Multiliteracies and their role in language teachers’ knowledge: towards a systemic and complex perspective

ABSTRACT

In this text multiliteracies are explored from the perspective of Systemic Functional Linguistics, mainly based on works developed by Christie (1999; 2002), Christie and Martin (1997; 2007), Unsworth (2000, 2001), Cope and Kalantzis (1993; 2000; 2009), Kalantzis and Cope (2012), among others. To this end, it aims at understanding how multiliteracies, from a systemic and complex perspective, should be present in language teacher education and, more specifically, in their Knowledge About Language (KAL). The main argument is that the notion of knowledge currently in use in the teacher education area requires revisions, extensions and reorientations in scope towards a more effective and realistic language education. Thus, it is also aimed to contribute to the discussions on language teachers’ education and their knowledge building in the context of undergraduate Languages courses.

Key-words: Knowledge; Language teacher education; Multiliteracies; Systemic functional linguistics