Multimodal Instruction as a Bridge to Required Reading in Today’s Secondary Classroom

Abstract

A pre-service teacher noticed an increasing trend of secondary students’ disinterest in required readings. This article details how small changes in the delivery of content through multimodal avenues can create big changes in engagement. Provisions for why multimodal instruction should be utilized as well as for how it is being used in today’s classrooms are given. Two lessons using multimodal concepts were taught by the pre-service teacher in an urban, public middle school. The article includes a summation of the literature reviewed, the reflections garnered after planning and teaching multimodal lessons, and potential further avenues for study. This article is helpful for educators who are seeking out strategies with which to engage today’s middle and high school students with required reading on a level that is both relatable and content rich. This article also supports the idea that in order to navigate towards innovative instruction, teachers must re-calibrate their educational compasses for a 21st-century student population.