The Journey as a Writer

The journey as a writer has been quite involving and enriching in terms of new ideas and skills that improve the final text. In most parts, every writing task comes with significant research on either how to approach the piece of task or the contents to include in the composition (Cook & Kirchoff, 2017). The experience as a writer comes to several aspects of processes of written composition, content or the message, organization of the ideas and concepts, as well as format and layout that makes the work presentable and professional.

            The process of composition writing proves central to a writer; it enables the outcome build into a polished piece that conveys the intended message to the target audience. The process of writing a convincing composition requires the use of proper stage of research before even thinking of putting down the ideas. This phase of the composition includes searching for the right materials to use in backing one’s claims on the issue or topic under consideration (Cook & Kirchoff, 2017). For instance, the third polished journal entitled “Topic 3: Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s theories of learning” involved research on the two scholars’ works that relate to the concept of learning.

The next process involves selecting and noting the key information that works for the piece of work involved. This aspect of composition writing requires critical thinking and prudence to discern unworthy ideas from the core concepts (Cook, 2016). For instance, the first journal entry, namely, ”Topic 1: Implications of reduced physical activity on children’s cognitive, emotional, and social development” involved understanding and selecting only ideas that relate to every concept involved. For instance, only terms and ideas relating to cognition, emotions, and social milestones of the child would go into the final composition.

Then, the next stage involves writing the actual contents into a passage comprehensible by the target audience. The task of writing requires proper understanding of the language levels of the audience and the other semiotic systems that would work in conveying the intended information (Moses, 2015). Two aspects of the level of language of the target audience as well as the key perspectives involved matter in writing the content. For instance, a professional and scholarly audience would expect highest level of English language in writing. Conversely, the early childhood development learner expects the simplest language with illustrative writing to create the ability to instil the concepts taught adequately (Danielsson & Selander, 2016). The goal is to create meanings that reflect the creator’s intentions. Thus, the process of composition writing proves quite engaging.

            The aspect of process sin writing a composition also relates to content; in fact, the body of knowledge involved proves essential in communicating the ideas to a target audience. The third process of composition writing relates to the content so derived from research, opinions, and ideas from personal experiences (Cook & Kirchoff, 2017). The body of information, therefore, encompasses the synthesis of data used to arrive at usable information. For instance, the second journal entry on ”Topic 2: Factors that promote or slow down brain development” highlights only ”factors” that prove both valid and relevant for moderating the development of the brain as key in the contents of the passage. The other aspects remain unnecessary. Thus, content becomes central to understanding proper composition writing juts as the process also remains vital to an author. 

            In addition to the twin values of process and content, organization has also improved in ways that enable professional expressions of ideas. Organization of ideas becomes central to directing the flow of the information from the beginning to the end. As a result, the main gaol of communicating effectively occurs. For instance, the first journal entry on ”Topic 1: Implications of reduced physical activity on children’s cognitive, emotional, and social development” involved a step-by-step exploration of each variable involved to create a conceptual framework in the minds of readers. Thus, the writing achieves effective learning. In fact, the use of organization remains as essential as the content (Cook, 2016). A disorganized piece of writing attracts lowered audience concentration with higher chances of eliciting confusion. Conversely, well organized composition becomes easy to read and understand. Therefore, abilities as a writer stem from key competencies in organizing information, ideas, and opinions into a coherent whole.  

            Lastly, format and layout works to improve the spatial semiotic system for the readers to fully comprehend the content of a text. As a composition writer, the true nature of information includes all the possible visual outcomes that relate to format and layout. For instance, a composition of a passage in prose alone may still need conformity to given paper formats and layouts. In other instances, brochures or other multimodal texts qualify to display information in the required formats and layouts (Aberg & Akerfeldt, 2017). Format and layout are critical to presenting a piece of writing in ways that enhance its comprehension.   

Section Two

            To develop student’s writing, the core aspects of proper composition must take the centre stage. Ideally, one needs to impart the same knowledge gained through the experience above to instil a culture of proficiency in composing logical passages. The approach to teaching students to write will involve inclusion of the key components of the process, content, organization, and semiotic systems.

