Visual Literacy and the Arts

What is Visual Literacy?• “Visual literacy is the ability to interpret,

use, appreciate, and create images using both conventional and 21 century media in ways that advance thinking, decision making, communication and learning.”

The Visual Literacy Paradox:

If pictures can express what words alone cannot, and if that ‘something’ is what visual literacy is about then it may be difficult to define visual literacy in the usual verbal way.

The Fundamentals

• Visual awareness has been a key element to communication.

• The fundamentals of all visual communication is based on the basic visual elements, the basis for visual materials.

1. Line 6. Value2. Shape 7. Scale 3. Direction 8. Motion4. Texture 9. Dimension5. Hue

Q: Why do you think these visual elements are so important for communicating through art?

Why is visual literacy so important?

• We live in an increasingly visual culture.We are constantly surrounded by images. Students become visually literate by practice of visual encoding and decoding.

• It is important that students are able to:1. Express their thoughts and ideas in visual form.

2. Translate and understand the meaning of visual imagery

Students who are visually literate:

• Understand basic elements of visual design, technique and media.

• Are aware of emotional, psychological, physiological, and cognitive influences in perceptions of visuals.

• Comprehend representational, explanatory, abstract and symbolic images.

Visuals in Electronic Media

Students who can and try are:• Informed viewers, critics and

consumers of visual information.

• Are knowledgeable designers, composers and producers of visual imagery.

• Effective visual communicators.

Why does electronic media do for students?

• Visualization tools in media enable students to make their thinking visible in all academic areas.

• Visual mapping tools help students make sense of complex subjects.

• Some software packages that aid in visual literacy include:

1. Inspiration2. Kidspiration3. STELLA

As future educators, how can we use visual literacy in an

elementary setting?• Picture books offer a unique opportunity for children to develop visual

literacy.

• Children will learn that illustrations can be “seen” in different ways.

• Careful examinations of illustrations can reveal that there is more going on in a book than words.

One visual literacy method educators can use is called: The picture walk

• This technique is used with students who do not read yet

• It encourages students to anticipate what might happen in the story through the illustrations.

References

Galda, Lee. “Visual Literacy: Exploring Art and Illustration in Children's Books.” The Reading teacher, March 1993. (Vol. 46, No. 6)

North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. 21st Century Skills: Visual Literacy. 2006.

Pinkel, Sarah. (1998, September 14) What is Visual Literacy? Retrieved March 5th, 2006, from www.ponona.edu.

Riesland, Erin. (2005) Visual Literacy and the Classroom. Retreived from March 4th, 2006, from http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/literacy/riesland.htm.