Editorial Reading and Writing in a Multimodal, Multimedia and Multicultural Society

Abstract

In the digital era, reading and writing have transcended their traditional forms, adapting to a complex reality characterized by the convergence of multiple modes, media and cultures in communicative environments (UNESCO, 2023; Cordón-García, 2020). In this context, the act of reading and writing is no longer limited to the decoding and production of written texts but encompasses the interpretation and generation of complex meanings that integrate images, sounds and other visual and sensory elements (Lluch, 2018). This transformation turns the literacy process into an experience that demands new skills from citizens in general and demands from reading mediators, in particular, new practical strategies that facilitate the development of these competencies (Masgrau Juanola et al., 2024).

In this context, the interaction of citizenship with a wide cultural and linguistic diversity makes the integration of multiculturalism in literacy processes indispensable, as it allows understanding how reading and writing practices adapt to diverse cultural realities (Ministerio de Educación y Formación Profesional, 2019; Gee, 2008). Interacting with texts in multicultural environments requires recognizing and valuing the plurality of perspectives that  each culture brings, thus enriching the communicative process, fostering inclusive participation and strengthening the shared construction of knowledge. Reading and writing in today’s society implies, therefore, a complete literacy that responds to the complexity of a multimedia, multimodal and multicultural environment, promoting a critical, informed and culturally aware citizenship (Calvo Valiós, 2022). The content of each article is summarized below.