Multiliteracies : interrogating competing discourses

Abstract

The term "multiliteracies" was coined by the New London Group in 1996 to describe the emergence of new literacies and changing forms of meaning-making in contemporary contexts of increased cultural and linguistic diversity. The proliferation of powerful, multimodal literacies means that previous boundaries of literacy as "writing and speech" are collapsing. Educators and researchers worldwide are rethinking literacy pedagogy to enable students to participate fully in our dynamic, technological, and culturally diverse societies. This paper interrogates competing discourses that have arisen in academic literature during the decade since multiliteracies originated. This scholarly debate is timely, because multiliteracies is receiving increasing international interest in literacy research, pedagogy, and educational policy.