            The process of proper writing entails the key stages that the student must follows to end up with the ideal composition that convinces of thorough research and information synthesis. From the step of research to that of writing the content, the student will learn the importance of each phase as a way of appreciating proper writing (Aberg & Akerfeldt, 2017). Indeed, the culture of writing stems from the observation of every vital aspect that helps avoid ambiguity while sustaining comprehensibility of a piece of written text. Clarity and depth prove that a student followed the key processes of proper writing to attain utmost expression of ideas entailed in the text. 

            The precision of writing and the level of details involved then relate to the content of the material. Thus, the second most valuable aspect to teach the students is how to find the right content and deliver it in very clear expression in composing the written text. Content relates to the topic of discussion as well as the concepts entangled within it (Danielsson & Selander, 2016). Therefore, the content would sustain proper application of synthesis that facilitates effective communication. In other words, irrelevance and invalidity of the contents become inappropriate for the issues, topic, or areas under discussion. Students will have to understand the crucial role of content in adding value to the passage.

            Organization comes third as a new aspect that students would master to gain proficiency in writing compositions. The organization enables the arrangement of ideas to contribute positively to intended outcome of communicating clearly and appropriately (Cook, 2016). For instance, a range of factors would come in their order of importance. Still, information may come in the order of items such as the case in describing a process.    

            At the advanced level, the students will learn the concepts of semiotic systems to polish their writing skills. Linguistic choices will enhance the appropriateness of their compositions to target audiences. For instance, the youthful readers may find some slang more appropriate in the informal context as the professionals stick to formal words in proper communication. Then, visuals may enhance comprehension in many readers, such as the young and adolescents (Moses, 2015). However, pure prose literature may work for the scholarly adults with visuals reaching very technical levels. Moreover, the utilization of space would serve to help students enjoy balancing linguistics and the other semiotic systems. These three semiotic parameters would become central to training students to gain top proficiency in proper writing.

            Above all, continuous practice and exercises on writing composition will equip the students with the right mastery of each of the mentioned skill sets. Therefore, the students will acquire the right capabilities through experiential learning the same way their teacher also did. Under the supervision of the instructor, the students will go through each of the aspects of proper writing to acquire the status of competence acceptable for their levels. 

Section Three

Multimodal Text

The multimodal booklet, in the subsequent sub-section, utilizes three semiotic systems: linguistics, visuals, and spatial types. While linguistics reinforces the comprehension of the pictures through descriptions, the figures provide visuals that enhance the understanding from a new perspective (Aberg & Akerfeldt, 2017). Then, the arrangement of the figures and written literature provide spatial value that enhances the sense of organization; thus, the overall effect is effective learning.

Language in the written literature provides the right descriptions of the explained concepts to support understanding of the rest of the semiotics involved. For instance, each figure has an introducing text in written prose literature to set the background for the other contents included alongside the passage. Besides, the first section of the book explains that a balanced diet serves to establish and maintain healthy human body; thus, the reader gears towards insightful understanding of the importance of a balanced diet. Moreover, prose literature helps explain how a balanced diet increases the ability of the body to fight diseases, build more muscles and bones to grow bigger in size, and have the energy to use as power in work (Cook, 2016). These bodies of knowledge get instilled into the reader through the work of the linguistic semiotic.

Visuals work alongside the linguistics in the booklet to reinforce understanding of the concepts involved. For instance, Figure 1 proves that carbohydrates in a balanced diet also helps one generate power from energy in the body. The image of a human cartoon pushing a block helps reinforce the sense of power from energy derived from the carbohydrate foods. Similarly, Figure 2 describes how a person’s body uses vitamins to fight diseases by creating anti-germs in the body to defend it from invasive bacteria and other pathogenic agents. This image involves two cartoons that play the two respective roles; moreover, the image includes texts that explain their identities and roles (Danielsson & Selander, 2016). Therefore, a reader gains full understanding of how the vitamins contribute in fighting the disease-causing germs. In other words, the semiotic system of visuals helps establish effective learning. 

