This study addresses the interrelationship of multimodalities and contingent interactions during classroom literacy activities, for elementary-aged second language learners. Using McNeill’s (1992) co-speech gesture and gesture coding, multimodalities such as prosodics, facial expressions, drawings, objects, and dramaturgical engagements were analyzed for their ability to provide extended support for the students.
This study addresses the interrelationship of multimodalities and contingent interactions during classroom activities, particularly read-alouds, for elementary-aged second language learners. While many models have been well documented for the use and benefits of multimodalities to support student learning (Lapp & Flood, 2003; Sulzby & Teale, 2003), in the United States such uses have been listed as simple accommodations to support English learners towards curriculum approved answers. Many studies emphasize the use of teacher interventions and instructional conversations through prescripted prompts or guidelines to meet academic needs for correct answers (Davin, 2013); however, for second language learners entering a new languaculture, such linear prompts towards one correct answer do not fully support their broader communicative needs. Accordingly, van Lier (1996, 2004), using Vygotskian cultural-historical theory, promoted contingent interaction to facilitate deeper and extended connectedness in second language literacy learning. While his work focused mainly on face-to-face speech, our study promotes that nonverbal and other multimodal forms of expression are integral to communication in general, and especially salient to second language (L2) learners who require greater contextualization, owing to less familiarity with grammatical competence and cultural knowledge. Data is based on multiple classrooms of second and third grade children learning English and Spanish as a second language. McNeill’s (1992) co-speech gesture and gesture itself, as well as prosodics, facial expressions, the teacher’s acts of drawing, drawings themselves, objects, and engagement in other new literacies are coded and highlighted as multimodalities extending from adherence to contingencies. Findings include how the use of multimodalities prolepted or deliberately “invited” the students into becoming insiders with the content. However, when contingencies and multimodalities were neglected or curtailed towards a one common answer, deeper extensions were curtailed. Overall, when contingencies were considered, space was created that extended meanings and additional modalities for all the participants.
