1. Visual Literacy As UDL Solution Part I.

2. Definition of Visual Literacy The ability to “discriminate and interpret the visible actions, objects, symbols, natural or man-made, that he encounters in his environment.” The ability to “communicate with others through the creative use of these competencies.” Debes, J. (1969), International Visual Literacy Association (IVLA)

3. Visual Literacy: An alternative literacy Images as texts A source of primary source materials Visual encoding and decoding Critical examination of the world

4. Why Visual Literacy?

5. Offers a different modality in learning Provide a significant source of information and understanding It is an important 21 st century literacy skill Students’ fascination with visuals

6. Visual Images & Visual Texts Photographs Drawings Maps Cartoons Portraits Charts Diagrams Tables Storyboard Graphic organizers

7. Traditional Textbook Visuals (Primary & Secondary Sources) Other Texts Other Texts Other Media

8. Examine this photo

9. Type your answers to all questions [Use a different color] What do you see in the photo? Write down everything that caught your eye. I see men, all with hats off, some of which they are holding. The men seem to be focusing on something and possibly singing. One man in the center is dressed in a suit, while the rest of the men are in casual work clothes…overalls, rolled up sleeves, etc. It is a large crowd, they are outdoors and it appears to be sunny as the men are squinting their eyes. When do you think this was taken? Where do you think this was? When: 40-50 years ago. Where: A warmer environment, southern United States, perhaps. Write a caption for the photo. [Note: a caption is a short line of text used to explain a phot] Hundreds of onlookers listen to the words of a speaker.

10. What is the difficult part in the previous task? Type your answers below. I think the most difficult part of the previous task was coming up with a caption for the picture. It was simple typing what I see, but making up a story for the photo was difficult.

11. Now, choose one caption that you think fits the image from below. Change your choice to blue color. On a hot summer day in 1947, these spectators watch the final moments of a tense baseball game. Some fans are yelling in disapproval at the umpire because they don't like a call he made. Entertainer Paul Robeson sings to laborers working at the racially integrated Moore Shipyards in Oakland, California, on September 21, 1942. A mournful crowd gathers to watch the funeral procession of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. drive past.

12. Type your answers in red. What did you see in the picture that makes you say that? The way the men are dressed makes me believe that the photo is of laborers. Also, there are Caucasian and African American men in the photo. What are the visual clues you noticed that make you think that particular caption goes with that picture? Overalls and work type clothes Racially integrated crowd All men

13. Reflect and Answer What have you learned about visual literacy from this simple task? Visuals can add great depth to literacy. Students can make assumptions, gain information Find out what type of a learner you are by finishing a VARK learning style questionnaire: http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=questionnaire What is the result of your questionnaire? I have a strong Aural learning preference.

14. Visual Literacy Part II.

15. For example, photographs are open to varying interpretations from differing perspectives. These perspectives change depending upon: the technological, aesthetic, and rhetorical components of the medium; and the context of people (photographer, viewer, subject), technology, time, and place. Visual images are incomplete, subjective witnesses. Prof. Mark Newman, NLU

16. The nature of the photographic medium Technology, aesthetics, rhetoric Technology of cameras and film in the early 1900s: Black and white photos Rule of Thirds in composition: foreground, center, background

17. The varying perspectives Photographer “Provided the results are a faithful reproduction of what the photographer believes he sees, whatever takes place in the making of a picture is justified. In my opinion, therefore, it is logical to make things happen before the camera and when possible, to control the actions of the subject.” -- Arnold Rothstein, Farm Security Administration photographer “While photographs may not lie, liars may photograph.” --Lewis Hine, pioneer documentary photographer

18. The varying perspectives Viewer Most visual images, such as photographs, are familiar. We see them everyday. They are a part of our daily lives. The way we see things is affected by what we know or believe.... We only see what we look at. To look is an act of choice. --John Berger, Ways of Seeing

19. What does this photo suggest about European immigrants entering the United States at Ellis island in the early 1900s.? What does the photo not tell us about European immigrants entering the United States at Ellis island in the early 1900s? How can all students use this photograph to learn about European immigration to the United States in the early 1900s? Because photographs are incomplete and subjective texts, they seldom yield one right answer. They also raise more questions than they answer, meaning they can help students connect to other learning resources.

20. Answer questions Answer the three questions asked about the black & white photo in the previous slide (slide #19). Type your answers in red below: The picture can help students make a connection to what they are reading or listening to, if teacher is lecturing. Students who are visual learners may need this picture to effectively store information about European immigrants. It is difficult to draw any conclusions about the given photo. It can be useful for students to see how immigrants dressed in the 1900’s. They also appear to be walking across a boardwalk or dock or some sort, suggesting that immigrants arrived by boat. The photo does not tell us which countries from where the immigrants are traveling. A student can make inferences about the age of these people, but the photo can not give us that information. We also don’t know if they are traveling alone, with a group, or family.

21. Briefly summarize what you have learned from the part II—Visuals as image texts. Any new insights about using visuals, including visual primary sources to teach?