Introduction to Picturing Writing

Picturing Writing is an innovative, evidence-based approach to teaching writing designed to meet the needs of a wide range of learners. This highly scaffolded, multimodal approach gives students access to visual as well as verbal tools for developing and recording their ideas. Because pictures offer a universal language, Picturing Writing allows students to enter the reading/writing process from a position of strength and enthusiasm. It provides an enticing, alternative pathway into writing for multilingual learners and others who struggle with reading and writing.

The foundational Time of Day Workshop teaches the crayon resist painting process and how to read pictures to access detail and description. Participants are introduced to the brainstorming process used to develop academic language and the importance of choosing words that paint pictures in the reader’s mind. They will learn how to “make magic” by selecting just the right words (active verbs) to make their paintings come alive.

This introductory unit is a precursor to narrative writing. It teaches students how to develop a sense of setting, how to paint pictures with their words, and that when you turn the pages of a book, time passes. As students engage authentically with language and learn how to make their paintings “come alive,” they also learn the purpose of various parts of speech—in ways that are meaningful to those wishing to perform “The Magic Trick.”

This introductory level workshop lays the groundwork for more sophisticated Picturing Writing units of study later on.

No previous art experience necessary!

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