Identity Texts
Identity Texts
The term identity texts came from research involving students using multilingual and/or multimodal skills to create literature and art. (Cummins et al., 2015).
The Dual
Language Showcase created by a teacher called Patricia Chow involved students from Thornwood Public School in Toronto creating dual language texts in
multiple languages, including languages the teachers themselves did not speak.
The result was that the students were proud of their writing and drawings as
the activities affirmed their identities and were interesting for the students. These texts were posted on the school’s website. The activities were successful as they “represent expressions of identity, projection of identity into new
social spheres, and re-creation of identity as a result of feedback from and
dialogue with multiple audiences” (Cummins et al., 2015, p. 557).
“Students
invest their identities in the creation of these texts….the identity text then
holds a mirror up to students in which their identities are reflected back in a
positive light” (Cummins & Early, 2011, in Cummins et al., 2015, p.
557). The texts can be written, spoken, visual, musical in multimodal form.
These identity texts are particularly important for marginalised cultures. A Grade 7 student called Kanta, from Thornwood Public Schools said, “I am actually doing something…I can show you that
I am something” (Cummins et al, 2015, p. 558). For as Montero (Montero et al., 2013, Cummins et al., 2015, p. 558) says, if “you have a
student that doesn’t know who they are, do you think they care about what goes
on in the classrooms?” By constructing their own texts, students are given a voice in their language
learning and power as a learner.
(Cummins et al., 2015, p.
560) Literacy engagement framework
As Cummins (Cummins et al., 2015, p. 559) noted, it is
important for the language learner to receive instruction where meaning is
scaffolded. The student’s background knowledge should be used and extended through explicit instruction. This results in affirming their identities. Bilingual student’s identities can also be affirmed when they engage
with literacy using both their L1 and L2 language (Cummins et al., 2015, p. 560) as they can make dual-language texts. This can be seen in Aboriginal
texts where their language can be embedded within an English language text. Aboriginal words can be used to identify clans, natural features including animals and places in the environment, such as waterholes.
The role of identity affirmation on student achievement has been studied. Cummins notes (Cummins et al., 2015, 562) that educators also “must create interactional spaces that affirm student’s identities in association with literacy." Research shows that using the student’s L1 has a positive impact in bilingual and nonbilingual programs (Cummins et al., 2015). Bilingual education can be a superior option to immersion in the language of a host country (Francis et al., 2006, in Cummins et al., 2015). This will be discussed further, later in the blog.
As Cummins (Cummins et al., 2015) notes, the optimal learning environment for language acquisition occurs when, instruction includes multilingual and multimodal techniques to scaffold meaning. The students' life experience should also be drawn upon. During the learning, the teacher also needs to have high expectations of the students and affirm their identities.
Several schools trialed using identity texts, including Oakridge Junior Public School in Canada. English language learners, some with limited schooling, created a digital text in a variety of languages from the students in the classroom. The students were engaged and achieved success through writing. This was achieved in all the schools that trialed these using these texts. The identity text projects provided students with the opportunity of, as Walker (2014, in Cummins et al., 2015, p. 576) notes, “knowing oneself, expressing feelings and ideas, sharing yourself with others, making yourself understood by others, participating as a member of a group” and “representing your ideas and emotions in multiple modalities and genres."
As
Cummins states (2001, in Cummins et al., 2015, p. 577), “the deep structure
underlying these experiences is the generation of a sense of agency or
empowerment….the collaborative creation of power."
Applying identity text to the scenario
Identity texts would be a positive addition to the instruction for the students in the scenario. The students could create digital texts using their different languages, regardless of their backgrounds. They could create dual texts using their L1 and the target language of English. As has been shown in research, bilingual students' identities are affirmed by creating these texts in the two languages. During the writing of the texts, the teacher can scaffold for meaning, utilise their background knowledge and have high expectations of the students. The creation of multi modal identity texts would be a suitable activity for all of the students, including the student from Uganda. The students have the freedom to express their identities and personalities as they have the opportunity to create a text which could be spoken, contains music and has visual images. This activity would be interesting for the students and affirms their identities, thus producing a learner who is more engaged and more likely to acquire the language. By working collaboratively in a group, the students are practicing communicating their thoughts and feelings in the target language and helps them to feel like they are part of a group. These identity texts allows the students to express who they are, what their identity is, in a variety of modes and contexts.
References
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