The document discusses how visual art instruction strategies can help build students' cognitive skills and support literacy development from K-12. It suggests that incorporating visual thinking skills into core content classes, such as having teachers collaborate with art teachers, can help students. Developing visual art and literacy programs in elementary classes can encourage a positive attitude toward reading. Providing creative projects for middle schoolers to demonstrate what they've learned can help them retain information better. High school students benefit from opportunities to make meaningful real-life connections, engage in diverse discussions, and receive differentiated learning aligned with their abilities. Nurturing visual art thinking at every grade level can help students develop skills to be college and career ready.

1. At every stage of development prior to reaching
post-secondary education; students are
practicing visual thinking skills.
Margo Dupre, M. Ed.
Images
(Clip art , n.d.)

2. Developing partnerships and participating in collaborations with artist
teachers, visiting artists, and art educational programs; core content teachers
may experience more confidence in actively creating visual studies throughout
the K -12 educational experience for students.
… “teaching about art; teaching through art; and teaching with art” (Oreck, 2004, January).
Image
(Clip art , n.d.)

3. What art instructional strategies can support literacy and build
a stronger foundation for students to develop their cognitive
skills, resulting in college and career ready young adults?
Image
(Clip art , n.d.)

4. Nurturing Visual Art Thinking
Art-based literacy
programs in elementary
classes focused on visual
art thinking can encourage
a positive attitude toward
reading.
“ Let’s take a picture walk”
Image
(Clip art , n.d.)

5. Provide middle school
students with the
opportunity to combine
visual art with
information literacy skills.
Students tend to retain
more information when a
creative product is used
as a tool to record what is
learned.
Practicing Visual Art Thinking
Image of tree leaves made of books
(Clip art , n.d.)

6. Refining Visual Thinking
The high school student requires:
Opportunity to observe teacher expected
behavior
Provisions of text and image resource
information
Opportunity to engage in discussions that
allow diverse viewpoints
Provision of differentiated learning that is
aligned with abilities and understanding of
concepts
Elaborate challenges to resolve problems
and make meaningful connections to real-
life experiences
Image of old man made of books
(Clip art , n.d.)

7. Reference
Franco, M., & Unrath, K. (2014). Carpe diem: Seizing the common core with visual
thinking strategies in the visual arts classroom. Art Education, 67(1), 28 -32.
Retrieved from http://www.arteducators.org/research/art-education
Oreck, B. (2004, January). The artistic and professional development of teachers, a
study of teacher’s attitudes toward and use of the arts in teaching. Journal
of Teacher Education, 55(1), 55- 69. Retrieved from doi:
10.1177/0022487103260072
Gaiter, J. M. E. (2008, Fall). A former student’s perception of not gifted, just different:
A case study. Gifted Child Today, 31(4), 46 – 58. doi: 10.4219/gct-2008-802
Holdren, T. Shoemaker (2012, May). Using art to assess reading comprehension and
critical thinking in adolescents. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 55(8),
692-703. Retrieved from doi: 10.1002/JAAL.00084