Across Languages, Modes, and Identities: Bilingual Adolescents’ Multimodal Codemeshing in the Literacy Classroom

Abstract

We seek to understand how bilingual adolescent students leverage multiple languages and modes in digital composition. Using a translingual and multimodal perspective of composition, this study reports on the distinct communicative affordances associated with four students’ multimodal codemeshing practices. Through analysis of students’ digital products and retrospective design interviews, we found that students meshed linguistic and modal resources to engage multiple audiences, convey multidimensional and nuanced meanings, and (re)voice their subjects’ experiences. We conclude with pedagogical implications for practitioners seeking to incorporate students’ multilingual and multimodal meaning-making resources in the classroom.