using visuals to build vocabulary: from pictorial to

Using Visuals to Build Vocabulary:From Pictorial to Writing

in Grades K–5

Linda Mira & Laura Reyes

From Pictorial to Writingin Grades K–5

Linda Mira & Laura [email protected] & [email protected]

Baldwin Park Unif ied School DistrictCitrus Community College

Solution Tree Associates

Why building background knowledge is necessary

When to implement linguistic and non-linguistic strategies

How to lower the affective filter

By the time the Latino student is six years old, the achievement gap has already begun.

Economic disadvantages often lead to achievement gaps.

© Mira & Reyes 2016. SolutionTree.comDo not duplicate. 1

As teachers, we have no control over students’ economic situations; however, research shows that we can have an impact on vocabulary development by utilizing techniques and strategies that have resulted in academic achievement.

What students already know about a topic is one of the strongest indicators of how well they will understand new content.

This is referred to as background knowledge.

According to Robert J. Marzano, “The actual words we know are tags or labels for our packets of knowledge.”

—Marzano, Building Background Knowledge for Academic Achievement (2004), p. 33

Therefore, the more packets of information students have, the more background knowledge they have.

Research says, Teachers of English learners should ensure they do the following in daily instruction:

Teach well-organized, interesting lessons.

Maximize opportunities for students to see, not just hear, key concepts.

Maximize opportunities for students to verbally describe their current understandings to other students and to hear their peers’ perspectives and feedback.

Maximize opportunities for students to “learn how to learn” by gaining metacognitive skills that help them study, retain information, and know how to apply new skills.

*Graphic organizers, Clarification, Prediction, & Summarization

—Slavin, Breaking Through: Effective Instruction & Assessment for Reaching English Learners (2012), pp. 27–37

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Look at a unit you are going to study.

Think about the students you are serving.

Think about the key information your students will need to understand to succeed in a unit of study.

Begin with a visual. Provide vocabulary that will enable the students to engage in higher level learning of key concepts which will in turn increase reading comprehension.

Pictorial Input Chart (BE GLAD®) Content Experiences Writing Process Begin Unit

Calderon, Teaching Reading & Comprehensionto English Learners, K–5 (2011), p. 78.

Think–Pair–Share (SDAIE): Prehistoric Times‒ Low affective filter

Think–Pair–Share (SDAIE): Mammoth‒ What do you know about a mammoth?

Teacher adds information and vocabulary around picture.

‒ Students provide input.‒ Discussion throughout process


Students record:

• Observations ‒ What do you see?

• Inferences ‒ What do you think is happening in the picture?

• Questions ‒ What do you want to know more about?

• Connections ‒ What experiences have you had with this idea?

What do you see?

How does this connect to

something you already know?

What do you think is happening?

What do you want to know?

In groups, you will have 5 minutes to fill out as much as possible on your picture analysis.

Groups will then share recorded information.


What do you see?

How does this connect to

something you already know?

What do you think is happening?

What do you want to know?

4–6 people per "home" team

Within each team, number off 1–4.

All ones form an "expert group," as do twos, threes, and fours.

Each expert group is assigned a part to read (or do).

Experts take 15 minutes to read, take notes, discuss, and prepare presentations.

Return to home teams. Each expert takes 5 minutes to present to home team.


This is a pre-reading or pre-writing focus activity. Students are asked to respond to a question in writing for 5 minutes. The emphasis is on getting thoughts and ideas on paper. Grammar, spelling, and style are not important.

Question: How did the Paleo-Indians hunt such a large animal?

Hunting Scene from Video: Pause at an appropriate hunting scene and have students think–pair–share hunting strategies and relative size.


Quick Write (SDAIE)

Question: What information can a paleontologist provide us to better understand extinct animals?

Think–Pair–Share: Students discuss how paleontologists are recreating the mammoth and the effect this has on learning about the time period.

Students copy the pictorial input chart and information.

Students reread both articles in groups.

In pairs, students watch the video again.

Review Key Information

Singular/Plural Nouns Parts of Speech Common/Proper Nouns Fragments/Complete

Sentences

1 Literacy Skills


The information from the visual chart is grouped into categories.

As a class or in small groups, determine the most important categories.

Ways to differentiate within your classroom’s subgroups:

* RSP/ELs 1 & 2: Circle two facts in each category.

* Topic sentence: Whole group or independent for high achievers

* GATE: Find additional information for each category.

ReflectionHow did this process, From Visual to Writing,

incorporate the following strategies that Slavinsuggests benefit English learners?

Teach well-organized, interesting lessons.

Maximize opportunities for students to see, not just hear, key concepts.

Maximize opportunities for students to verbally describe their current understandings to other students and to hear their peers’ perspectives and feedback.

Maximize opportunities for students to “learn how to learn” by gaining metacognitive skills that help them study, retain information, and know how to apply new skills.

*Graphic Organizers, Clarification, Prediction, & Summarization


Why building background knowledge is necessary

When to implement linguistic and nonlinguistic strategies

How to lower the affective filter

From Visual to WritingStandards Covered:

RI.1, RI.2, RI.3, RI.7 * W.2 & W.5 * SL.1, SL.2, SL.3 * L.1 ,L.2, L.4

Content Covered:4th Grade: Habitats 5th Grade: First People 6th Grade: Prehistoric Times


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using visuals to build vocabulary: from pictorial to

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