Visualising
When skilled readers create mental pictures during the reading process, they are actively engaged with the text (Winch, G., Ross-Johnston, R., March, P., Ljungdahl, L. & Holliday, M., 2011).
Visualising a text supports reading comprehension as it forms an active transformative process of knowledge, comprehension and memory, reflecting a synergistic relationship where one influences the others (Duke & Pearson, 2002).
Visualising a text supports reading comprehension as it forms an active transformative process of knowledge, comprehension and memory, reflecting a synergistic relationship where one influences the others (Duke & Pearson, 2002).
Specific Pedagogies
Teachers can encourage students to:
- illustrate characters from written descriptions
- construct dioramas
- design and produce multimodal texts derived from the written text
- utilise graphic organisers to represent information from the text
- produce story maps
- role-play
- interpret the text into a poem or picture book
(Winch et al., 2011)
Ways to Adapt for Diverse Learners
Research shows that students who encounter reading comprehension difficulties often lack the ability to visualise during reading (Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson, 2003). Struggling readers need to be aware that pictures can help them comprehend texts (Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson, 2003). By creating mental pictures, students can improve their memory skills and predict and make inferences about a text (Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson, 2003).
Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson (2003) suggest the following visualisation techniques: drawing an analogy of a 'television in the mind'; using teacher and student drawings; referring to text illustrations and using picture books and films as image makers.
Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson (2003) suggest the following visualisation techniques: drawing an analogy of a 'television in the mind'; using teacher and student drawings; referring to text illustrations and using picture books and films as image makers.
Television In The Mind
Encourage students to use an analogy of the television in their mind to help make connections between what is read and what is seen (Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson, 2003).
- Students can be taught to “watch” as they read.
- Use the concept of ‘static’ to represent the issue when images do not match the words.
- "Fix-up" strategies should also be continually taught and modelled for students when they experience "static".
- Refocus to a suitable mental image, to “get back on the right channel”.
(Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson, 2003, para 9).
Classroom Drawings
Sometimes a lack of prior knowledge and experiences or difficult text can hinder a student’s ability to create mental pictures (Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson, 2003). Showing or drawing a picture during a read-aloud may alleviate confusion (Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson, 2003).
Conversely, students' own drawings can be insightful (Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson, 2003). During a read-aloud, students can be encouraged to listen and draw, based on the reading (Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson, 2003). Drawings that do not match the text but are still related to the topic demonstrate that the student is attempting to access prior knowledge and make direct connections, but is unable to with the text (Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson, 2003).
Conversely, students' own drawings can be insightful (Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson, 2003). During a read-aloud, students can be encouraged to listen and draw, based on the reading (Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson, 2003). Drawings that do not match the text but are still related to the topic demonstrate that the student is attempting to access prior knowledge and make direct connections, but is unable to with the text (Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson, 2003).
Text Illustrations
Text illustrations, in the text and on the front cover, offer critical information, particularly to struggling readers who may have a heavier reliance on pictures to inform their understanding (Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson, 2003). Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson (2003) caution that mismatching text and illustrations may disrupt and disengage struggling readers.
Picture Books
Picture books have the potential to improve a reader’s background knowledge and elicit emotions that may help the reader understand a character or certain events (Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson, 2003). Low ability readers with memory difficulties can also benefit from pictures books as they can act as a memory marker for certain details in a text (Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson, 2003).
Films
Films provide supporting background information for related texts and can encourage positive relationships with reading (Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson, 2003). It can include information such as time periods and settings for learners who may have limited prior knowledge of the topic or theme being studied (Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson, 2003). Like picture books, films can act as memory marker for specific details in a text. Discretion must be used to ensure the film and the way it is used aligns with the learning goals of diverse learners (Hibbing & Rankin-Erickson, 2003).
'Eye' image courtesy of Pixabay