Rhetorical Analysis for the

Benefits of Implementing
Multimodal Composition and
Portfolio Assessment into
Middle School Classrooms
Praxis Report by Rebecca Wolfing
Due: May 20, 2016

Introduction
There exists a wide range of theories,

that influenced shifts within Europe and America. In

strategies, and techniques that contribute towards

colonial America, Most poor children learned

classroom composition and lesson planning. The

through apprenticeship and had no formal schooling

American education system has drastically

at all. Those who did go to elementary school were

changed over the course of history, and the

taught reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion.

content and format through which we teach has

However, with the advances of economic industry

evolved with the changing times. Through social,

and due to the reverberations of the Enlightenment,

political, or economic shifts, the education system

schools, education, and the student population

needs to accommodate to compensate. For

shifted in order to accommodate new ideologies and

example, in an article titled The History of

societal advances. During this time frame, America

Education edited by Robert Guisepi, there is a

came into its own educationally with the movement

formatted literary timeline that discusses the

toward state-supported, secular free schools for all

evolution of the education system. It is specifically

children, which began in the 1820s with the

addressing those factors

common (elementary) school (Guisepi).

This is the similar model and structure of

modern day public schools. As more is discovered
regarding learning preferences, child
development, and so on, the education system
will continue to adapt accordingly. The common
day equivalent is the development and expansion

Multimodal Composition and the Common Core

Standards by Bridget Dalton, and Is Teacher
Assessment Reliable or Valid for High School
Students under a Web-based Portfolio
Environment? by Chi-Cheng and Binh-Hong Wu.

of digital technology as it had become the

All of these authors provide research, results,

mainstream preference for communication, work

and rhetorical analysis that illustrates what

production, task management, record keeping

modern day educators can do to best support

and more. This can be seen in a variety of articles

their students through these mediums. They

and journal, but the ones which will be discussed

offer creative concepts to aid teachers in their

include Using Multimodal Writing to Motivate

implementation as well as information for those

Struggling Students to Write by Brett Darrington

and Tonia Dousay,

who wish to research these subjects further.

Thesis:
Multimodal composition and portfolio assessment are powerful tools that can increase
student learning, autonomy, engagement, and overall success in academic and social
settings.

"Using
Multimodal
Writing to
Motivate
Struggling
Students to
Write.

-Brett Darrington &

Articles
"Digital Literacies in the
Classroom: Multimodal
Composition and The
Common Core State
Standards.

- Bridget Dalton

"Is Teacher
Assessment
Reliable or Valid
for High
School Students
under a Webbased Portfolio
Environment?
- Chi-Cheng Chang
& Bing-Hong Wu

Rhetorical
Analysis
Summary and Main Arguments
Brett Darrington and Tonia Dousay claim,
One of the reasons many secondary students
fail English classes is because they are not

"Using Multimodal
Writing to Motivate
Struggling
Students to Write."
and receiving poor grades.
Writing formats need to meet the needs of the modern

motivated to write (29). Students are not

day work force and collegiate requirements. Authors

engaging with the material or the formats

persuade and promote multimodal writing instruction in

through which it is presented. Additionally,

classrooms and they seek to equip teachers with research,

students can be unmotivated because the in-

findings, and tools to do so effectively. It is beneficial to use

class writing and methods do not directly

multimodal writing because it incorporates those

translate into skill sets that will be used in the

technological advancements that closely relate to and share

work force. This poses an issue as a lack of

identity with those within the millennial generation, youth

motivation translates into students not

culture, and the many others participating in the rapidly

participating in writing assignments

growing digital culture.

Consequently, both authors successfully offer

Authors and the

Audience

justification for conclusions and reasoning in their article.

