The basis of this unit will be for the students to keep a visual journal. The objective of this unit is for the students to develop better writing skills specifically in the area of elaboration. The overall goals of this visual journaling project directly address the problems outlined above.
Visual Journaling Goals include:
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Emphasis on creativity rather than conformity
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Emphasis on details and observation
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Combining visual and verbal forms of expression
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Motivating all students but especially those who struggle with reading
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Looking at the middle-school student developmentally
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Invoking deeper thought processes that help retention in memory.
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Learning Objectives:
After completing this unit the student will be able to:
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combine images with text to create a visual journal.
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record his or her understanding/knowledge by creating pictures.
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explore and expand vocabulary to describe physical objects and surroundings.
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explore and expand vocabulary to describe thoughts and feelings in relation to visual images.
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use language to think critically in everyday life.
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develop tools and motivation to develop written communication skills.
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As a result of this unit, students will be able to write with more details and thought in their elaboration. The students will be able to ask themselves questions that will help them use details in their writing. In addition, the format of the visual journal will motivate students to write with elaboration. Dan Keller explains, "Students often resist writing, not because they really hate the act itself, but because they lack the strategies and confidence to meet the writing tasks we assign them."
By incorporating exercises that provide enough structure with familiar objects and visual aids, students can get be easily engaged and their resistance to writing reduced. Visual journaling is a nice change from the writing process of drafting, editing and revising. Journals can serve as a resource and an inspiration for more formal assignments. Students will be encouraged to fill their pages with rich vocabulary and explore the use of different words in different contexts. Ideally students will continue to incorporate this type of journaling in their lives. This project embraces both the cognitive and affective aspects of a student's learning. Students will build verbal visual connections, enrich their vocabulary and increase the retention of learned skills through the attention that journaling encourages. Students will rediscover writing with a richness of detail and leave this class as more confident and competent writers, better prepared for high school, college and the world of work.
What is visual journaling?
A visual journal combines text with images. Visual journaling is a creative way to express and record one's experiences, feelings, and emotional reactions--one's inner world both visually and verbally.
In addition to improving writing skills, journals also change student's attitudes, values, and sense of personal identity. Working with pictures accesses a different part of our brains than words. When students include a variety of visual imagery such as doodles, sketches, photos in their journals, in addition to making notes on specific feelings and observations, they strengthen their thinking and understanding about themselves and the world around them. This mix of words and images will help shape their thoughts. In turn, the attention to detail that visual journaling provides increases their elaboration skills.
During this series of lessons, students have many opportunities to practice manipulating letters, words and sentences. Activities include making lists, creating word associations and developing diversified word choices in descriptions that the students see or visualize for themselves. All these activities enrich their elaboration skills. Practicing writing with details in a visual journal will be highly motivating as well. Donald and Christine McQuade state in Seeing & Writing3,"by actively seeing the details of the ordinary, we hone our skills of observation, the first steps toward becoming a confident writer. Observing the ordinary with fresh eyes sharpens our skills of description: it also helps develop our ability to draw inferences."
The visual journal will be an on-going creation of observations and reflections. Emphasis in this unit will not be on the product but on the process.
The unit can be utilized in a variety of different time formats, daily, weekly, or monthly. Visual journaling lessons can be mixed in with the regular writing curriculum, and students can use their visual journal as resources and references. The daily lessons on visual journaling are designed for an approximately forty-five minute class period. Each class will begin with a new activity/prompt. Music can be played in the background to set the tone while students reflect and respond independently in their journals. The teacher can be either modeling the expected behavior by writing, or this time can be used to have individual conferences with students. The last ten minutes of the period can be used for sharing and discussing responses to the prompt. Students will be encouraged to add to their visual journals outside of the classroom.
