Multimodal Literacies in the Early Years
Lead Research Organisation:
The Open University
Department Name: CREET
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Publications
Dicks B
(2011)
Multimodality and ethnography: working at the intersection
in Qualitative Research
Flewitt R
(2009)
`If she's left with books she'll just eat them': Considering inclusive multimodal literacy practices
in Journal of Early Childhood Literacy
Flewitt R
(2011)
Bringing ethnography to a multimodal investigation of early literacy in a digital age
in Qualitative Research
Flewitt, R.
(2016)
Narrative, language and creativity: contemporary approaches
Flewitt, R.S.
(2013)
Early literacy: a broader vision
in TACTYC OCCASIONAL PAPER
Flewitt, R.S.
(2014)
Early Years Foundations: Critical Issues
Kucirkova N
(2014)
Sharing personalised stories on iPads: a close look at one parent-child interaction
in Literacy
Lemos, G.
(2016)
ELINET Position Paper on Digital Literacy
Nind M
(2010)
The social experience of early childhood for children with learning disabilities: inclusion, competence and agency
in British Journal of Sociology of Education
Rosie Flewitt (Author)
(2010)
Combining multimodality and ethnography to investigate young children's literacy development in a technological age
| Description | European Declaration of the Right to Literacy |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | Invited to act as Early Literacy and Digital Literacy Expert and to coordinate international Examples of Good Practice for Digital Literacy as part of EU-funded ELINET project (http://eli-net.eu/) As part of this project I also co-authored the ELINET Position Paper on Digital Literacy, and contributed as expert advisor to the European Declaration of the Right to Literacy. This work continued as an and invited member of ELINET Sustainability Committee (12 international members) tasked with identifying ways forward for the network. European Declaration of the Right to Literacy LONG VERSION: http://www.eli-net.eu/fileadmin/ELINET/Redaktion/user_upload/European_Declaration_of_the_Right_to_Literacy2.pdf European Declaration of the Right to Literacy SHORT VERSION: http://www.eli-net.eu/fileadmin/ELINET/Redaktion/Amsterdam_conference/Decl._lit._rights_flyer_England.pdf |
| URL | http://www.eli-net.eu/fileadmin/ELINET/Redaktion/Amsterdam_conference/Decl._lit._rights_flyer_Englan... |
| Description | Masters level instruction for early years and primary practitioners |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | Outcomes from the ESRC funded project have been used to inform Masters level qualifications offered by The Open University, including E825 Language, Literacy and Learning in the Contemporary World (150+ students per annum), and undergraduate module EK313 Issues in Research with Children and Young People (1,000+ students per annum) Outcomes from the project continue to be used to inform the delivery of the Masters in Early Years Education (approximately 80 students per annum), the Masters in Primary Education (approximately 20 students per annum), and students on other Initial teacher education routes offered by the UCL Institute of Education. The contribution of this outcome is to improved the educational and skill level of the early years and primary education workforce with regard to developing pedagogy and practice to support early literacy development across traditional and digital media. |
| Description | Postgraduate study, Masters in Early Years Education, Masters in Primary Education and PGCE: UCL IOE |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | Outcomes from the ESRC funded project have been used to inform post-graduate students working at Masters level and Post-graduate Certificate of Education offered on site and online at UCL IOE (approx. 100 students per annum), as well as students on Early Years Initial Teacher Training routes offered by UCL Institute of Education. This outcome contributes to improving the educational and skill level of the early years and primary education workforce with regard to developing pedagogy and practice to support early literacy development across traditional and digital media. |
| Description | A Day in the Digital Lives of 0-3 Year Old Children |
| Organisation | Lancaster University |
| Department | Department of Linguistics and English Language |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | This pilot project conducted in collaboration with colleagues across Europe scopes out how and for what purposes young children aged 0-3 years engage with digital technologies as part of their everyday lives at home and how parents and carers support their early language and literacy learning with digital technologies. The study findings offer unique insights into how very young children engage with early communication and literacy practices in today's technology-rich world, where participation requires the mastery of a complex repertoire of representational 'modes', including combinations of spoken and written language, symbols, images, music and layout in addition to gaze, gesture and body movement. It also offers rich insights into how parents/carers and grandparents support very young children's communication, language and literacy learning with digital technologies. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Each researcher has conducted a number of case studies, which we are currently brining together to look at patterns of digital usage amongst --3 year old children across Europe |
| Impact | Outputs currently being developed |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | European Literacy Policy Network (ELINET) |
| Organisation | University of Cologne |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Invited Early Literacy and Digital Literacy Expert (http://eli-net.eu/ ); coordinator for international Examples of Good Practice for Digital Literacy; co-author ELINET Position Paper on Digital Literacy; consultant for European Declaration of the Right to Literacy; and invited member of ELINET Sustainability Committee (12 international members) tasked with identifying ways forward for the network. NB The project ran over 2 years, 2014-2016, but my invited involvement was only during the final 15 months of the project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partner organisations contributed specific expertise regarding pan-European, life-wide and lifelong literacy learning. |
