William Cope
Nithin Kalorth
Jako Olivier
Ida Brandão
Mitchell PetersMultimodal Literacies MOOC’s Updates
Section 10: Making Meaning by Writing
This update continues to examine written language, this time from the perspective of representing and communicating meaning by writing. We begin by looking at how making meaning in the written mode develops with a discussion of how speaking and writing differ. We then explore alternative approaches to describing how written language works, from the traditional grammar of didactic pedagogy, to Chomsky’s transformational-generative grammar, to Halliday’s functional approach. We end the update with our own Multiliteracies approach, which describes what we call the ‘design elements’ of written texts, and a discussion of the design process.
To explore these issues further, see the supporting material on the Literacies website.
Comment Below: How and why is writing different from speaking? What are the implications for literacy teaching and learning?
Make an Update: Find an approach to learning to write that you have encountered, or used, or would like to know more about. Describe and analyse the approach using the concepts introduced in this section.
The implications for literacy teaching and learning are significant. Teaching writing requires focus on organization, clarity, grammar, and the ability to revise and refine messages. Literacy instruction must help learners understand audience and context, since writing often targets a specific reader in a fixed situation. On the other hand, teaching speaking should emphasize fluency, spontaneity, and the interactive nature of communication, including non-verbal cues and tone. Educators should help students develop skills to navigate both oral and written language effectively, recognizing that each requires different strategies and that proficiency in one supports the other.
A multimodal analysis of meaning can help us understand how each element adds to the message. It allows us to see how text, sound, image, and gesture interact to create meaning. For example, when watching a video, the tone of voice, background music, and visual design all influence how we understand the message. This analysis helps students and teachers become more aware of how to communicate effectively in the digital world. It also improves creativity, critical thinking, and the ability to design messages that suit the audience and purpose.
I highlighted the writing as I wrote an article to my collogues, I explore the contrasting linguistic theories of Noam Chomsky and Michael Halliday, examining their relevance in the digital age. Chomsky argues that language is an innate cognitive structure embedded in the human brain, enabling individuals to acquire language effortlessly. He challenges behaviorist theories of language learning, asserting the existence of a universal grammar underlying all human languages. However, this perspective raises questions about cultural variations in language and whether language shapes thought differently across linguistic communities.
On the other hand, Halliday views language as a social tool used for meaning-making rather than a fixed, innate system. His Systemic Functional Linguistics framework identifies three key functions of language: ideational (expressing ideas), interpersonal (shaping relationships), and textual (structuring communication). These functions highlight how language is deeply tied to social interaction. The article concludes by questioning how these theories adapt to digital media and artificial intelligence, emphasizing that language is not just a cognitive faculty but a continuously evolving phenomenon shaped by culture, creativity, and technology.
For my Diploma Dissertation, I audited the writing classes of one of my professors, where she engaged learners in business communication. The module I observed was on writing, and the syllabus involved everything from resume writing and cover letter writing to LinkedIn profile creation and email writing. However, the teacher did not stick to the traditional pedagogic strategies and made in multimodal in all capacities. Throughout the semester, the learners were assessed based on their portfolios and these portfolios were uploaded on Google Drive with viewership rights given to the entire class. So, along with self and teacher assessment, there was also peer-assessment involved. Learners were encouraged to comment on each others' resumes, cover letters, and emails seeking jobs and to suggest ways of making these writings more effective and flawless.
The teacher too gave continued feedback. It all culminated in impromptu job applications for different contexts and I think, because of the open-access culture, learners engaged in all the tasks diligently. There was hardly any below-average performer in the group, and by the end of the semester one could see the individual and group progress made by the team!
I think this approach is very similar to the one we saw in video 10.6 where the Scholar portfolio of learners facilitated a visual and more appealing means of engaging with each others' writings in a classroom.
Of course, writing and speaking are speaking abilities and skills, even though they are both language skills. Writing ability is the ability to express ideas in written form, while speaking is expressing ideas in spoken language.
Of course, writing and speaking are speaking abilities and skills, even though they are both language skills. Writing ability is the ability to express ideas in written form, while speaking is expressing ideas in spoken language.
Of course, writing and speaking are speaking abilities and skills, even though they are both language skills. Writing ability is the ability to express ideas in written form, while speaking is expressing ideas in spoken language.
Of course, writing and speaking are speaking abilities and skills, even though they are both language skills. Writing ability is the ability to express ideas in written form, while speaking is expressing ideas in spoken language.
Of course, writing and speaking are speaking abilities and skills, even though they are both language skills. Writing ability is the ability to express ideas in written form, while speaking is expressing ideas in spoken language.
An aspect of spontaneity stands out as the primary difference. Our speech is uncontrolled and may include repetitions because of this. Writing, in contrast, is a systematic way of expressing ourselves.