Blog Post # 6: Linking Visual Learning to English Content Standards

CT Content Standard # 2 for English grades 9-12 states:

Producing Texts

Content Standard 2: Students will produce written, oral and visual texts to express, develop and substantiate ideas and experiences. 

  a.     select from the complete variety of text structures (essay, short story, poetry, academic essay, report, research paper, response to literature, documentary, etc.) the appropriate organizational pattern for addressing audience, purpose and point of view 

  b.     identify and use effectively the salient features of all appropriate oral, visual and written discourse 

  c.     determine which primary and secondary sources are appropriate to the task (research paper, fiction, school newspaper, video) and integrate and elaborate upon information effectively in the final product 

  d.     identify and use the most effective process for them to create and present a written, oral or visual piece 

  e.     maintain a multimedia portfolio which, along with providing a means for collecting their work, provides opportunities for student reflection and teacher/student dialogue regarding the students’ creative processes 

  Linking visual learning through digital imagery to this standard can easily be achieved.  For example, students can get help in choosing which of a variety of text structures (essay, poem, etc.) to use by sampling selections available through digital sites. (2a).  They can then decide which format will work best to present the text under study.
   Students can determine which primary and secondary sources are appropriate using digital media in a number of ways. (2c) In terms of technological support, electronic keyboards can allow those with handicaps such as a broken hand to access information, while a blind or deaf student can choose to have an ebook read to them or translated from oral to written.  Students who need scaffolding for help with content can choose a highlight key that allows for one sentence at a time to be chosen for easier comprehension.   Organizing an essay can be achieved through the use of concept maps such as Inspiration.
   Identifying the salient features of the appropriate product chosen (text, oral or visual) can be accomplished by comparing various forms and samples of each, e.g. podcast, youtube video, etc. (2b).
   And choosing the most effective process (2d) can mean something such as creating a blog for the class to comment on a particular piece of poetry.  By being able to visualize all prior posts, the students can effectively add to the discourse.
   This leads to the concept of the permanence of the digital media:  by having students create multimedia portfolios (2e), teachers can allow students to collect their work, in stages if desired, provide opportunities for students to reflect on the work, and enable ongoing assessments of the work.
   In sum, the use of visual learning through digital imagery allows for versatility through choice of media, transformability from one content form to another such as outline to content map, marking for saving versions of work and networking for easy sharing of the works produced pursuant to Content Standard #2.