Beyond the Textbook: Multimodality for Teaching and Learning

Description

Have you ever wondered if there is a better way to engage your students with a well-thought-out lesson, rather than just saying, “Open your books to page 26”?

If so, it could be time to “move beyond the textbook” and integrate multimodality into your lessons, combining images, audio, movement, and digital media to make learning more accessible, engaging, and meaningful.

Multimodality is a pedagogical approach that gives students choices in how they can access information and how they demonstrate learning (that is to say, in ways that make sense to them).

Instead of relying on a single format, multimodal teaching allows teachers to design learning experiences that integrate a whole variety of learning resources such as pictures, short videos, readings, and writing exercises.

Thanks to this flexibility, students can have control not only over how they take the information but also over which parts of the content they want to explore more.

As a result, this approach supports deeper understanding, increases motivation, and makes learning feel more personal and less like a chore.

In this course, participants will explore how multimodal learning and the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework can work together to create inclusive, student-centered classrooms.

Analyzing a series of active learning methodologies, they will learn how to foster learner autonomy and respond to diverse learning preferences.

Also, the course will introduce the use of AI tools as support for multimodality, helping educators create and adapt learning materials efficiently to the specific needs of their classes.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to design a multimodal, UDL-based lesson, and they will feel confident in creating a more inclusive classroom environment that can improve their students’ understanding, engagement, and learning retention.

Concept by Magdalena Ogiello-Irvine

Learning outcomes

The course will help participants to:

• Understand the principles of multimodal learning and their application in language education;
• Explore how different modes of communication — visual, audio, gestural, spatial, and digital — support language acquisition;
• Recognize diverse learning preferences and design flexible materials;
• Apply Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to support mixed-ability and multilingual classrooms;
• Create student-centred activities that integrate reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills within meaningful communicative tasks;
• Use AI tools to generate, adapt, and differentiate teaching materials efficiently;
• Design inclusive multimodal resources that improve participation, comprehension, and learner autonomy;
• Foster learner autonomy through more flexible and engaging learning experiences.

Tentative schedule

Day 1 – Introduction to the course

• Introduction to the course, the school, and the external week activities;
• Icebreaker activities that encourage collaboration and support;
• Presentations of the participants’ schools;

Introduction to multimodal learning

• What is multimodality and why does it matter in language education?;
• Exploring student engagement and learner diversity in today’s classroom;
• Reflection activity: moving beyond textbook-centered teaching.

Day 2 – Multimodal literacy for language skills development

• What is Multimodality? Definitions and key principles;
• Multiple modes of meaning-making and practical implications;
• Introduction to the LVAGS model: Linguistic (texts, dialogues), Visual (images, flashcards, videos), Audio (listening input, pronunciation), Gestural (role-play, TPR – Total Physical Response), Spatial (classroom interaction, group work), Digital (apps, multimedia, interactive tasks);
• Identifying learning preferences in the classroom;
• Workshop: design an activity that incorporates multiple modes of meaning-making.

Day 3 – Exploring AI tools for education

• Introduction to practical AI tools for language education;
• Using AI to generate level-based and differentiated materials;
• Workshop: creating teaching and learning materials using AI;
• Reflection on opportunities, limits, and ethical considerations of AI tools.

Day 4 – UDL principles as a foundation for multimodal instruction

• Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles (engagement, representation, action, and expression) in practice;
• Teaching strategies to support mixed-ability classes and diverse learners;
• Scaffolding strategies for accessibility and participation;
• Collaborative strategies to differentiate instruction without increasing workload;
• Workshop: redesigning classroom activities using UDL principles.

Day 5 – From textbook to communicative, multimodal lesson

• Transforming textbook exercises into communicative and interactive learning tasks;
• Designing multimodal speaking, listening, grammar, and vocabulary activities;
• Group Workshop: creating a multimodal, UDL-informed lesson for participants’ own teaching contexts;
• Peer feedback, reflection, and sharing of ideas;
• Developing a personal action plan for classroom implementation.

Day 6 – Course closure and cultural activities

• Course evaluation: round-up of acquired competencies, feedback, and discussion;
• Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance;
• Excursion and other external cultural activities.

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