| Impact | Examples of Good Practice for Digital Literacy. See http://www.eli-net.eu/good-practice/ Co-author ELINET Position Paper on Digital Literacy. See http://www.eli-net.eu/fileadmin/ELINET/Redaktion/Amsterdam_conference/ELINET_Position_Paper_on_Digital_Literacy.pdf Consultant for European Declaration of the Right to Literacy. See http://www.eli-net.eu/fileadmin/ELINET/Redaktion/user_upload/European_Declaration_of_the_Right_to_Literacy2.pdf |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | The Digital and Multimodal Practices of Young Children (DigiLitEY) |
| Organisation | University of Sheffield |
| Department | Solar Physics and Space Plasma Research Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Co-chair of Methodology Working Group, one of 5 Working Groups within an interdisciplinary European network (36 countries from within and beyond EU, with 200+ members) which aims to: advance understanding of young children's digital literacy and multimodal practices in the new media age; to form research specialist teams for future research; to engage a range of stakeholders and ensure impact on policy and practice. |
| Collaborator Contribution | This is a European Research Network investigating young children's digital and multimodal literacies, funded at approx. 140k Euro per annum over 4 years This Pan-European research team led by Professor Jackie Marsh, University of Sheffield. Funder: European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST). The 200+ members of this network each contributes specific expertise regarding early literacy learning and teaching across Europe and neighboring countries. |
| Impact | Julian Sefton-Green, Jackie Marsh, Ola Erstad and Rosie Flewitt (2016). Establishing a Research Agenda for the Digital Literacy Practices of Young Children: A White Paper for COST Action IS1410. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Valuing young children's signs of learning: observation and digital documentation of play in early years classrooms |
| Organisation | Froebel Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | This work relates to my on-going interest in the salience of multimodal communication in early years education. In this project, we are working with early childhood educators to develop a pedagogy of observation, documentation and assessment based on multimodal principles and on Froebelian values of the 'uniqueness of every child's capacity and potential' and 'holistic nature of development'. This project focuses on 3-5 year-olds who are living with disadvantage and/or in the early stages of learning English in multicultural classrooms. |
| Collaborator Contribution | I am Principal Investigator of this new externally-funded project, with Kate Cowan as Research Associate. |
| Impact | not yet available |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | BBC Click Interview |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Televised one-to-one interview with BBC Click discussing young children and new technologies. Broadcast 17.12.2011 on BBC Breakfast News (est. audience 1million) and BBC World News (est. audience 85 million). Repeat broadcasts still on-going. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| Description | Consultant 'pedagogy expert' on young children and digital media |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Consulted by software producers Twig World Ltd to act as 'pedagogy expert' in the development of their materials/software regarding the educational content of their digital outputs |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| Description | Guardian Education Interview |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Telephone interview on young children and new technologies, written up by journalist after consultation on content |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| URL | http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/jun/07/early-years-anxiety-digital-technology?INTCMP=SRCH |
| Description | Guardian Interview and Feature Article |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Telephone interview on children's uses of tablets, and public concerns about potential harm to children's health and well-being. Interview was written up by journalist after consultation on content |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| URL | http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jan/08/are-tablet-computers-bad-young-children |
| Description | New Scientist interview |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Telephone interview about the learning potential of digital technologies for young children. The aim of this piece was to engage with and demystify parental concerns about the 'harm' of digital media, to debate appropriate usage, and to suggest ways in which parents and educators can use touchscreens to motivate children's learning and agency, allowing them to enjoy using a communication device that they can see is highly valued in contemporary society. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| URL | http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22129623.200-children-benefit-from-the-right-sort-of-screen-ti... |
| Description | Radio 5 Live |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Live radio interview about young children using new technologies |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | UCL IOE Festival of Education |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | This one-day action-packed event celebrated the achievements of education across London and showcasing excellence. Although the primary focus was on education in London, speakers and attendees were invited from local, national and international contexts and across disciplines. Events ranged from keynote talks by academics with global reputations (e.g. Pasi Sahlberg), to poetry recitations (e.g. George the Poet), panel debates (e.g. with Natalie Bennett, Sam Gyimah, Tristram Hunt), to performances presented by schools and youth organisations (e.g. ChickenShed; rap and dance acts). The focus was on celebrating diversity and on the outstanding achievements of London-born individuals whose education had transformed or was in the process of transforming, their lives. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://www.ioe.ac.uk/newsEvents/107944.html |