Teaching Visual Literacy

"This book puts into practice what we've long known but often ignored: one picture is indeed worth a thousand words! The chapters offer a practical look at how images in all their many forms can be used to motivate reluctant readers."
--Donna E. Alvermann, Distinguished Research Professor
University of Georgia

"Just as vision entails more than seeing, being visually literate means that students can interpret and reflect upon images as well as words. These strategies will help your students develop the literacy they need for this brave new century."
--Carol Jago, Director, California Reading and Literature Project
University of California, Los Angeles

Spark students' interest in reading and help them become critical consumers of visual information!

Today's students live in an increasingly visual world where they are engaged not only by words, but also by images. This collection of innovative articles shows classroom teachers and literacy specialists how to use students' interest in picture books, comics, graphic novels, film, anime, and other visual media to motivate and engage readers in Grades K--12.

Teaching Visual Literacy offers background information, research, practical ideas, and sample lessons to help educators:

• Capture the attention of learners and boost their critical thinking skills
• Support and strengthen multiple competencies in literacy
• Help students comprehend and assess visual information
• Reach students with disabilities and extend their understanding

Visual literacy is an integral part of literacy development, and thismuch-needed classroom companion helps teachers engage students as critical readers and prepare them for living in the twenty-first century.

These innovative articles show how to use high-interest visual materials to capture the attention of learners, strengthen multiple literacy competencies, and boost critical thinking skills.

Douglas Fisher, Ph.D., is Professor of Language and Literacy Education in the Department of Teacher Education at San Diego State University and a classroom teacher at Health Sciences High & Middle College. He is the recipient of an International Reading Association Celebrate Literacy Award, the Farmer award for excellence in writing from the National Council of Teachers of English, as well as a Christa McAuliffe award for excellence in teacher education. He has published numerous articles on reading and literacy, differentiated instruction, and curriculum design as well as books, such as Creating Literacy-rich Schools for Adolescents (with Gay Ivey), Checking for Understanding: Formative Assessments for Your Classroom (with Nancy Frey), Better Learning Through Structured Teaching (with Nancy Frey) and Content-area Conversations: How to Plan Discussion-based Lessons for Diverse Learners (with Carol Rothenberg).