Keywords

Multimodal composition; normalization process; african american rhetoric; pedagogy; "un seeing" people of color

Abstract

This study attempts to identify normalization cues within multimodal scholarship to highlight moments of "un-seeing" multimodal composing practices and theoretical contributions from non-Western traditions. Advocates of this approach to teaching composition understand it as an effective way for incorporating other voices into the curricular structures of composition courses. However, the instructional resources do not include or cite research that does not lend itself easily to dominant views of composing within academia. I assert that academia must go further with how value is assessed. There is research that acknowledges the multiliteracies practices found within subcultures of America, and plenty of work that deems the communicative practices observed in these subcultural communities as valuable. However, it is more than just including and citing scholarship from and about people of color's compositional practices, academia must also employ these ways of knowing and being to fully empower students and utilize the knowledge that the students bring with them to the FYC classroom. The dominant assignment genre in academia is the academic essay. Other dominant methods of communication and transferring scholarship are the journal article, annotated bibliography, proposal, and personal essay. Not to mention the many scholars who have critiqued academia for privileging print literacies, which although may be multimodal, promotes a multimodality of one culture and ideological standpoint. Although the seminal texts from the study offer exceptional multimodal composition research and classroom resources, if we can agree that "the mission of education…is to ensure that all students benefit from learning in ways that allow them to participate fully in public, community, and economic life" and that literacy pedagogy, essentially what the FYC course offers, "is expected to play a particularly important role in fulfilling this mission," then failing to see the value and utilize the scholarship from and about people of color ensures those that are marginalized continue to be "un-seen" and students remain unprepared for the tasks of composing and communicating outside of school (New London Group 60).

Notes

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Graduation Date

2015

Semester

Summer

Advisor

Rios, Gabriela

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Arts and Humanities

Department

Writing and Rhetoric

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0005779

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0005779

Language

English

Release Date

August 2015

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

Subjects

Arts and Humanities -- Dissertations, Academic; Dissertations, Academic -- Arts and Humanities

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