I See What You Mean

"Write your answer and if you have time left over, you can draw a picture."

This all-too-familiar instruction to children sends the unfortunate message that writing has content and value and will be graded, but drawing is optional and will be ignored.

Yet these assumptions are not true of real-world information texts, whether they are reference books or CD-ROM resources. Information can come in pictures as well as in words, and more usually in the kind of text that combines images with words. Teachers across the curriculum, therefore, have an obligation to teach students how to read and write these visual texts.

In this activity-laden resource book Steve Moline outlines learning/literacy strategies that require students to communicate graphically. Over 100 student examples illustrate how students can communicate some concepts better with visual texts than with conventional, word-only texts. These strategies will be especially helpful for students who struggle with writing or who are visual learners.

Noted writer and illustrator Steve Moline:

defines the purpose, context, and outcomes of each kind of visual display;explains how to match written text with the most appropriate type of visual text;provides Big Book examples where many types of visual displays are used;includes a chapter on basic graphic design for classroom publishing projects.

Because visual literacy extends into all subject areas, any elementary classroom teacher will find I See What You Mean a helpful source of information and ideas, particularly for thematic work that integrates the curriculum.