From Aquí and Allá Symbolic Convergence in the Multimodal Literacy Practices of Adolescent Immigrant Students

• Published in: Journal of literacy research Vol. 46; no. 2; pp. 194 - 233
• Main Author: Honeyford, Michelle A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-06-2014; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Adolescents; Captions; Case Studies; Diaspora; Discourse Analysis; English Language Learners; Essays; Ethnography; Grade 7; Grade 8; Immigrant students; Immigrants; Inquiry method; Literacy; Middle School Students; Migrant Education; Pedagogy; Photography; Social identity; United States (Midwest); Visual Aids; literacy; ages 11-14; new literacies; diversity; ethnographic; discourse analysis; bilingual/ESL; curriculum; multimodal literacy; sociocultural
• ISSN: 1086-296X; 1554-8430
• DOI: 10.1177/1086296X14534180

Drawing upon notions of symbolic representation and transcultural repositioning, this study uses visual and critical discourse analyses to examine a multimodal photo essay created by seventh- and eighth-grade immigrant youth in an English as a New Language (ENL) class. Collectively titled “I am from aquí and allá” by the students, the photo essay was installed as a public exhibit for an Open House culminating a year-long literacy inquiry the students called “the culture project.” Through analyses of students’ images and captions, I point to examples of symbolic convergence: the practice of bringing together the multiple sites/sights of students’ diasporic identities; offering others alternative sites/sights from which to understand them; and creating new sites/sights from which to position themselves to learn, participate, and contribute to change. The article discusses how this particular multimodal artifact suggests the need for further dialogue about the value of local, learner-centered literacy pedagogies and practice in a time of increasing commercialization and standardization of curriculum, instruction, and assessment.