Literacy Inquiry and Pedagogy Through a Photographic Lens

By: M. Cappello & S. Hollingsworth

Georgetown CollegeJosh Morgan

Article 35 Summer 2011 EDU 516

Have you used photos in your class?

In what content areas have you used photos?

Were the photos student-generated?Did you notice a change in the child’s ability to discuss the topic with the visual support?

“We believe photography has the potential to ‘enhance what is possible by amplifying what teachers are able to do…[and] by extending what students are able

to produce as a result of their investigations.’” Cappello & Hollingsworth (p. 333)

How does he feel?

Retrieved 7/11/11 at http://www.mobilesoftwaredownloads.net/freewallpaper/funny-kid.html

What is this person thinking?

How would he sound?

High pitched or deep?

Quiet or loud? Hesitant or

excited?

Make a personal connection

If this person could speak, what would he say?

Bintz (1997) Alternative school Students were given cameras to photograph:

“most significant” about school Students were able to “participate

vicariously” in the research Enthusiastic, motivated, focus on safety

Photography Research in Education

Orellana & Hernandez (1999) First-grade students Used during community literacy walks

focusing on environmental print Students asked to capture places that have

significance to them Later, photos used in classroom to generate

new literacy experiences with writing and dictation

Photography Research in Education

Prosser (1998) & Hollingsworth Used images to document changes in quality

of instruction in a school with low test scores Introduced this data when test scores were

lowest in district to capture the “confidence, spirit, and resilience of students and staff

Data earned the school a grant to implement new literacy programs which raised scores

Photography Research in Education

What is this person thinking?

Make a personal connection

If this person could speak, what would he say?

How would he sound?

High pitched or deep?

Quiet or loud? Hesitant or

excited?

How does he feel?

Retrieved 7/11/11 at http://www.mobilesoftwaredownloads.net/freewallpaper/funny-kid.html

“Cappello noticed that when composing written text, some students struggled for

expression through limited language development, searching for words to suitably match their ideas. The photographs spoke for

these students” (p. 337).

The Nature of Photography Two main concepts of perception in photography:

◦ Objective/”positivist notions”

Photos depict an objective reality (i.e. crime scene investigation, magazines, television ads, historical photos)

Assumes that everyone sees the same thing in a photo Disregards idea that photographer “confers importance” Collier and Collier (1986)- camera is an “instrumental extension of our senses, one that can

record on a low scale of abstraction.

◦ Subjective Assumed when working in education setting (encourages creativity) Assumes that the photographer and the viewer “confer importance” Not everyone sees the same thing in a photo “Regardless of reason we choose to create an image, it has relevance or importance, and

except in the case of art, is used for another purpose (Sontag, 1977). Walker (1993) - photography is a “silent voice,” “another language we can employ in

constructing understandings and communicating them to others (p. 335).

Transmediation The process of interpreting meaning from

one sign system to another Sign systems: oral, writing, language,

photography Seigel, 1995- shifting between

communication systems◦ “increases students’ opportunities to engage in

generative and reflective thinking because they must invent a connection between the two sign systems”

Transmediation and Student Writing

Albers, 2006◦ “ When constructing multimodal texts, meaning

makers intentionally choose media with which they are familiar and/ or the media that will enable them to say what they want to say”

In other words incorporating photos into writing allows individual students to present information using the medium that is more comfortable in order to build up the other. ◦ Ex. Students with language difficulties could rely

on the photos to strengthen their writing abilities.

Participant-made images◦ Critical to photography in education; the students

“confer importance.” ◦ Creating images based on the content or activity

provides additional support for finding vocabulary words, emotions, perspectives, extensions, questions, etc. for discussion and writing.

◦ Students produce images of their own choice which provides insight into their view of the world and their place in it.

◦ Students with language difficulties (ESL, special education, early primary, etc.) can convey ideas in pictures and then learn to label these ideas through social interaction with peers and teachers.

Researchers’ Tips for Teachers Disposable cameras (can get expensive) Inexpensive digital cameras (2 or 3) Use a cart similar to a projection cart to keep

cameras accessible and charged Digital cameras allow more spontaneity and

creativity of instruction without worry of wasting film Teach students, much like in writing, how to revise

and trust them to make decisions to demonstrate their voice

Establish a common classroom vocabulary (i.e. “bird’s eye view, long shot, close-up, foreground, background, line, shape, pattern, etc.)

Sample Strategy for the Classroom

Look at the pictures, use the questions to discuss with your group, and write one comment each.

• Make a personal connection.• What would you think if you were in this

picture? • If you touched something in the picture,

what would it feel like? Hot? Cold? Wet?• What would you do if you were in this

picture?• What has happened in the picture?

Retrived from http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/11/picture-this-building-photo-based-writing-skills/

A strong, engaging discussion

Pictures retrived 7/17 @ http://www.reallyfunnypictures.co.uk/

Lesson Extension Ideas•Show pictures and connections with document camera or make posters using chart paper to drive class discussion and activate prior knowledge throughout the unit. •Continue questioning with content in following lessons, connecting to the photos each time. •Students use their own photos to create a weather narrative or informational text.

Technology: •Students find related pictures on the internet and discuss similarities/differences•Daily classroom visit to weather blog to discuss pictures and topics related to real world events

The effectiveness and age appropriateness of the activity depends on the questioning and content. Teachers are able to use the questioning strategies to connect content to the photo discussion.

Kodak Education Website ◦ Lesson plans◦ Resources◦ Forums

Strategies used found on the following websites:

References