This document discusses integrating visual literacy with traditional literacy from grades K-8. It defines traditional literacy as involving listening, speaking, reading, writing and critical thinking. Visual literacy is defined as the ability to interpret and make meaning from visual media like images. The document recommends several computer programs like VoiceThread, Animoto, and Wordle that allow students to create multimedia projects incorporating images, video and text to develop both traditional and visual literacy skills.

1. Connecting Visual Literacy with
Traditional Literacy Grades K – 8
Meg Griffin
PAWLP Fellow
Fourth Grade Teacher CBSD
mgriffin@cbsd.org

2. What are your thoughts on visual
literacy?
• Go here to share YOUR thought
•http://goo.gl/qcmlAc

3. Tradition Literacy Is……
• "... the integration of listening, speaking,
reading, writing and critical thinking.
• It includes a cultural knowledge which enables a
speaker, writer or reader to recognize and use
language appropriate to different social situations.
The National Secretariat for the International Year of
Literacy, 1990.

4. Tradition Literacy Is……
• ... the making of meaning and its clear
communication to others.
• Truly literate people not only read and write,
but regularly do so in order to sort out their
ideas
• Truly literate people are thinkers and learners."
Brown & Mathie, 1990

5. Tradition Literacy Is……
• "... the foundation of effective citizenship,
human communication and social integration in
a literate society.
• Literacy is the foundation of learning in all areas
of the curriculum."
Holdaway, 1979

6. Tradition Literacy Is……
• Reading
• Writing
• Viewing
• Listening
• Speaking
• Understanding
• The online environment is increasingly a visual
environment
• Interpretation of visuals is the most subjective

7. Visual Literacy is…
• the ability to interpret, negotiate, and make
meaning from information presented in the
form of an image, extending the meaning of
literacy

8. Visual Literacy is…
• “is a set of abilities that enables an individual
to effectively find, interpret, evaluate, use,
and create images and visual media.“
• The Association of College and Research
Libraries Image Resources Interest Group

9. Question ??
• "If students aren't taught the language of
sound and images, shouldn't they be
considered as illiterate as if they left college
without being able to read or write?"
• YOUR thoughts
Film maker George Lucas, quoted in Edutopia

10. Programs to integrate Visual Literacy
with Traditional Literacy
• VoiceThread
• Animoto
• PhotoStory
• Moviemaker
• Wordle, Tagxedo
• Big Huge Labs

11. • VoiceThread allows you to create an interactive
slideshow using pictures, videos, documents, or even
Powerpoint presentations. You or your students can
record video/audio that allows you to describe each
slide in more detail. But that’s not all…Viewers of your
VoiceThreads can leave responses and comments to
your VoiceThread. This tool is excellent for supporting
writing workshop. I have seen it used for publishing a
class poetry book, students created informational texts
that they narrated, and one first grade class published
their interactive writing about a class field trip to the
zoo. VoiceThread makes it really easy to share
published works with families!

12. Sample VoiceThread
• https://voicethread.com/share/4920120/

13. • Animoto For Education is a Web 2.0 tool that
allows teachers and students to create impressive
and unique digital stories and presentations
(incorporating images, video clips, music and
text) quickly and easily. Animoto is a wonderful
tool for students because it allows them to focus
on content creation rather than trying to learn an
editing or manipulation tool. In the school
context, Animoto For Education is ideal tool for
students to create their own booktrailers, digital
stories or music videos.

14. http://goo.gl/UZem9J

15. • Wordle creates a “word cloud” that helps
to interpret the meaning of the words by
assigning font size according to how
frequently the word appears in a text or is
typed into the Wordle text box. We have used
Wordle for brainstorming and as a reflection
tool at the end of a professional development
session.

16. www.wordle.net

17. Windows Moviemaker
• Use photos and sound (music or voice) to
create a movie.

18. Windows Photostory

19. BigHugeLabs
BigHugeLabs.com

20. Tagxedo

21. Where to Find Images
• Google Images
• FLICKR
• Digital Cameras
• Cell Phones

22. FLICKR
• Spell with FLICKR
• Tags
• 6 word stories

23. Google Images

24. Meg Griffirn
mgriffin@cbsd.org
Class website
http://www.cbsd.org//Domain/746
Old class website
www.griffingazette.wikispaces.com
Professional website
www.mgriffin.wikispaces.com
Class Blog http://goo.gl/sTwxmE
Twitter @megbg76