Cover not available
Part of
Innovative Qualitative Methodologies in Multilingual Literacy Development Research: Amplifying voices from immigrant, transnational, and refugee communities
Edited by Amanda K. Kibler and Fares J. Karam
[Research Methods in Applied Linguistics 11] 2025
► pp. 67–91

Chapter 4
Communicating selves

Immigrant, emergent multilingual students’ voices and agency through their multimodal artworks

 | Northeastern Illinois University
 | Western Michigan University
This chapter features integrating multimodal data sources (e.g., visual-arts and associated conversations) and critical multimodal analysis as an innovative methodological approach. Through multimodal literacies, we investigated how two immigrant, emergent multilingual students communicated their dialogical self with their multimodal artworks. This study is then used as a basis for the methodological discussion about multimodal data sources to give immigrant students agency to articulate their developing identities as a part of their complex, transnational lived experiences, which would have been missed by the researchers if only monomodal, verbal data sources were utilized. Implications are drawn around researchers’ professional learning of multimodal research design and future research directions to create more equitable engagement for emergent multilingual participants.
Keywords: emergent multilinguals, multimodal literacies, visual arts, equity, identity
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Overview of the study
    • Theoretical framework
    • Research context and participants
    • Data collection and analysis
    • Artworks and sketches
    • Brief overview of the research findings
  • Methodological discussion
    • Rethinking research data sources: Issues about equity and integrating multimodal data
    • Critical multimodal analysis
    • Ethical considerations: Anonymity and ownership
  • Implications
  • Notes
  • References
This content is being prepared for publication; it may be subject to changes.
References (45)
References
Albers, P. (2007). Finding the artist within. International Reading Association.Google Scholar
Bergen, B. K., & Chan Lau, T. T. (2012). Writing direction affects how people map space onto time. Frontiers in Psychology, 3, Article 109. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Bergonzoni, C. (2023, April 13–16). Family (hi)story in my dancing body (Conference presentation abstract). 2023 AERA Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, United States. [URL]Google Scholar
Bhatia, S., & Ram A. (2004). Culture, hybridity and the dialogical self: Cases from the South Asian-American Diaspora. Mind, Culture, and Activity, 11(3), 224–240. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Borchard, G. (2021). Basilique Saint-Anne-du-Congo, Brazzaville. African state architecture — An academic research project funded by European Research Council (ERC). Retrieved on 15 November 2024 from [URL]Google Scholar
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. Sage.Google Scholar
Campano, G., & Low, D. (2011). Multimodality and immigrant children. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 12(4), 381–384. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Choi, J., & Yi, Y. (2016). Teachers’ integration of multimodality into classroom practices for English language learners. TESOL Journal, 7(2), 304–327. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Coulmas, F. (2003). Writing systems: An introduction to their linguistic analysis. Cambridge University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Crabtree, B. F., & Miller, W. L. (2022). Doing qualitative research (3rd ed.). Sage.Google Scholar
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2023). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (6th ed.). Sage.Google Scholar
Geertz, C. (2017). The interpretation of cultures: Selected essays (3rd ed.). Basic Books.Google Scholar
Gerber, N., Templeton, E., Chilton, G., Liebman, M. C., Manders, E., & Shim, M. (2012). Art-based research as a pedagogical approach to studying intersubjectivity in the creative arts therapies. Journal of Applied Arts and Health, 3(1), 39–48. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Ghiso, M. P., & Low, D. E. (2013), Students using multimodal literacies to surface micronarratives of United States immigration. Literacy, 47(1), 26–34. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Glesne, C. (2021). Becoming qualitative researchers: An introduction (5th ed.). Pearson Education.Google Scholar
Grapin, S. E., & Llosa, L. (2020). Toward an integrative framework for understanding multimodal L2 writing in the content areas. Journal of Second Language Writing, 47, DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2022). Multimodal tasks to assess English learners and their peers in science. Educational Assessment, 27(1), 46–70. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Hermans, H. J. M. (2001). The dialogical self: Toward a theory of personal and cultural positioning. Culture & Psychology, 7(3), 243–281. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2022). Dialogical self theory. In V. P. Glăveanu (Ed.), The Palgrave encyclopedia of the possible. Palgrave Macmillan. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Hermans, H. J. M., Kempen, H. J. G., & Van Loon, R. J. P. (1992). The dialogical self: Beyond individualism and rationalism. American Psychologist, 47, 23–33. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Höglund, H. (2022). The heartbeat of poetry: Student videomaking in response to poetry. Written Communication, 39(2), 276–302. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Igoa, C. (1995). The inner world of the immigrant child. St. Martin’s Press.Google Scholar
Jewitt, C., & Kress, G. R. (Eds.). (2003). Multimodal Literacy. Lang.Google Scholar
Karam, F. J., Oikonomidoy, E., & Kibler, A. K. (2021). Artifactual literacies and TESOL: Narratives of a Syrian refugee-background family. TESOL Quarterly, 55(2), 510–535. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kress, G. R. (2000). Multimodality: Challenges to thinking about language. TESOL Quarterly, 34(2), 337–340. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2010). Multimodality: A social semiotic approach to contemporary communication. Routledge.Google Scholar
Kress, G., & Van Leeuwen, T. (2021). Reading images: The grammar of visual design (3rd ed.). Routledge.Google Scholar
Leavy, P. (2020). Method meets art: Arts-based research practice (3rd ed.). Guilford Publications.Google Scholar
Lewison, M., Flint, A. S., & Van Sluys, K. (2002). Taking on critical literacy: The journey of newcomers and novices. Language Arts, 79(5), 382–392. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Marshall, S. L. & While, A. E. (1994). Interviewing respondents who have English as a second language: challenges encountered and suggestions for other researchers. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 19, 566–571. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Mitchell, C. (2011). Doing visual research. Sage.Google Scholar
Omerbašić, D. (2015). Literacy as a translocal practice: Digital multimodal literacy practices among girls resettled as refugees. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 58(6), 472–481. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Parini, J. (2012). The American mythos. Daedalus, 141(1), 52–60. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Paulick, J. H., Karam, F. J., & Kibler, A. K. (2022). Everyday objects and home visits: A window into the cultural models of families of culturally and linguistically marginalized students. Language Arts, 99(6), 390–401. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Pauwels, L. (2015). Reframing visual social science: Towards a more visual sociology and anthropology. Cambridge University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Riessman, C. K. (2008). Narrative methods for the human sciences. Sage.Google Scholar
Sanders, J., & Albers, P. (2010). Multimodal literacies: An introduction. In P. Albers, & J. Sanders (Eds.), Literacies, the arts & multimodalities (pp. 1–43). National Council of Teachers of English.Google Scholar
Serafini, F. (2015). Multimodal literacy: From theories to practices. Language Arts, 92(6), 412–423. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Stahl, N. A., & King, J. R. (2020). Expanding approaches for research: Understanding and using trustworthiness in qualitative research. Journal of Developmental Education, 44(1), 26–29.Google Scholar
Steele, C. M., & Aronson, J. (1995). Stereotype threat and the intellectual test performance of African Americans. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69(5), 797–811. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
UNESCO World Heritage Convention. (n.d.). Maya Site of Copan. [URL]
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
Weber, S. (2008). Visual images in research. In J. G. Knowles & A. L. Cole (Eds.), Handbook of arts in qualitative research (pp. 41–53). Sage. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
WIDA Consortium. (2012). The English Language Learner Can Do Booklet. Retrieved on 15 November 2024 from [URL]
Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods (Vol. 5). Sage.Google Scholar