#5 - Using art as a bridge for language learning
Today’s post is from Literacy Expert - Smriti Parikh
Back in 2014, when I used to teach a classroom of twenty-six first-generation English learners, every day I struggled to answer the question: Are my students understanding what they are reading? Today, as a literacy coach for multiple schools, I find teachers and parents expressing a similar concern about their child’s inability to “understand English”.
In an effort to break down what it means to truly understand what is being read, I reached out to those who were entrusted with the task. Upon speaking with over a hundred students from across eight grades, I managed to narrow down student’s reading difficulties to two broad challenges. One, the student faces a challenge in accessing the reading material because they do not understand the vocabulary or do not know what to do when they are presented with a book. Two, they are struggling to articulate what they have understood.
Recently, the National Education Policy suggested that arts should be integrated into the teaching of language. So once again, I found myself remembering how art acted as a universal language of instruction for my students who were spread across the spectrum of reading proficiency. When Saima and Aftab struggled to understand the meaning of dozing, I showed them this picture:
Integrating arts not only increases student engagement but also allows them to attack difficult texts meaningfully and express themselves confidently.
Here are some ways to incorporate arts-based instruction to increase access to reading material:
Use wordless picture books to promote thinking skills: For reluctant readers, start by introducing them to wordless picture books. They are a great way to engage children into making their own meaning of the graphics. Students can name things they see and build their vocabulary, create their own story based on pictures, or even predict what might happen next! Know More
8 Wonderfully Illustrated Wordless Picture Books - Click Here
5 Inspiring picture books on women who changed History - Click Here
Pictures as context clues: For ambitious readers who lose motivation when they stumble upon a difficult word, provide them with the option of searching for words in this online picture dictionary (link). For words that do not exist in the dictionary, show how to use google images to add to the meaning. A word wall (link) with pictures does wonders when it comes to retaining meanings and word usage on a regular basis.
Use art as a bridge to literacy: For beginning and advanced readers alike, use paintings, photographs, and cartoons to build skills of inferencing and predicting. Ask students questions like: What do you think is happening in the painting? If you were to draw another painting to follow this one up, what would the painting look like? Know More
To encourage expression of what has been read, you can use art in the following ways:
Draw it out: Readers benefit from momentarily pausing and retelling the story in their own words. Give an opportunity for a retell through pictures. Students could make comics (link) , storyboards (link), or simply an illustration that captures the meaning of a small chapter or an entire book.
Journaling: Keeping a reading journal while reading allows students to jot their thoughts down in the moment as opposed to after reading a large chunk of text. A reading journal should go beyond noting down the author's name, number of pages read, and title. Children can sketch, paint, or even doodle all they want about what they are reading. Give some reflective prompts to your children to journal about, with each book to push their critical and creative thinking. For instance: Gryffindor looks for loyalty, chivalry, and courage. Hufflepuff values friendship, hark work, and patience. Ravenclaw picks students with knowledge, intelligence, and wit. Slytherin has wizards that are resourceful, cunning, and ambitious. Which house would you like to be Sorted into? Know More
Smriti Parikh is a graduate from Harvard Graduate School of Education, currently working as the Head of Literacy Programs at Acres Foundation in Mumbai.
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