Jenn Zoss, Lyndale Neighborhood Association, Hamline University Bonnie Swierzbin, Hamline University USING VISUAL TEXTS TO TEACH GRAMMAR

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 How can we read this image?

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 How can we read this image? Source:

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 Reading a Visual Text introduce characters show activities show the setting and circumstances display facts and concepts show relationships Narrative Visual Texts Factual Visual Texts Images (visual texts) represent what is going on, who or what is participating, and the surrounding circumstances.

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 How can we teach grammar from a visual text? Today we’re going to show a step-by-step process for moving from images and oral language to written language. We can use images and WH-questions as a bridge to teaching grammar.

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 Thinking about ‘chunks of meaning’: Asking questions

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 Putting the ‘chunks’ together Where?Who/what is taking part? What’s happening? How? At the market Amadiis eating a mango Table adapted from Derewianka, A New Grammar Companion for Teachers

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 Naming the Meaning Where?Who/what is taking part? What’s happening? How? At the market Amadiis eating a mango CircumstanceParticipantProcessCircumstance Table adapted from Derewianka, A New Grammar Companion for Teachers Meaning

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 Naming the Form Where?Who/what is taking part? What’s happening? How? At the market Amadiis eating a mango happily. CircumstanceParticipantProcessCircumstance prepositional phrase noun group/ noun phrase verb group/ verb phrase adverb Clause Table adapted from Derewianka, A New Grammar Companion for Teachers

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014

Who/What? Participant What’s happening? Process Where? Circumstance Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 Amadi’s Snowman - Day 1 SWBAT: look for reoccurring images, gather language, make predictions Amadi an older boy shoppers talking shopping looking reading saying “Be quiet.” outside in the street at the market at the bookstore

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 Amadi’s Snowman - Day 2 Sent # Where When H0w ? Circumstance Who/What is taking part? Participant What’s Happening? Process Where When H0w ? Circumstance 1At the street market Amadisees his friend 2His friendis reading a book quietly SWBAT: connect language and make sentences using the Process Participant Chart

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 Amadi’s Snowman - Day 3 SWBAT: Listen to & read the book, compare their sentences to the author’s, practice using the Process Participant Chart with a few of the author’s sentences. Example of comparing sentences: Student’s Sentence: Amadi is eating a mango. Author’s Sentence: “Amadi bit into the fruit and tore strips of yellow peel with his teeth.” (p. 5) Amadi’s Snowman

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 Factual Visual Text Ventures 1

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 Narrative Visual Text Ventures 1

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 Factual Visual Text Ventures 1

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 How can we read this image? Source:

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 Processes are Related to Visual Text Types Narrative mainly actions saying feeling relating/describing processes give background info Factual many relating/describing processes actions may be referred to in a timeless way: The sun rises in the east.

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 Your Turn In small groups, choose Visual Text A or B identify the processes for your text identify the participants identify the circumstances fill in the process participant chart organize the info into sentences & write them on the wall discuss how this method could be used with various levels and content areas

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 Visual Text A

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 Visual Text B Source:

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 Process Participant Chart: Text A Sent.#Where When H0w ? Circumstance Who/What is taking part? Participant What’s Happening? Process Where When H0w ? Circumstance

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 Process Participant Chart: Text B Sent.#Where When H0w ? Circumstance Who/What is taking part? Participant What’s Happening? Process Where When H0w ? Circumstance

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 What works about using images to teach grammar? Images may be easier to understand than text and less intimidating for learners. It’s easy to lump together meaningful chunks of information because learners can’t see and get fixated on individual words. If learners don’t know the words to describe an image, they can still comprehend the meaning. The same image can be used by students at various proficiency levels in the same classroom. Images appeal to visual learners and to people of all ages. Images encourage learners to predict what will happen in a story before they read the text, which increases reading comprehension.

Jenn Zoss & Bonnie Swierzbin, MELED 2014 Questions? Jenn Zoss Bonnie Swierzbin