Teaching Language Imagery

1. Teaching Language Imagery Ann Morrison, Ph.D.

2. Static and Dynamic Imagery • Concept Imagery – dynamic imagery • Like making a movie in one’s head • Symbol Imagery – static imagery • Like visualizing a photograph in one’s head Bell, 2007 Ann Morrison, SEDM 5820

3. Indications of Weak Concept Imagery • Difficulty with • Critical, logical, abstract thinking and problem solving • Written and oral language and comprehension • Expressing language orally and in writing • Following directions • Understanding humor • Interpreting social situations • Cause and effect • Mental mapping Bell, 2007 Ann Morrison, SEDM 5820

4. Teaching Concept Imagery Ann Morrison, SEDM 5820

5. Sensory Language • Evoke sensory images when teaching language imagery by asking questions like: • What would those pine needles have felt like? • What does that make you picture? • Would that have tasted sweet or salty? • What can you hear when you read about the busy city? • How would the donut smell? Ann Morrison, SEDM 5820

6. Error Response • Note the student’s response • Find something in the response that was close to accurate and point it out • Question to help the student analyze their response • Question to help the student compare their response to the stimulus Bell, 2007 Ann Morrison, SEDM 5820

7. Automaticity in Language Comprehension • Practice and Pacing while teaching V/V • Lesson energy • Task levels • Overlapping of steps • Self-correction and automaticity Bell, 2007 Ann Morrison, SEDM 5820

8. Structure Words • What • Size • Color • Number • Shape • Where • Movement • Mood • Background • Perspective • When • Sound Bell, 2007 Ann Morrison, SEDM 5820

9. Picture to PictureLesson Summaries Picture to Picture Imagery Practice After Picture Description Teacher and student look again at the picture they have just described Teacher takes the picture away Student describes her imagery, saying, “I pictured…” Teacher questions to direct her imagery: “What did you picture for…?” Teacher may take a turn and tell the student a part she imagined to prompt the student’s imagery Teacher looks for signs that the student is imaging She the student has completed describing her imagery, they look at the picture again • Student describes given picture • Teacher questions with choice and contrast • Student touches and verbalizes each structure word • Teacher summarizes, saying, “Your words made me picture…” • Teacher looks at picture • Teacher and student compare teacher summary to the picture Bell, 2007 Ann Morrison, SEDM 5820

10. Word to Picture ImageryLesson Summary • Teacher says a word and then shows a picture of the word • Student studies the picture, and then the teacher turns the picture over • Student verbalizes her imagery recall • Teacher questions to extend the student’s imagery recall • Student and teacher look at the picture as needed to image and recall specific details • When the student’s verbal description is complete, she checks through the structure words • Teacher and student summarize their collective imagery • Teacher and student look at picture together to be sure they included all of the details Bell, 2007 Ann Morrison, SEDM 5820

11. Known Noun ImagingLesson Summary • Teacher says a known noun and asks the student to picture it • Student verbalizes her imagery • Teacher questions with choice and contrast to develop and extend the student’s imagery, now using phrase, “What are you picturing for…?” • Student checks through the structure words for details • Teacher summarizes, “Your words made me picture…” • Teacher looks for signs the student is visualizing Bell, 2007 Ann Morrison, SEDM 5820

12. Single Sentence ImageryLesson Summary • Teacher creates a simple sentence using the known noun just visualized and verbalized in the Word Imaging step • Teacher questions with choice and contrast to help the student develop detailed, vivid imagery and verbalization – looking for signs the student is imaging • Student checks through the structure words for detailed imagery and reverbalizes • Teacher summarizes, “Your words made me picture…” • Teacher notes signs of imagery Bell, 2007 Ann Morrison, SEDM 5820

13. Phrase ImageryLesson Summary • Teacher says a phrase using basic concepts such as up the chair, on the table, down your leg, etc. • Student pictures the phrase, gestures any action (such as running her hand up the chair), and verbalizes it Bell, 2007 Ann Morrison, SEDM 5820

14. Generalizing V/V to Reading and Writing • Developing Visualizing and Verbalizing skills is a means to improving literacy skills, not an end in itself • In order to generalize V/V skills to literacy, continue the lessons in Nanci Bell’s 2007 text and integrate the V/V strategies into age-appropriate books that feature rich language Ann Morrison, SEDM 5820