Multimodality in High-Stakes EFL Writing Assessment

As technology advances, learners are more likely to encounter multimodal texts in everyday life and classrooms. Previous studies have investigated the multimodal features in instructional materials and the benefits of engaging learners in multimodal writing tasks. Nevertheless, multimodality in high-stakes assessments seems to be an underexplored issue. This study explored the features and roles of multimodal resources in a high-stakes EFL writing assessment in Hong Kong, using systemic functional semiotics theories. Findings from 81 assessment prompts revealed that multimodal prompts have become more prevalent in recent years. The multimodal features serve different functions that may help the learners tackle the assessment questions. Interview findings showed that the visuals in the multimodal prompts are potentially more helpful for the average- and low-proficiency students. The article concludes with practical implications for language teachers to better prepare students with the multimodal trend and suggestions for test developers on designing effective multimodal assessment tasks.