A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines literacy in two ways. The first is the ability to read and write and the second is knowledge that relates to a specified subject. Conceivably, it is because of this first definition that makes the broadness of the second one often overlooked. Despite the fact we are living in the age of technology, schools today are putting too much emphasis on literacy in the form of print while ignoring other modes of literacy. Exposing students to a variety of modes of literacy allows for connections to happen, which in turn results in learning.

When I was a high school student, classes were taught with students sitting in rows and given an assigned reading. We were given surface level questions from the reading and would memorize the answers so that we could regurgitate them for the test. In the book Unflattening, Nick Sousanis shows the way the school system is following along a single, rigid path. In the beginning of the book, the characters are lifeless and apathetic. Later in the book, the characters change their point of view and in doing so, are able to explore new ways of thinking. The book ends by showing foot prints taking countless different pathways. It is likely that teachers have not incorporated any other forms of literacy simply because they have not done it before. Teachers who have been in the classroom for the past 20 years did not have access to the technology like they would today. They are familiar with the traditional print text and are not willing to think differently because of the rut where they are stuck.

While teachers are consumed with the idea that literacy is limited to the written word, multimodal texts can combine linguistic, visual, and auditory modes to convey a concept. According to the International Reading Association in Adolescent Literacy, “As adolescents prepare to become productive citizens, they must be able to comprehend and construct information using print and non-print materials in fixed and virtual platforms across disciplines” (Adolescent Literacy Task Force 2012). Print and non-print media can complement each other and build on relationships. The connections will provide an understanding of the material. There are so many resources available in the 21st century; it would be neglectful not to use them to compliment the material in the classroom. One study documented by the Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, research found that the use of iPads in the classroom gave the students a sense of play and was a good break from the mundane book or paper literacy practices. Generation Z (born 1995–2015) is known for their love of technology and incorporating sites like YouTube, Instagram, and Vine into the classroom will capture the interest of the students and offer them exposure to more multi-modal texts.

Adding more multi-modal texts in the classroom requires different thinking. In the Ted Talk “The Power to Tell the Difference: Visual Literacy in a Visual Age”, Don Levy says “Brains process pictures exponentially faster than words… in a world surrounded by images and impressions, visual literacy requires critical thinking and awareness” (Levy 2016). Levy points out that man has been communicating with visuals for thousands of years. With the rise of technology, especially the internet, the need for visual literacy is more important than ever before. Levy emphasizes the need to translate these images. The brain is processing and evaluating these images so quickly it is important to be able to distinguish what is true and what is fictional. This skill will become even more important as technology continues to progress and our international connections continue to grow.

As teachers grow more confident in including visual text in the classroom, students can develop the thinking habits associated with the visual text. These thinking habits encourage learning and prepare more well- rounded students ready for the next phase in life.

International Reading Association. (2012). Adolescent literacy (Position

statement, Rev. 2012 ed.). Newark, DE: Author.

Roswell, J. (2014). Toward a phenomenology of contemporary reading. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 37(2). Retrieved from http://www.alea.edu.au/documents/item/892

Sousanis, N. (n.d.). Unflattening. Harvard Press.

(2015, April 16). The power to tell the difference: Visual literacy in a visual age | Don Levy | TEDxABQSalon. Retrieved July 01, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f09ybYDJoSE