Syntax beyond grammar

Communication is no longer confined to language and grammar can be understood as a more general term when it comes to composing multimodal communications. Children have access to multimodal technologies such as cinema, advertisements, and the internet, why not teach them to be literate in those media?

George Lucas argues for art

George Lucas argues that elements of art are no longer esoteric abstracts, but practical tools. Lucas argues children need communication classes instead of English classes and perspective, graphics, sound, color and other traditionally artistic skills are just as important for communication as words. 

Gunther Kress asks, "Is this content significant?"

Gunther Kress has a similar viewpoint to George Lucas. Kress sees communication meanings and modes. Kress explains the economy of modality and its ability to take us away from using language for every communication need. Kress explains modes as semiotic resources, explaining how to identify a mode by asking the question, "Is meaning being made? Is this content significant?" Kress sees multimodality as contributors to meaning, asking the which is most important out of image, gesture, writing and speech.

Strategy or plain ol' artistic sense?

Artists believe multimodal composition is something designers, poets and artists have been creating for years. A blogger sees meaning and feelings that come from color, images and sound to be common sense for artists.

It's not taught in grade school

Multimodal Literacy is not a subject in grade school, but it's likely most young people are self-taught in this area. Multimodal technologies have the potential to deliver messages in ways far more efficient and effective than text or lecture. The next page in your journey will show you several examples that prove multimodal literacy is a fascinating topic.

Wearable technology requires a proficient level of multimodal literacy. Users without practice using different communication modes simultaneously or in progression may avoid or misuse devices such as these. Composing content, design and functionality should anticipate the multimodal literacy of the intended audience. Even if Geroge Lucas and Gunther Kress convince educational institutions to replace English with Communication, multimodal literacy will vary among users.