In writing, words are not the only important element of the page. Sure, it’s useful to create a well-thought-out and organized piece of writing, but the formatting and design of the piece have the ability to completely elevate the words into something more tangible and engaging for the audience.
In Melanie Gagich’s article, An Introduction to and Strategies for Multimodal Composing, she discussed the idea of multimodal composing and how the addition of visuals, audio, and video into text allows for new methods of communicating information in the digital age. With this, Gagich also mentioned the significance of teaching multimodal composing to students to not only aid in the development of their digital literacy but also to encourage them to think more critically and creatively as they consider how they can incorporate different modes to emphasize their statements. Some similar points were explored in Michael Klein and Kristi Shackelford’s article, Beyond Black and White: Document Design and Formatting in the Writing Classroom. In this text, Klein and Shackelford argue that teaching document design should be a component in writing construction as it has the ability to enhance text readability and ultimately creates more well-rounded writers and communicators.
In my personal experiences in English courses and writing, I have only recently begun diving into including different modes in my pieces. The reason for this hesitation is simply that I was never taught how to go about this process and, quite honestly, was never really given the opportunity to even try. The expectation has almost always been to get in, say what you need to say, cite your sources, and get out, so I never thought to stray from that routine and add something fun to my writing. However, since my introduction to the value of incorporating multimodal composing into my pieces, I not only feel that they are easier to read and digest, but they also encourage me to be more creative and intentional with the ideas that I am stating and the points that I want to emphasize through the addition of visuals.
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