Multiliteracies

=__Multiliteracies__=

"The term '**multiliteracies** ' actually covers what has also been regarded as electronic literacies, technoliteracies, digital literacies, visual literacies, and print-based literacies."(Hill, 2006, pg.323) **Multiliteracies** is seen as an important tool in early literacy years. **Mutiliteracies** can help improve children's knowledge by bringing learning from a print text to a multimodal resources. Semiotic theory is needed to be understood to understand, "...symbols-in the form of letters and words, drawings, icons of various types, photographs, colours and animation movement-can communicate meaning".(Hill, 2006, pg. 323) In understanding these fundamental basics children can participate in multuiliteracy activities and comprehend what is being taught to them through the digital media.


 * Multiliteracies ** can be in any form of digital text such as CD Roms and computer activities. These help enhance the children's understandings to the topic they are learning, and it is now seen as an important aspect in early years literacy development. Not only is it important to the early years but as stated in Hill page 324, it is also seen as a great way to improve skills for children with special needs. These forms of digital texts encourage young children to participate in literacy activities whilst not making it obvious. It allows children to enjoy a fun based learning activity.

Through **Multimodal texts** there are a number of elements that are used to help stimulate the children's minds. These design elements are known as Linguistic, Audio, Spatial, Visual and Gestural. These design elements in the multimodal texts represent hidden messages to the children. These messages can be used to understand a message through vocabulary, or symbols or tools on the program may represent a metaphor such as cut and paste tools. In Visual design colour may represent and evoke emotions or background may set the scene. There are many more design elements that are used to convey hidden messages.

(Image #2, #3 & #4 retrieved via Google)

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**These three images above are an example of multiliteracies that could be used in the early years. These are Learning to type program which helps them to learn to touch type, a great ability to have preferably for later years, A Maths CD game which will help them have fun and enjoy maths activities and last of all Microsoft PowerPoint helping them gain confidence in computer skills in making a presentation digitally.**