While the subject is localized to the benefits of
multimodal writing instruction aiding unmotivated

Both Darrington and Dousay are deeply

invested in their academic research and student-

students, they do relay that motivating students is more

complex than simply adapting curriculum to include

centered education as is evidenced by the

these methods. However, the ideas presented are

content of this article and their educational

concise and offer reasoning and suggestions that

achievements. Darrington is noted as a recent

connect with the overall issue of unmotivated students

graduate from the University of Wyoming and a

and failing grades.

teacher of 12th grade English, and Dousay is listed

Specifically, this article addresses educators and

as the Assistant Professor in the Department of

administrators. There rests the assumption that these

Professional Studies at the University of

professionals share a desire to help students succeed

Wyoming (34). Additionally, Dousay has received

academically by helping them engage in reading and

numerous awards including the Association for

writing, providing opportunities for student autonomy as

Educational Communications & Technology

well as skill set development that expand beyond

(AECT) (Curriculum Vita 1).

secondary school.

Nature & Culture

What makes this proposed multimodal writing
concept compelling and specific to todays classroom

and involvement in education choices.

needs are the technological advancements that

References to the Common-Core standards

closely relate to and share identity with the millennial

makes this a very poignant article as it relates

generation, youth culture, and others participating in

digital culture. These authors are keenly concerned
with education, accessibility, equity, and skill
development as well as academic, social, and
professional success for all students. Each of these

the changing culture and public policies that

specific to the changes being implemented in
recent years. Additional rationale includes the
recognition that these tools are already being applied within

concepts are deeply connected with current day

the mainstream, so they are already being utilized by students

conversations about the evolving education system.

beyond the classroom, and students recognize the real-world

The language discussion in this article that places it in

application of writing. Darrington and Dousay effectively

the modern day discussion are the concerns with

argue their concepts and research, and this article is useful

incorporating a technologically dependent culture as

for the direct audience of teaching professionals and others.

well as a drive for student autonomy

Rhetorical
Analysis
Summary and Main
Arguments
This article is written by Bridget Dalton who

Digital Literacies in the Classroom:

Multimodal Composition and The
Common Core State Standards
Teachers, and a wider range of opportunities for
students to comprehend content. Dalton continues in
this article to offer example assignments such as

discusses ways to introduce multimodal composition

Shoe Poems, and she recommends some dos and

into the classroom and scaffolding experience.

donts for teachers willing to incorporate these

Incorporating these methods into classroom usage

methods into the classroom experience (338).

and assessment strategies is growing in importance

Intermittently throughout the article, she

as digital forms of expression increase in societal and

reemphasizes the alignment of these various

work place relevance. There are many benefits of

incorporating multimodal instruction including
heightened interaction and interest from participating
students, a growing schema of technology literary
based composition options for both students and

suggestions, lesson plans, and arguments with the

Common Core State Standards. She explains, the
CCSS do not include a standard for technology and
mediaThe standards assume that being literate
means being digitally literate (Dalton 333).

Summary and Main

Arguments Cont..

points throughout the article where she references

spaces for educators and professionals to collaborate,

Therefore, with this standard ambiguity, Dalton offers

offer suggestions, provide example lesson plans, and

the information she understands to be beneficial in

more. The final sentences of this article invites readers

meeting the needs of the students as well as the

to Please post a comment, share a resource, or

intended guidelines of the CCSS.

strategy, or ask a questions on The Reading Teachers

Facebook page. I also welcome emails (Dalton 339).

Authors and Audience

According to the article, Bridget Dalton is an

The fascinating component of this request is she

invites her audience to engage in the same
multimodal construct she advocates for within this

associate professor of literary studies at the University

article. In this process, teachers learn and practice

of Colorado, Boulder (Dalton 333). Her expertise as a

multimodal composition and theory from other

teacher and researcher are evident throughout this

teachers to, hopefully, better present material and

article. She offers many I statements suggesting she

assignments with their individual student population.

connects with teachers on a personal and professional

level. She has first hand experience in leading a
classroom space. There are several points

