Visualizing and Verbalizing The Imagery-Language Connection for Cognition Dual Coding Theory (Verbal Language plus Non-Verbal Images) Mental imagery is sensory information that is available to us for language comprehension and thinking…imagery is the sensory mechanism that enables the creation of an imaged gestalt and stops language from going in one ear and out the other.” -Nancy Bell

Visualizing and Verbalizing A university graduate described listening to a lecture as words slipping in and out of his mind: “It is like the language was written on a blackboard and someone was going behind and erasing it, and I only got a few parts of what was said.”

Visualizing and Writing Imagery Language Oral Comprehension + = Imagery Language Written Translation + =

Concept Imagery Symptoms of Weak Concept Imagery Difficulty with critical, logical, abstract thinking and problem solving Difficulty with written and oral language comprehension Difficulty following directions Difficulty in expressing language orally Difficulty expressing language in writing Difficulty grasping humor

Concept Imagery Symptoms of Weak Concept Imagery Difficulty interpreting social situations Difficulty with cause and effect Difficulty with attention and focus Difficulty responding to a communicating world Difficulty with mental mapping

Visualizing and Verbalizing recital scare liberty mbuni What works in your brain when I say the word recital? Push? Scare? You should have an image that appears. Now how about the word Megiza? Does anyone have an image for that word? Probably not as this is a new word that I am introducing to you, unless you speak Ojibway. Now let’s use our natural ability of gestalt to see if you can figure out this word. The megiza has large wings and can fly high. Megizas have sharp claws which help them to catch their prey. A megiza is a beautiful big bird that I love to watch. In the United States, the megiza is the national bird. Now everyone write a good sentence using the word megiza. Now you should be able to follow this bit of information about the Megiza Megizas are differentiated from other birds of prey mainly by their larger size, more powerful build, and heavier head and bill. Even the smallest Megizas, like the Booted Megiza (which is comparable in size to a Common Buzzard or Red-tailed Hawk), have relatively longer and more evenly broad wings, and more direct, faster flight. Most megiza are larger than any other raptors apart from the vultures. The species called megiza can range in size from the serpent-megiza, which typically weigh about 500 grams (1.1 pounds) and measure 45 cm (18 in), to the 6.7-kg Steller's Sea-Megiza and the 100-cm (39 in) Philippine megiza. Like all birds of prey, megiza have very large powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong muscular legs, and powerful talons claws. They also have extremely keen eyesight which enables them to spot potential prey from a very long distance.[2] This keen eyesight is primarily contributed by their extremely large pupils which cause minimal diffraction (scattering) of the incoming light. Megizas build their nests, called eyries, in tall trees or on high cliffs. Many species lay two eggs, but the older, larger chick frequently kills its younger sibling once it has hatched. In Africa, the mbuni lives in the grasslands and primarily eats plant matter and invetebrates. The mbuni is covered with feathers to keep it warm, he doesn’t have the type of feathers needed to fly. A common myth about the mbuni is that they hide their heads in the sand when they are scared. This is not true.

Mental Representation to Words

Practice the cycle Volunteer Show an image Describe the image to me I will verbalize what I imagine based on your description of the image

words to describe How do we describe? Did the description match what I imagained? Essentially when we are translating, we are needing words to describe the mental images in our mind. What words can be provide students to help them describe their mental images?

Visualizing and Verbalizing Picture to Picture Picture to Picture Structure Words sound mood background perspective when shape where movement what size color number

Practice the cycle Partner – one describes and the other receives Show an image Describe the image to your partner Partner verbalized what was seen in the picture.

Holding the image in your mind Flash the image Describe the image to the partner, using your descriptor words Partner describes what they imagined Then together look at the image Was it what you imagined?

Translation halcyon

Writing what you saw Flash the image Write a description of the the image and share with your partner, using your descriptor words Partner describes what they imagined from your writing Then together look at the image Was it what you imagined?

Translation cinematographer