Webinar presented by Natalie Amgott, a doctoral candidate in Second Language Acquisition and Teaching at the University of Arizona. In the twenty-first century, the growing importance of multicultural and multilingual competences is undeniable in our global economy (Douglas Fir Group, 2016). While decades of educators have called for channeling the “multi” into our modes, genres, and registers of language teaching materials (e.g., the New London Group, 1996), little research exists on how multimodal composing can mediate expansion of linguistic and cultural repertoire in L2 contexts outside of EFL and ESL (Kumagai et al., 2015; Schmerbeck & Lucht, 2017). In this webinar, postsecondary instructors and administrators of world languages will learn how to leverage multimodal composing for language learning and cultural reflection in study abroad contexts. A brief overview of how multimodal composing has been applied to EFL and ESL contexts will highlight how multimodal projects support academic learning (Pacheco et al., 2017), self-reflection (DeJaynes, 2015), and multilingual identities (Cummins et al., 2015). Amgott will then illustrate how the findings in EFL and literacy research can be translated to the postsecondary study abroad arena. Attendees will learn about the importance of modeling and scaffolding for fostering engagement and access to full multilingual and multimodal repertoires through multimodal composing (Pacheco & Smith, 2015; Smith et al., 2017) and discuss how multimodal and technological workshops can be coupled with discussion of the vlog genre in order for students to reflexively explore their study abroad environment. After this session, attendees will be able to apply their understanding of multimodality and their course context(s) to encourage students to use multimodal vlogging to reflect on cultural and socioemotional experiences, to develop metalinguistic awareness, and to promote goal-setting and accountability in the language learning community. This event is one in a two-part webinar series on exploring Intercultural communication in the L2 classroom.

Webinar Presented by Manuela Wagner, Professor in the Department of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages at the University of Connecticut. In this webinar we start by reflecting on connections between teaching languages and preparing our students for the challenges they (and we as a society) face (see UN global issues). Questions include: What should students learn in and take away from language education? Should language education go beyond the goal of teaching language proficiency? If so, what are some objectives language education can realistically pursue? Together we will reflect on the increasing demand for students to learn how to engage in intercultural dialogue, as evidenced by national and international initiatives to include intercultural competence (IC) in education in meaningful ways (e.g., ACTFL, Council of Europe, PISA assessments 2018). Wagner will introduce some example in which the models of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC, Byram, 1997) and Intercultural Citizenship (ICit, Byram, 2008) were applied to help students acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to engage in intercultural dialogue and solve problems together. Through interactive activities, participants will 1) discuss and reflect on the role of culture and ICC and ICit in language education, 2) discuss the implementation of model of ICC in sample activities, and 3) come up with connections to their own teaching. Participants will think about possible challenges and concerns regarding this way of teaching. Challenges and lessons learned from prior projects will be shared to allow for a beginning conversation about applying this theory to practice in different contexts. Finally, participants will reflect on how this way of teaching is linked to teaching for social justice, anti-racism, and decolonization. This event is one in a two-part webinar series on exploring Intercultural communication in the L2 classroom.

Webinar presented by Jill Castek, Rachel Floyd, Emily Hellmich, Blane Smith and Wen Wen from the University of Arizona (see their individual bios below). Multimodal projects use multiple modes to communicate ideas. In the digital world, images, sounds, colors and other design features together convey meaning that one mode alone cannot fully express. This webinar illustrates how composing across multiple modes (e.g., video, images, animation) can increase learners’ motivation, build digital literacies, and L2 expand communicative capacity. Classroom examples connect multimodality with socioscientific issues (controversial, real-world problems informed by science, e.g., global warming, genetic engineering) to encourage understanding of complex issues. In this interactive webinar, participants will learn: 1) about multimodality; 2) how socioscientific issues can dovetail with multimodal projects; and 3) strategies for designing, implementing, and assessing multimodal projects in their own teaching contexts.