The Facebook page referenced earlier is an

extension of the tone and projected atmospheric intent

Authors and Audience

within this article. The ultimate goal is to
empower educators professionally and
personally. Through memes, shared stories of
successes and failures, and recommendations
for methods and materials within the optional
collaborative, peer-based setting, educators can
connect with the content of The Reading Teacher
Facebook page as well as Daltons article based
on the emotion-evoking language, the

Nature and Culture

While this article shares similar themes with
Using Multimodal Writing by Darrington and
Dousay, it is connecting with differing
components of the overall multimodal
instruction/composition discussion. However,
these are two of the many articles circulating in
professional and social conversations regarding
the integration of digital literacies and
assessments within the classroom. This raises
questions including:

professional dialogue with conversational

phrasing, and the reinforced theme that
educators are responsible for their students
learning while simultaneously reaffirming their
value and impact and teachers.

Why is discussion surrounding this issue more

prevalent in recent years than previous ones?
What are the controversies/counterarguments
for multimodal instruction?

Nature and Culture

With the increase in digital usage and the cultural
dependency upon growing technology, digital literacy
translates into career-based skills and job acquisition.
As was referenced in the first article, newly developed
technologies are considered novelties which aids in
motivating students. Since the content and formatting
of multimodal compositions are already being utilized

which is the title of his article in the Harvard

Business Review (2009). These four arguments
make up the article subheadings Contrary to
Nature, Contrary to Humans,
Contrary to Humans, and Contrary to Technology
Itself. While Kelly states at the beginning of his
article that he is pro-technology inclusion and
usage, he seeks to state the opinions contrary to his

by students beyond the classroom, they already have

own (not refute or argue them). These four stated

a baseline knowledge and recognize the value of

arguments against technology exemplify the moral

social media, apps, mainstream internet, and other

and emotional motivations provided in the

digital tools such as PowerPoint, Prezi, Google Docs,

rationales for both sides of this discussion. While

and so on.

there remain hesitations to embrace technology,

The controversies mainly stem from a fallacy of

tradition. Kevin Kelly addresses the 4 Arguments
Against Technology

there are many strong cases within research,

classroom case studies, and academic articles such
as Daltons that promote multimodal instruction.

Rhetorical
Analysis

Is Teacher Assessment Reliable or Valid

for High
School Students under a Web-based
Portfolio Environment?

Summary and Main

Arguments
The primary question authors Chi-Cheng Chang

techniques, and so forth. Students are able to do self

and peer review and reflection which provides them
with opportunities to practice autonomy, decision-

and Bing-Hong Wu seek to answer through there

making, time management, digital literacies, editing,

research is if web-based portfolios are a reliable method

self-reflection, collaboration, and more.

to assess student work and comprehension. When using

a concrete grading rubric, do students receive
consistently similar feedback and grading results? After
extensive primary research and comparative research
amongst other scholars, the web-based portfolio
positively provides all of these desired outcomes and it
promotes digital literacies, designs,

All of these conclusions are derived from

analyzing and combining results from a variety of
published research and incorporating the results
Chang and Wus study including 72 eleventh graders
participating in a 12-week long computer application
course designed to check the consistency and validity
within the web-based portfolio model.

Author and the Audience

Little is said regarding the authors and their
motivations for their research; however, they are
affiliated with the Department of Technology Application
and Human Resource Development, National Taiwan

consistently referencing their concerns of assessment

validity and fairness which indicates their commitment
to equitable education. Their intentions are to present

Normal University (Chang and Wu 265). Their research

an unbiased framework for the validity of the web-based

is conducted at a local, Taiwanese High School. Their

portfolio in order to view its genuine effectiveness as a

audience directly involves those directly involved in the

classroom tool. Their conclusions lead them to praise

education system (teachers, administrators, curriculum

this method of instruction and assessment as it

designers) as well as educators and business interested

promotes digital literacies, multimodal compositions,

in creating or involving technologically based/advanced

collaboration techniques, and more.

classrooms.
The language used and the extensiveness of the
research (incorporating a wide range of experts,
writings, and statistics) indicates they are interested in
providing a well rounded/inclusive view of these issues.
They, also, are

An additional, specified audience is pertaining to

future researchers. They suggest more research be done
regarding self-built portfolios and how rubrics effect
these other digital portfolios i.e. which rubrics allow for
fair and effective assessments.

