacies through the seven (7) modes.