Modelos de aprendizaje multimodal y enseñanza-aprendizaje de lenguas extranjeras

The introduction of new information and communications technologies (ICTs) to educational settings should bring to educators an increasing awareness of the sociocognitive processes associated to the use and comprehension of the multimodal texts which are produced by those technologies. Traditionally language was associated to representations via the written code but nowadays with the advent of ever newer and newer ICTs the visual and hypertextual dimensions have been incorporated. This has necessarily produced changes in learning contexts, particularly in the area of language education and literacy. This literature review article approaches the topic of information and communications technologies from the perspective of their impact on the language learning process, with particular emphasis on models of multimodal learning. The first part discusses multimodality within semiotic processes, cognitive psychology and CALL: the second deals with reading and writing from a multimodal perspective. A final section outlines the possible implications of multimodal learning models for foreign language teaching and learning.