Teaching Strategies to Inform Visual Literacy - Information Texts
Due to the ever increasing use of technology, computer based software and internet (electronic media) in today’s society it is important to use this as one of the means to help children become visually literate.
Bamford (2003) states that, ‘visual literacy includes critical knowledge’. She continues in saying that visual literacy is best promoted and developed in the classroom by exposing students to a variety of interesting and meaningful images. Time must be taken to analyse and discuss the images with the use of thought provoking questioning to generate ideas and understanding. Using new and creative ways and encouraging/allowing students to be both ‘critical’ and imaginative in their responses will help students to develop a higher order thinking processes.
The opportunity should be given for all students to have access to and use a variety of graphic software. This software can be useful in assessing a student visual thought process, allow for visual expression and discovery and can improve presentation skills and communication (Bamford, 2003).
An understanding of this software will assist the students in being aware of how some images and pictures can, or have been manipulated to suit the intended audience.
Riesland (2005) believes that by engaging in a meaningful multimedia project the students construct an in-depth understanding of visual literacy and communication along the way. This theory is based on the constructivist learning philosophy that knowledge is constructed.
As well as electronic media there are various other strategies where visual information text can be integrated into the modern classroom.
The following are some ideas offered by Black Cockatoo Publishing 2008, accessed at
Visual literacy K-8.
Visualising is thinking: Making notes allows students to collect and isolate pieces of data. On the other hand drawing information including diagrams tables and maps assists the learners to visually see how and why facts are connected. Visual texts assist students to graphically represent data and capture sequences of events.
Re-composing helps: To re-compose requires students to read information in one form (e.g. words and sentences) think about and understand them before representing a summary of it as a visual text (e.g. diagram or table).
Graphic organisers: These visual texts can be used as a framework for writing, a tool for organising ideas and information, for example;
· Information reports can be can be organised into a table or tree diagram.
· Timelines can be used to show a recount of events.
· An explanation can be shown as a flow chart sequencing the steps.
Diagrams are more accessible than words: Usually children can read (understand) diagrams and maps etc well before they could read that same information as sentences. Books with diagrams cue unfamiliar information. This is of benefit when first learning to read as the illustrations help student to predict text. Labelled diagrams can be more helpful than vocabulary lists as they help them to see meanings of words.
Summarising: A table can be used to ‘pull apart’ a topic into groups and order it the way it should be written. Tree diagrams help show how subtopics may be related to the main topic. When summarising a sequence of events or cause and effect, flow charts are a useful tool.
Comprehension: A web diagram can be used to connect key words or show relationships of characters in a novel or book. The plot or subplot in a story could be displayed with a storyboard or summarised in a flow chart. As mentioned earlier, ‘re-composing’ helps significantly with comprehension.
Bamford (2003) states that, ‘visual literacy includes critical knowledge’. She continues in saying that visual literacy is best promoted and developed in the classroom by exposing students to a variety of interesting and meaningful images. Time must be taken to analyse and discuss the images with the use of thought provoking questioning to generate ideas and understanding. Using new and creative ways and encouraging/allowing students to be both ‘critical’ and imaginative in their responses will help students to develop a higher order thinking processes.
The opportunity should be given for all students to have access to and use a variety of graphic software. This software can be useful in assessing a student visual thought process, allow for visual expression and discovery and can improve presentation skills and communication (Bamford, 2003).
An understanding of this software will assist the students in being aware of how some images and pictures can, or have been manipulated to suit the intended audience.
Riesland (2005) believes that by engaging in a meaningful multimedia project the students construct an in-depth understanding of visual literacy and communication along the way. This theory is based on the constructivist learning philosophy that knowledge is constructed.
As well as electronic media there are various other strategies where visual information text can be integrated into the modern classroom.
The following are some ideas offered by Black Cockatoo Publishing 2008, accessed at
Visual literacy K-8.
Visualising is thinking: Making notes allows students to collect and isolate pieces of data. On the other hand drawing information including diagrams tables and maps assists the learners to visually see how and why facts are connected. Visual texts assist students to graphically represent data and capture sequences of events.
Re-composing helps: To re-compose requires students to read information in one form (e.g. words and sentences) think about and understand them before representing a summary of it as a visual text (e.g. diagram or table).
Graphic organisers: These visual texts can be used as a framework for writing, a tool for organising ideas and information, for example;
· Information reports can be can be organised into a table or tree diagram.
· Timelines can be used to show a recount of events.
· An explanation can be shown as a flow chart sequencing the steps.
Diagrams are more accessible than words: Usually children can read (understand) diagrams and maps etc well before they could read that same information as sentences. Books with diagrams cue unfamiliar information. This is of benefit when first learning to read as the illustrations help student to predict text. Labelled diagrams can be more helpful than vocabulary lists as they help them to see meanings of words.
Summarising: A table can be used to ‘pull apart’ a topic into groups and order it the way it should be written. Tree diagrams help show how subtopics may be related to the main topic. When summarising a sequence of events or cause and effect, flow charts are a useful tool.
Comprehension: A web diagram can be used to connect key words or show relationships of characters in a novel or book. The plot or subplot in a story could be displayed with a storyboard or summarised in a flow chart. As mentioned earlier, ‘re-composing’ helps significantly with comprehension.
Purpose of Language |
Process Involved |
Text Type |
Describe:
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Persuade
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Instruct
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Explain
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Recount
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Transit
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(Watkins, 1998)