Nature and Culture

This article, written in 2012, addresses the ever
growing cultural dependence on technology. What
differs this article from the previously discussed is its
initial hesitation regarding digital dependency in the
classroom. While there exist many ideas regarding

component of the education systems function as

is the growing ability of each individual student
(academically and socially). In this way, by
offering this tools points of fulfillment and

the pros and cons of technology, Chang and Wu seek

lacking, the authors more directly engage their

to identify the true nature of digital portfolios and to

audience and encourage them to think about how

identify their good and bad tendencies. While these

to accommodate for those missing elements.

authors say, the adoption of Web-Based portfolio

assessment is significantly beneficial to both teachers
and students, they add, portfolio assessment may
not thoroughly reflect and document students
learning processes and outcomes (Chang and Wu
266, 268). Meeting the academic needs of students is
an important

Overall, these authors seek to find the most

effective methods for teaching students tools for
success in academic and post-schooling
experiences. They are concerned with the holistic
experience and growth as do their intended
audiences.

Lesson Plan
This is to provide a format and rubric that meets the academic and social needs of each student. It
addresses their final product as well as their growth throughout each individual project. How have they
grown in terms of meeting CCSS needs and how have they experienced personal growth?
For each section of the portfolio, students will accumulate sections in order:
Prompt and assignment outline page
Pre-assignment reflection: brainstorm, bullet point, paragraph explaining their organizing thoughts for the
assignment.
A rough-draft that has been annotated firstly by a peer in one ink color (indicated at the top of the page),
and secondly by the author of the piece in a second ink color (also noted at top of page).
The final assignment turned in, annotated, and graded by the instructor.
An optional, additional copy of further editions in order to raise the given grade (a form of extra credit and
incentive to revisit a final copyto teach students that everything can be adapted beyond a deadline by
authors intent).

 Finally, each assignment section will conclude with a reflection for their work (what was the developing

process throughout the assignments completion? Do you believe you received the appropriate grade?
Why or why not? If you were to do an assignment like this again, what might it look like? What was the
most challenging portion of this assignment? What did you enjoy most about this assignment?
All of these sections are to provide students with life-skills of organization, time management and
commitment, introspective thinking/analysis, and thought procurement and delivery. This way of
organizing can be used for quarter, trimester, semester, and year-long portfolio growth. For schools that
combine works to create a multi-year portfolio can utilize this organization format for consistency and
familiarity. However, including other forms of organization may provide variety and exposure to alternative
methods students may come across in future.

Example:
Using the previously discussed reading portion of Reviews and The Giver
assignment:
Objective: Students will compile their compilation of works into the schools designated Web-based
portfolio media. Components for each assignment are to be turned in at designated dates aligned with the
course syllabus/schedule. Each assignment will be graded based on the provided guidelines. The portfolio
will be assessed on the completion of each section of the assignment, adherence to portfolio organization
requirements, and student reflections that demonstrate engagement with the readings and assignments,
analysis, and supported opinions (What, how, and why it is important/relevant).

(Page 1)
Prompt:
8th grade students will read and discuss Lois
Lowrys The Giver. In addition, students will be
introduced to book reviews and their various forms
(ratings, short comments via social media, and
published, longer analyses from critics). Students
will have an opportunity to craft their own reviews
of The Giver through Twitter (short review) and a
school based blog discussion (long review).
Afterwards, they will compare the book to the
newly released movie directed by Phillip Noyce.
They will use this compare/contrast method to
create a movie review that demonstrates students
understand the importance of their reasoning and
evidence-supported opinion sharing. While
students are crafting these reviews, they will also
be reading, reacting, and responding to their
peers reviews and those crafted by the public.
*See rubric on slides 8 and 9 regarding the reading
portion of this assignment

Lois Lowry
uses an 11
year old
protagonist
youth can be
leaders

(Page 2)

Lois Lowry uses

language to
depict a black
and white
setting

I liked the book

because

The final
scene is
open-ended
(did Jonas
die or did
he
succeed?)

