In recent years, there has been growing interest in multimodal literacies used in various teaching and learning contexts, especially in K-12 classrooms. To develop multiple abilities of students, K-12 teachers tend to utilize both print-based and digital texts to facilitate instructional practices in class. However, there are few syntheses of the existing scholarly work to explore how instructional practices of multimodal literacies can effectively support different lingual and cultural backgrounds of students in K-12 education. The current study reviews the empirical research that focused on multimodal literacies in K-12 instructional practices from 2000 to 2020, considering how educators utilized multimodal literacies in different content areas to develop multiple competences of students. Through a systematic literature review method, we analyzed the empirical research focused on teaching and learning effectiveness with multimodal literacies in different K-12 classroom settings. We close with a discussion of the implications of these findings for educators and future directions of this work.

Reading and writing in the 21st century have evolved from traditional text-based formats to multimodal literacy, integrating linguistic, visual, auditory, and spatial modes to enhance communication and comprehension. While multimodal reading has been widely studied, multimodal writing remains underexplored, despite its growing importance in K–12 education across disciplines. Multimodal composing demands advanced self-regulation as students navigate multiple digital tools and platforms. Self-regulated learning strategies, particularly the self-regulated strategy development model, offer a promising approach to support students in planning, monitoring, and revising multimodal compositions. However, a comprehensive framework linking self-regulation and multimodal composition is lacking. This article addresses this gap by synthesizing findings from two studies—one in preservice teacher education and another in a first-grade classroom—along with existing research to propose a self-regulated multimodal composing framework. This framework aims to guide educators in fostering students’ autonomy and competence in multimodal composing. By integrating self-regulation strategies with multimodal composition processes, the SRMC framework provides actionable insights for instructional practices, helping teachers support diverse learners in today’s digitally mediated classrooms. The article discusses implications for pedagogy and future research, advocating for greater emphasis on self-regulated multimodal composing in literacy education.

Digital and online-based writing practices are not a novel or emerging trend. However, multimodal writing instructional practices need more updated guidelines to support teachers in planning effective instruction. Recent research indicates low teacher efficacy scores related to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, this chapter details a multimodal writing framework to promote agency for K-12 instruction and provides guidelines for educators to effectively facilitate students in the multimodal writing process. The authors use the theory of multiliteracies, the theory of design knowledge, and personal digital inquiry to develop the framework's components. The result is a practical framework with practitioner-focused examples of writing projects. By leveraging multimodal writing, teachers can facilitate a higher capacity for writing instruction and personal agency than allowed by traditional methods. Request access from your librarian to read this chapter's full text.