Cartographies of voice: Children’s multimodal literacies, agency, and identity in public pedagogy

Abstract

This study explores how mapmaking, as an arts-based and culturally responsive pedagogical practice, supports young children’s voice, agency, and identity construction within classroom and public gallery contexts. We focus on 22 children (ages 6–7) in the early years of primary school, situated within the early childhood education life phase, whose multimodal mapping activities culminated in a curated exhibition at The Rooms —Newfoundland and Labrador’s provincial art gallery. Data included video transcripts of children’s narrative map sharing, teacher interviews, and field observations. Using reflexive thematic analysis informed by sociomaterial and multimodal literacy frameworks, we found that children’s maps functioned as cultural texts, expressing personal geographies through images, spatial arrangement, gesture and narration. Public exhibition recontextualized these artifacts as civic texts, validating children’s knowledge and affirming cultural identities—particularly for newcomer families. This study contributes to early childhood literacies and public pedagogy scholarship, illustrating how gallery curation can foster cultural affirmation, relational pedagogy, and civic participation within early education.