It shows
ignorance
is not
bliss... not
truly

(Page 3)

(Page 4)

Book Review Peer Review:

(Name: Peer-Review)
Author)

Turned in Assignment and Grade:

(Name:
The storyline of Lois Lowrys The Giver is good

The storyline of Lois Lowrys book The Giver is

good because it shows that 11 year olds can

because she shows that 11 year olds can be

leaders just like adults can be leaders. She does
this in several chapters including the scene

be leaders in their community and make a

where Jonas is selected at the Ceremony of 12 to

difference.

be the keeper of memories.

*How does it show they are leaders?

This is a very good observation. I like

how you describe your opinion of her choice
to make 11 year olds leaders in the
community and you give an example to
support your claim. Grade: B+

Jonas is selected to keep the

memories of the entire town, and he
realizes that keeping the memories from
the community isnt safe. So, he makes
the decision to save them by risking his
life to return the memories.

Why is it important to show that 11 year

olds can be effective leaders? What
message do you think Lois Lowry is sending
her audience through this choice? Why do
you think its an important message?

(Page 5)
Revised review:
The storyline of Lois Lowrys The Giver is good
because she shows that 11 year olds can be
leaders just like adults can be leaders. This is
important because many pre-teens (like me) dont
always get chances to be leaders or to be seen as
leaders, so its good that Lois Lowry shows that we
have the potential to be responsible leaders to our
community. She does this in several chapters
including the scene where Jonas is selected at the
Ceremony of 12 to be the keeper of memories.
The additions you made tell your
audience why this theme is important to
them and to you. Well done. Grade
Adjustment: A
*Revisions only allow for a 1-2 step grade boost.
I.e., a C- can only become a C or C+ after final
assignment revisions. This is to help students put
more effort into their assignment prior to their
original deadline.

(Page 6)
Student Review:
I liked writing a review because I look at reviews,
and it was cool to make my own. When I was thinking of
why I liked the book, it was hard to think of reasons why
because I just liked it, but hearing ideas from the class
helped me decide on some of the things I like about it.
I thought I did better than a B+, but I got an A
which I think I deserve after the revisions I made.
If I make another book review, Ill make sure Ill say
more than just I liked it or I didnt like it because
that doesnt help people decide if its good or bad. Ill
make sure I give an example of why I liked it or didnt
like it. That way, people can try and see what I see.
The hardest part of this assignment was thinking of
reasons why I liked the book and helping my partner
with their first draft.
I enjoyed publishing my final response and seeing
people respond to what I posted.
*CCSS: 8.1, 8.2, 8.3. CCSS- CCR 1, 2, 4, 5

Bibliography
Darrington, Brett, and Dousay, Tonia. "Using Multimodal Writing to Motivate
Struggling Students to Write."TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to
Improve Learning 59.6 (2015): 29-34. Ebscohost. Web. 18 Mar. 2016.
Bridget Dalton. "Digital Literacies in the Classroom: Multimodal Composition
and The Common Core State Standards." The Reading Teacher 66.4 (2012):
333-39. Ebscohost. Web. 9 Mar. 2016.
Chi-Cheng Chang, and Bing-Hong Wu. "Is Teacher Assessment Reliable or
Valid for High School Students under a Web-based Portfolio Environment?"
Educational Technology & Society 15.4 (2012): 265-78. Ebscohost. Web. 18
Mar. 2016.
"The Giver (2014)." IMDb. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
"The History of Education." History-world.org. Ed. Robert Guisepi. History
World International. Web. 6 Apr. 2016.