In this article we explore multimodal communication, specifically drawing in a
team, as a tool for literacy engagement and identity affirmation. For this, we
developed and trialled collaborative drawing (CD) activities to engage 9 children
and 8 adults in non-verbal and verbal communication. We collected
photographic, video and ...
In this article we explore multimodal communication, specifically drawing in a
team, as a tool for literacy engagement and identity affirmation. For this, we
developed and trialled collaborative drawing (CD) activities to engage 9 children
and 8 adults in non-verbal and verbal communication. We collected
photographic, video and audio data which we analysed using an exploratory
approach, incorporating thematic analysis. Current research on collaborative
drawing does not consider literacy engagement, identity affirmation or how
teachers could use this communication method to engage diverse learners, and
our study contributes to this gap. Our findings suggest that the CD approach has
potential to facilitate literacy engagement and identity affirmation in multilingual
settings, but its application in classrooms also has its challenges. This article, thus
provides guidance for teachers with an interest in exploring collaborative drawing
in practice, and it prepares the ground for further research in this this underresearched field.
