Multimodal narratives in additional language learning during childhood
additional languages in childhood; multimodal narratives; digital technologies; protagonism, multiliteracy.
The goal of this research is to discuss and ponder on childhood linguistic education mediated by digital technologies in the context of basic education. In the contemporary age, the use of digital technologies in linguistics education with children is an expanding phenomenon. To address this matter, this investigation presents an ethnographic case study, qualitative in nature, and with interpretive and experimental character in the applied linguistics knowledge area. This study explores perceptions that navigate around cognitive development and learning in childhood according to the perspectives of pedagogy theorists, such as: Vygostky, Maria Montessori, and Loris Malaguzzi. Equally, linguistics education in childhood needs to consider the theoretical contributions regarding characteristics of children in their different stages of development. The understanding is that teaching of foreign/additional languages for children (LUZ, 2003; MARTINS MAGIOLO; TONELLI, 2020; ROCHA, 2007, 2010, 2012; SANTOS; TONELLI, 2021) mediated by technologies should focus on tasks that promote multiliteracies (CAZDEN et al, 2021; ROJO, 2012, 2013; ROJO; MOURA, 2019) and the active participation of children in the development of their learning paths. Therefore, this research presents reports of multiliteracy practices in English that took place in a primary education school, emphasizing the production of materials for teaching additional languages and tasks (LEFFA, 2008, 2017) with multimodal narratives, in order to promote protagonism and authorship in additional language classes with children during early education. In this regard, the textual development of multimodal narratives and the pedagogical documentation (FORMAN; FYFE, 2016; TOQUETÃO, 2020) of learning trajectories including children collaboration provide opportunities for a linguistic education in childhood inclusive of digital elements. In addition, the education and learning experience of additional languages by children using computers in this research intends to coordinate with the guidelines, thematic units, knowledge objects, and skills proposed for the English language curriculum by the BNCC – Base Nacional Comum Curricular (BRASIL, 2017). The empirical material was achieved through bibliographic review, students’ materials with multimodal narratives, records and pedagogical documentation, student testimonials, and the teacher-researcher participative observation. In the context of this research, the results indicate that the construction of learning paths – active participation – social interaction – collaboration between students and teacher in the development of tasks can be seen as positive ways to learn additional languages by using digital resources in childhood.