A Visual is Worth a Thousand Words

Using Videos as a Pre-Reading Strategy for Concept Development

Presented by Janet M. Smith

READ 710, Edinboro University

Would you rather teach these words with or without pictures?

• Haystack• Pond• Panning• Peanut Butter and

Jelly

A “Poverty of Words”

Word Recognition Vocabulary

vs.

Meaning Vocabulary

Schema Theory

“We must consider how to provide instruction that fosters students’ vocabulary development without losing the promising results of effective instruction in decoding.

It does little good, after all, to be able to sound out the words pond, mill and haystack if you have no idea what they mean” (Jules, et. al., 2003).

Using Visuals: An Effective Way to Teach Concepts

• L2 word + L1 word vs. L2 word + picture

• Using comic books with ELLs

• Computer Glosses + verbal instruction

• Picture book + rich word instruction

Special Considerationsfor English Language Learners

(ELLs)

When a peanut butter and jelly sandwich spells double trouble…

Visual Field Trips

Why videos?

“Vocabulary instruction is most effective when it comes from experiences or

constructs grown out of experiences.” (Schifini, 1994)

Safety and Selection Guidelines

• Download and save• No live internet connection• Check district guidelines• Consider viewing factors

– Time length– Quality– Speed & clarity of narration– Age level appropriateness

Pre-Reading Video StrategySuggested Steps

• Introduce

• Show Video

• Reshow and Pause– oral or written response

Demonstration: The California Gold Rush

Some final notes…

• Visuals are Effective

• Visuals + Rich Instruction

• Visuals = Virtual Field Trips

• Be Creative

When students have seen a real-life visual of a farm, and listened to and watched the ducks

squawking in the pond, the mill grinding the grain and the cows nibbling on the hay, then they are ready to understand and absorb the meaning of

words like pond, mill and haystack.

ReferencesAnderson, R. C., & Pearson, P. D. (1984). A schema-theoretic view of basic processes in reading. In P. D. Pearson (Ed.), Handbook of reading research. New York: Longman.

Blachowicz, C. L. Z., Fisher, P. J. L., Ogle D., & Watts-Taffe, S. (2006). Vocabulary: Questions from the classroom. Reading Research Quarterly, 41, 524-539.

Carlo, M. S., August, D., McLaughlin, B., Snow, C. E., Dressler, C., Lippman, D. N., Lively, T.J., & White, C.E. (2004). Closing the gap: Addressing the vocabulary needs of English-language learners in bilingual and mainstream classrooms. Reading Research Quarterly, 39(2), 188-215.

Collins, M. F. (2005). ESL preschoolers' English vocabulary acquisition from storybook reading. Reading Research Quarterly, 40(4), 406-408.

Comesaña, M., Perea, M., Piñeiro, A., & Fraga, I. (2008). Vocabulary teaching strategies and conceptual representations of words in L2 children: Evidence with novice learners. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 104(1), 22-33.

Higgins, N., & Hess, L. (1999). Using electronic books to promote vocabulary development. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 31(4), 425-430.

Houghton Mifflin Company. (2009). Education Place/Graphic Organizers. Retrieved November 30, 2009, from Houghton Mifflin Company Web site: http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/

Jule, C., Biancarosa, G., Coker, D., & Deffes, R. (2003). Walking with Rosie: A cautionary tale of literacy instruction. Educational Leadership, 60(7), 12-18.

Krensky, S. (1996). Striking it rich: the story of the California Gold Rush. New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Ranker, J. (2007). Using comic books as read-alouds: Insights on reading instruction from an English as a second language classroom. The Reading Teacher, 61(4), 296-305. Schifini, A. (1994). Language, literature and content instruction: Strategies for teachers. In K. Spangenberg-Urbschat and R. Pritchard (Ed.), Kids come in all languages: Reading instruction for ESL students (pp. 159-179). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Shipper, V. (2008, November 2). The California Gold Rush: 1849-1852. Retrieved December 27, 2009, from www.youtube.com Web site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi9i4agGmkw