The Language Comprehension Side of Things- Visualization
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This is the finale of our Language Comprehension Side of Things Series. We have talked about the importance of building background knowledge, the benefits of explicit vocabulary building, and how understanding syntax and sentence structure can increase comprehension. Now it’s time to talk about visualizing!
For those of us who visualize what we read or hear, it is shocking to learn that some people don’t! However, for those who don’t visualize naturally, it’s amazing to think that people can “see movies in their mind.” For students who struggle with language comprehension, gleaming meaning from text is difficult. Visualization is a vital part of comprehension; Albert Einstein said it best, “If I can’t picture it, I can’t understand it.” There are ways that we can explicitly teach students to visualize, so let’s dive in!
First, we need to teach students the difference between active and passive listening and reading! Metacognition is the ability to think about our thinking! Striving readers (or those who struggle to attend) need instruction on how this actually works! For students who struggle to decode the words, there simply isn’t any cognitive energy left to visualize and comprehend. We need to teach students that real reading is decoding the words and thinking about their meaning. I love the visual and explanation given in Comprehension Connections- Bridges to Strategic Reading by Tanny McGregor.
Decoding the Text + Thinking = Real Reading
Rereading is powerful. The first time a student reads the text, the focus can be on just getting the words right. Then, reread so the focus can be on constructing meaning. Comprehension Salad is a tangible method to teach students to read a short excerpt of text, and then stop to think! This routine gives students the time to ask questions, make predictions, infer, connect, and visualize! This technique is also discussed in Comprehension Connections. Remember, to use authentic texts to drive our instruction. Good readers naturally question, predict, infer, and visualize. We are simply pointing out and modeling the practices and results of good comprehension.
You can watch this lesson modeled here and can find this resource in Reading Rev’s Free Resource Library all of May or here.
Another important visualization technique is to show students how to “tune in” to words that will aid them in building a detailed picture. In Visualizing and Verbalizing: For Language Comprehension and Thinking 2nd Edition, by Nanci Bell, these words are called “structure words.” These are the words that add meaning and detail so others can visualize what we are communicating. Color, shape, size, texture, sound, time, location, perspective, and mood all add imagery.
“There is a girl.” This is a complete sentence, but it doesn’t offer much information for visualization. If I say, “There is a small, terrified girl alone in the wilderness at midnight,” a different picture is created.
We need to help students tune into the words that will help them comprehend. This is so closely tied with the syntax lessons we discussed last month!
Explicitly teach students how to tune in to the structure words. Have students close their eyes and think about a girl. Then, add each word. How might each word change the picture: small girl, terrified girl, alone, wilderness, midnight?
These are some fun, fast activities to teach and practice visualization with your students!
3 Fun & Fast Visualization Activities
#1- One of my favorite easiest activities to get students to tune into structure words is to find an engaging picture book that has descriptive language and detailed illustrations.
My favorite book for this is The Magic Nesting Doll by Jacqueline K. Ogburn. Have students close their eyes and visualize what is happening while you read one page at a time. Have them tell you or a partner about what they were able to visualize, and then, reveal the incredible illustration. By tuning into structure words, and taking the time to think and model, students can begin to visualize what they hear. This takes the labor of reading out and allows effort to be put on visualizing alone.
#2- The second activity is called Can you Guess It?
Start by discussing distinguishing characteristics. What characteristics would help you identify certain animals, foods, or locations? To begin, you can even sort and categorize the Can You Guess It? card deck. Then, model for students by giving them 3 clues about the picture on the card. Share that you are choosing distinguishing characteristics, but you don’t want the first clue to be too obvious and give it away either.
Ex. My animal… 1) is the largest land mammal 2) inhabits the African Savannah 3) is an herbivore.
You can create clues that are age and developmentally appropriate for your students.
Students who struggle with language comprehension struggle with this activity! Have them begin by guessing your clues. Then, have them create their own clues for the group or a partner. You will be surprised how much this activity sheds light on students’ background knowledge, receptive and expressive vocabulary, and language comprehension and visualization!
Get this free this month in Reading Rev’s Free Resource Library !
#3- The third activity helps students see the connection between the writer and reader.
Authors write with imagery so readers can imagine! When students have the opportunity to write in a way that helps someone else visualize, they often tune into descriptions and structure words more than they would if they were passively reading.
Give students a detailed, interesting photograph. Have them write about it with their reader in mind. How can they describe the photo using adjectives and precise vocabulary so that their reader can visualize the exact image? Model and practice this until students gain ability and confidence. Tie this into your syntax lessons… it’s all connected! The more students know about adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases, the better they can write!
You can get this activity in Reading Rev’s Free Resource Library !
There are many other fun games and activities that build language. Playing games like Headbanz and Guess Who? rely on a student’s ability to use descriptive language and visualize. Students can narrate wordless picture books, illustrate creative oral stories, describe objects using the 5 senses, the list goes on and on...
Language comprehension is multifaceted and complex! There are no quick-fixes when a student is building language or struggling with language comprehension. It takes time and a knowledgeable teacher who knows how to recognize, remediate, and accommodate students who need language building! What are your favorite ways to build language comprehension with your students? Leave a comment below!
You can revisit the four parts in the Language Comprehension Side of Things Series here:
1- Building Background Knowledge
2- Vocabulary
