Assessing Multiliteracies: Mismatches and Opportunities

Authors

  • Maria Jose Botelho University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • Julie Kerekes
  • Eunice Eunhee Jang
  • Shelley Stagg Peterson

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20360/G21G6W

Keywords:

Multiliteracies, Literacy Assessment

Abstract

While current literacy theories acknowledge the sociocultural and sociopolitical dimensions of literacy learning and teaching, that is, multiliteracies, there exists a gap between theoretical approaches underpinning literacy teaching and assessment.  In this dialogue, we re-enact this divergence by collectively defining multiliteracies and deconstructing assessment practices, while speculating on possibilities for reconstruction. Constructing this dialogue across multiple areas of expertise exemplifies multiliteracies because we use critical speaking, listening, writing, reading, and representing, to make sense of our new understandings, and showcase our knowledge construction. Our goal is to explore ways to translate the theories of multiliteracies into assessment practices that make visible children’s cognitive-psychological, psycholinguistic, sociocultural, and sociopolitical processes with all kinds of texts.

Author Biography

Maria Jose Botelho, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Dr. Botelho is Assistant Professor of Literacy Education in the Language, Literacy, and Culture Concentration of the School of Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research interests include critical literacies, multiliteracies, and Waldorf language arts pedagogies; critical multicultural analysis of children's literature; and critical collaborative inquiry as professional learning.

Published

2014-05-23

How to Cite

Botelho, M. J., Kerekes, J., Jang, E. E., & Stagg Peterson, S. (2014). Assessing Multiliteracies: Mismatches and Opportunities. Language and Literacy, 16(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.20360/G21G6W