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Self-Analysis:
A Call for Multimodality in Personal Narrative Composition |
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one Use the multimodal narrative as an opportunity to connect with your students and help them to “enter the conversation.” If
you want to move away from predictable narratives, you must be available
for consultation. My own experience with composing personal
narrative in multiple modes began in a course taught by Dr. Cynthia
Selfe, the visiting Watson Professor at the University of Louisville. Dr.
Selfe’s course in Literacy, Technology, and Education required us to
compose two literacy autobiographies, one in audio and one in video. I
was familiar with neither mode, but I was more overwhelmed at the thought
of having to construct two literacy autobiographies than I was at the
idea of using the technology |
(a
fear I am sure I share with many student composers). Because
I am a graduate student who is comfortable with the rules of being
a successful student, I made an appointment to discuss the assignment
with Dr. Selfe in hopes of leaving with some ideas (I mention this
because other students, especially first-year students may not understand
or be as willing to seek us out for advice on their assignments.).
Sitting in Dr. Selfe’s office, I wondered what literacies I could possibly
have that would make interesting audio and video essays for her course. We
talked about things that had been passed down in my family. Did my
family cook? Pass down recipes? Finally, she asked a question
I can’t remember but that caused me to respond with, “My great-great
grandfather built his own coffin; he lined it and everything, but a
couple of his children didn’t think it was good enough to bury him
in.” Then I remembered something else. “Oh, he also built
a dulcimer. In fact my grandfather has it now.” With that memory
of music literacy in my family, my