Lastly, spatial semiotic system also plays alongside the other two counterparts of linguistics and visual to enhance understanding of the concepts in the multimodal booklet. The arrangement of figures and prose literature in an alternating manner provides a critical balance for the mind to synthesis the information into the memory banks (Moses, 2015). For instance, the concept of a balanced diet appears in the manner the dishes appear alongside the descriptive literature as opposed to downward sequences. Therefore, the idea of breakfasts and dinners that have a balanced diet appear spatially superimposed in the eyes and minds of readers. Similarly, the partitioning of the dish for each food type elaborates that the most important observation is to have each of the diet components, namely, proteins, vitamins, and carbohydrates, in their right proportions.

Therefore, the combined effect of the three semiotics systems of space, language, and images provide the perfect means of communicating the concepts taught by the multimodal booklet. Each of them contributes significantly in furthering effective learning by supporting memorization.

Multimodal Information Book Pages

1.0 Balanced Diet

1.1 Components of a Balanced Diet

Figure 1: Pushing is a type of work done by carbohydrate diet food for power.

A. Carbohydrates for Body Energy

The first role of a balanced diet is to provide energy in the right proportion for daily work needs. For instance, pushing a load, as in Figure 1, is work where power comes from the energy derived from eating a balanced diet. The type of diet food that provides energy is called carbohydrates. Examples of carbohydrate foods are wheat flour and tubers.

B. Vitamins and Body Defense against Germs

The small body parts, called cells, are involved in the process of fighting diseases when empowered by the food that contain the right vitamins. As in Figure 2, the good cells kill the bad cells of pathogens to maintain the body healthy. One can get vitamins from a variety of foods, namely, fruits and vegetables.

Figure 2: How a balanced diet with vitamins helps the body fight germs.

C. Proteins and Body Building

The third and last component of a balanced diet is that involved in the building of muscles and bones of the body; thus, they help a person grow from childhood to adulthood. The type of foods that do this work is proteins.

Figure 3: Protein foods and body building.

Proteins come from a variety of foods of both plant and aninal origins. Examples such diet include eggs, meat,  and beans, (Figuire 3). The food provide the building blocks for the cells of the human body; thus, tissues can grow big in body organs. As a result, the body muscles, bones, and other areas become big in a person.

1.2 Examples of Balanced Diet Dishes

A. Breakfast of a Balanced Diet

Representative food types form each of the diet components make a breakfast dish balanced. As in Figure 4, the composition requires a half as fruits and vegetables for vitamins, a quarter as proteins-giving varieties (fish, beef), and the remaining quarter as carbohydrates foods (wheat flour, tubers).

Figure 4: A balanced diet breakfast dish.

B. Dinner of a Balanced Diet

Figure 5: A balanced diet dinner dish.

Meals of a balanced diet also must include each of the food types in their right proportions. The proteins, carbohydrates, and vitamins must have food sources that represent them in proper quantities. In Figure 5, carbohydrates come from the rice, proteins from meat, and vitamins from fruits and vegetables.

References

Aberg, E. S., & Akerfeldt, A. (2017). Design and recognition of multimodal texts: Selection of digital tools and modes on the basis of social and material premises? Journal of Computers in Education, 4(3), 283-306. doi:10.1007/s40692-017-0088-3

Cook, M. P. (2016). Now I ”see”: The impact of graphic novels on reading comprehension in high school English classrooms. Literacy Research and Instruction, 56(1), 21-53. doi:10.1080/19388071.2016.1244869

Cook, M. P., & Kirchoff, J. S. (2017). Teaching multimodal literacy through reading and writing graphic novels. Language and Literacy, 19(4), 76-95. doi:10.20360/g2p38r

Danielsson, K., & Selander, S. (2016). Reading multimodal texts for learning – A model for cultivating multimodal literacy. Designs for Learning, 8(1), 25-36. doi:10.16993/dfl.72

Moses, L. J. (2015). The role(s) of image for young bilinguals reading multimodal informational texts. Language and Literacy, 17(3), 82-99. doi:10.20360/g25302