Multimodal Language Literacy Approaches in Enhancing Reading Engagement of University Student in Jiangmen City, China

Abstract

This study examines the impact of multimodal language literacy approaches employed by reading teachers on students' reading engagement. Utilizing a descriptive-correlational research design, the study assessed respondents' perceptions across six key literacy approaches: reading portfolios, e-books, digital storytelling, interactive reading apps, online book clubs, and multimedia annotations. Additionally, the level of reading engagement was evaluated through dimensions of reading interest, family and cultural influences, strategy use, choice and autonomy, and emotional engagement. Data were collected from a diverse sample of middle school students and analyzed for significant differences and correlations.

The findings revealed that overall, multimodal literacy approaches positively influence students’ reading engagement, with an overall significant correlation (r = 0.254, p = 0.000). Among the approaches, reading portfolios and e-books demonstrated the strongest positive relationships with strategy use, autonomy, and emotional engagement, while interactive reading apps and multimedia annotations exhibited challenges in aligning with students’ preferences for reading interest and autonomy. Choice and autonomy emerged as the most significant factor in fostering reading engagement, followed by emotional connection to reading materials.

The study also identified differences in reading engagement based on sex and grade level, with males reporting higher emotional engagement and Grade 4 students perceiving greater family and cultural influence. These findings underscore the importance of tailoring multimodal approaches to address diverse student needs and preferences, as well as leveraging autonomy and emotional connections to enhance reading engagement. This study contributes valuable insights into the role of multimodal strategies in literacy education and offers recommendations for optimizing their implementation to foster deeper and more meaningful student engagement with reading.