Writing in the Digital Age
The changing landscape of literacy and the digital revolution of the 21st century pose a unique challenge to traditional writing pedagogy. We are living in an era where essays have begun to take a back seat to the more modern forms of writing that simultaneously afford opportunities for creative expression. In a world where visuals often speak louder than words, infographics have become a powerful tool for teaching and learning. They help students translate complex ideas into clear, engaging visuals that communicate meaning across languages and learning styles.
Traditional writing assignments are completely foreign to most students because their generation rarely engages with the world in a purely textual manner. Digital Multimodal Composition (DMC) is a modern alternative that allows students to develop their writing skills in ways that are meaningful and enjoyable. It is being considered an essential component of L2 writing classrooms, as text-based communication cannot adequately support students’ writing in out-of-school contexts that they are exposed to in the digital age. As an educator who understands the benefits of DMC, I enjoy using Canva to create multimedia projects such as infographics that combine creativity, literacy, and digital skills. In this post, I will share how I design infographics for multimodal learning projects, why they work so well, and a few simple tips to get started.
Why Infographics Belong in Multimodal Learning
Infographics are more than pretty visuals—they are instructional supports that require students to synthesize information, make rhetorical choices, and design intentionally. For Emergent Bilinguals, infographics are especially valuable. The combination of visuals and text provides linguistic scaffolding—helping students express complex ideas even when vocabulary or grammar feels limiting.
Before opening Canva, I start by asking:
“What story does this infographic need to tell?”
This question grounds the design process in purpose. For example:
- In a language arts class, students might design infographics that summarize character development or thematic elements.
- In ESL settings, infographics can illustrate vocabulary categories, grammar rules, or cultural comparisons.
- In a postsecondary classroom with adult language learners, they might design infographics that differentiate between topic sentences and controlling ideas.
Once the concept is clear, learners should gather only the most essential facts or visuals. A good infographic doesn’t overwhelm others with information—it focuses attention.
Step 1: Selecting a Template in Canva
Canva offers hundreds of education-friendly templates, which is one reason it’s my go-to design platform. I typically start by filtering templates by category. In this instance, I encourage you to start by clicking “create” and then typing the word “infographics” in the search bar. After choosing one of the types of infographic options, a variety of templates will appear on the left side of the screen. Finding the right template can be overwhelming when there are so many options. Here’s what I look for:
- Balance: Enough white space for clarity.
- Hierarchy: Distinct sections or headings to guide readers.
- Flexibility: Editable layouts that allow text, icons, and visuals to coexist.
- Images: Visuals that align with the topic of the project.
For classroom use, it is important to remind students to personalize the design by changing colors, icons, and fonts to fit their message. Canva makes this an easy process, which boosts student confidence quickly.
Step 2: Add Key Information
Listing key information allows the entire infographic to tell a story about your topic without the project becoming too wordy. The multimodal power of an infographic lies in how it integrates different modes of communication. This means that it is not necessary to overuse text when there are other ways to convey messaging. Emergent Bilinguals (EBs) use multiple modes, such as images, sounds, texts, and movements
Here’s how I break it down:
- Text: Use concise statements, not paragraphs. Focus on clarity and tone.
- Images: Choose visuals that show rather than tell. Avoid decorative clutter.
- Icons: Use them strategically to symbolize ideas, especially helpful for bilingual or visual learners.
Step 3: Integrating Text, Images, and Icons
Emergent Bilinguals (EBs) use multiple modes, such as images, sounds, texts, and movement, within digital compositions to negotiate meaning with a reader. This is an important way for them to communicate, as they are limited in their understanding of the target language, which in this case is English. Infographics provide them with opportunities to express their ideas in meaningful ways. However, learners must be guided to articulate how their visual choices support understanding.
For example:
- A student designing an infographic on physical and chemical changes might use a layout that includes images that differentiate between each term.
- A language learner summarizing a novel might use icons to represent emotional tone or plot sequence.
This step bridges academic writing and creativity, reinforcing why Digital Multimodal Composition is so beneficial for learners.
Step 4: Publishing and Reflecting
Once the infographic is complete, students publish their work—either digitally (as a Canva presentation) or printed for display.
The reflection process is just as important as the design:
- What was your main message?
- How did your design choices reinforce that message?
- What might you change if you had more time?
These reflections transform DMC projects from “creative assignments” into critical learning experiences grounded in self-awareness and rhetorical purpose.
Tips for Teachers
If you’re implementing infographic projects in your classroom or community program, consider these practical steps:
- Start with models: Show examples of strong student or professional infographics so that students will have an understanding of what is expected.
- Use rubrics: A well-developed grading rubric is important for DMC tasks. Content accuracy, design clarity, and connection to learning objectives are areas to focus on in a rubric used to grade infographics.
- Allow multilingual expression: Encourage students to use both their native and target languages.
- Emphasize accessibility: Discuss color contrast and font so that students can create a clear and reader-friendly product.
These practices ensure that creativity aligns with inclusivity and equity—two pillars of effective multimodal learning.
Designing infographics in Canva is more than a design exercise—it’s a literacy practice. It empowers learners to combine text, visuals, and digital tools to make meaning in diverse and innovative ways. DMC not only enhances writing but also reshapes confidence and voice. Canva provides the perfect platform to make that process accessible to all. As you explore infographics with your students, remember: the goal isn’t perfection—it’s purposeful expression.
References:
Li, M., & Akoto, M. (2021). Review of recent research on L2 digital multimodal composing. International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching (IJCALLT), 11(3), 1-16.
Li, M., & Pham, Q. N. (2025). Three heads are better than one? Digital multimodal composition completed collaboratively versus individually. Language Teaching Research, 29(5), 1866-1888.
Pacheco, M. B., Smith, B. E., Deig, A., & Amgott, N. A. (2021). Scaffolding multimodal composition with emergent bilingual students. Journal of Literacy Research, 53(2), 149-173.
Maamuujav, U., Yim, S., & Vu, V. (2024). Rhetorical and Motivational Values of Multimodality in Writing: A Case Study Examining L2 Writers’ Participation in Multimodal Academic Writing. The CATESOL Journal, 35(1).
Darrington, B., & Dousay, T. (2015). Using multimodal writing to motivate struggling students to write. TechTrends, 59(6), 29-34.