RESEARCH
How do learners think, create and communicate?
My research explores writing, metacognition, multimodal composing and meaningful learning, especially in primary English education
PRE-WRITING
How learners design, reflect, and plan their compositions using different modes of meaning (e.g. mind maps, storyboards)
METACOGNITION
How learners develop knowledge of their cognition and regulate it to improve their learning.
MULTIMODAL COMPOSING
How images, audio, and other modes of meaning can support students in their process of composing.
1. A reflexive multimodal composing approach can provide opportunities for students' metacognition during the pre-writing stage
Apart from providing a structured approach to encourage students to think about their own thinking during the pre-writing stage, opportunities can also be provided for students to reflect on their own identity as writers. In this process, students can learn about the importance of setting goals and constantly reflecting on their progress.
2. A reflexive multimodal composing approach can positively impact students' writing process
Students can use digital multimodal composing to express their ideas during the pre-writing stage. By using different modes of meaning that connect with their preferred style of expression, students may communicate their ideas more clearly to others - and themselves. However, it is important for students to have the metalanguage to be able to use these different modes of meaning effectively too. With the right guidance and structure, young learners can be meaningfully engaged and grow in their confidence as writers and thinkers.
3. A reflexive multimodal composing approach can positively impact students' written products
As students improve their writing processes and learn more about the importance of metacognition, their writing products can improve in terms of relevance to the topic and overall story development. It is also useful for both teachers and students to reflect on how the writing process affects the writing products so that there is a deeper understanding of what makes the difference.
Ong, M., Lim, V. (2026). Reflexive Multimodal Composing in the Singapore Primary School English Language Writing Classroom.
Abstract: Writing is a complex activity for young primary school learners, and the pre-writing stage is arguably the most important part of the writing process. Digital multimodal composing during the pre-writing stage can offer opportunities for young primary school learners to generate, organise, and express their ideas. This chapter introduces a reflexive multimodal composing approach (RMC) which combines metacognition with digital multimodal composing activities in a pre-writing lesson. It presents both teachers’ and students’ perspectives on the use of the RMC and its impact on students’ writing. Our findings suggest that RMC can enhance students’ engagement during the pre-writing stage, provide a clear structure for reflecting on their writing process, increase students’ confidence to write, and improve the content of weaker writers’ compositions.