Multiliteracies in ELA Classrooms

“How do you get someone to learn something hard, long, complex, yet enjoy it?”

This is a great core question raised by Gee in the article; after all, it is one of the many struggles that teachers face in the classrooms.

To be honest, how many students would choose to take English classes if they had the choice? In my younger days, I would have avoided the subject like the plague if it were not for my grade twelve English teacher. To reflect on the question, the root of learning is to actively enjoy gaining knowledge and skills as it is human nature to enjoy learning. But oftentimes, schooling makes it not. Referring to the article, I am not implying video games are the only the solution to boring classrooms; I believe that it is not harmful to utilize gaming to cater to students’ interests and engage them in English classes

As well, the article does not advocate playing video games in class; rather the focus is on educating through the principles of gaming. For example, all too often students are learning content to pass tests; they have not acquired the knowledge and often have difficulties in applying the knowledge to other problems without practice. However, in video gaming, people often learn various skills through incessant practices (that are fun, usually) and apply it in different contexts and situations. Then, is it not time to deviate away from the conventions of traditional schooling (a bit) and reconsider what teachers can do to make learning “doing”?

Below, I have listed some of Gee’s learning principles that I identify with the most and my thoughts on them.

1. Identity: “live, learn, and act through new identities”

It is important to encourage students to identify themselves as active learners or adventure-seekers rather than students-sitting-in-the-classrooms. It is part of our job to change their mindsets that students’ jobs are to copy down notes, do a set of work, jump through the hoops, and receive that A (or B,C,D) in class.

2. Interaction: “video games give reactions and feedback; what about school, texts, or textbooks?”

How can we study texts so that it is relevant to students? Rather than just reading the text and memorizing, what use can we make of the text? These are some questions, I believe, that are important to ask ourselves when we are presenting the information from the texts.

3. Risk taking: “take risks and explore; failure is feedback”

Even as adults, we are afraid of failure. It is our responsibilities to instill the idea that failure is feedback through encouragement. Although it is a challenge as we do not want to belittle failure, some examples may be to attribute fewer marks to each assignment and allow revisions until students are satisfied with their final product to receive the final mark. Also, it would be beneficial providing a safe and inclusive environment where failure is seen as the incentive to try again.

4. Agency: “sense of ownership”

Even though we have to follow a curriculum, I believe we can follow it to an extent and leave the rest to open discussion. Some tasks may be to have students hold workshops for each other, create their own rubrics, and in general develop their own skills of interest.

All in all, I believe it would be helpful for ELA teachers to consider how to apply learning principles to the classroom. However, I do wonder: to what extent can we allow freedom in student learning yet stick to the curriculum? How can we rethink assessment and provide activities that refer to the learning principles and cater to students’ needs in learning?

References

Gee, J. (2005). Good Video Games and Good Learning. Phi Kappa Phi Forum, 85(2), 33-37.