picture writing.doc

Chapter 6A Pictures Worth a Thousand Words: From Image to Detailed Narrative Later British painting by Cotmanimage copyright 2003 I. Estimated Lesson Time Two 45-minute sessions II. Overview The old cliche “A picture is worth a thousand words” is put to the test in this lesson. While students may not actually write exactly a thousand words, they will have the chance to think critically about their interpretations of the events in an image and to write about those ideas. Simply distribute or show a picture that tells a story and then encourage students to brainstorm words and ideas about the image before writing a story that tells background on the image or extends details on what has happened.A picture description is an ideal way of practising your English vocabulary in all sorts of fields. And theres also a benefit for everyday life imagine you want to show pictures of your family or home to your foreign friends.Describing paintings or other art pictures is something for the advanced learner of English as you also have to talk about the artists intention and the impression on the viewer.From Theory to Practice (for teachers reference) This writing task is open-ended enough for each student to find success “where they are” as we address culture, vocabulary, voice, and characterization in specific contexts. This lesson uses artworks as inspiration for narrative writing. Why use artwork? As Rochelle I. Frei (1999) explains, art “can be used the same way as written text can to expand childrens knowledge of the world, and to understand what children do when they make sense of that world. . . . Art can provide a window into how children negotiate their understandings of images and their knowledge of the world” (386). In Freis project, students explain their understanding of pieces of art, revealing details about their literacy processes and strategies. The same kinds of revelations, likely on a more advanced level, are revealed in this lesson, where students explore background actions and other narratives related to the art they study. Peggy Albers believes “if we want children to represent meaning visually, musically, and/or dramatically, along with their written texts, in other words, to create a semiotic system, we have a responsibility to teach them how to create meaning in many sign systems”. Alberss work provides useful theoretical background supporting connecting art and writing in the classroom.III. Student Objectives Students will demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics of narratives (e.g., sequence, storytelling). explore connections between images and words. use detailed vocabulary to write their text. IV. Teachers Preparation Copies of a picture that tells a story with people and a clear situation (see online resources below) Copy the picture for each student and have the original available for fine details. Copies of the Narrative Peer-Review Form.V. Writers PreparationHave a close look at the picture and decide on how to structure your picture description. What is important or special? What should the viewer pay attention to?VI. Structure of picture descriptionIts not easy to follow a picture description if the writer jumps randomly from one point to another. Therefore, make sure that your picture description is logically structured, for example: from left to right (or from right to left) from the background to the foreground (or from the foreground to the background) from the middle to the sides (or from the sides to the middle) from details to general impressions (or from general impressions to details) Which structure you finally choose depends on your taste and the picture you want to describe.VII. Content1. Pictures in General short description of the scene (e.g. place, event) details (who / what can you see) background information (if necessary) on place, important persons or event 2. Paintings name of artist and picture, year of origin (if known) short description of the scene (e.g. place, event) details (who / what can you see) impression on the viewer artists intention perspective, colours, forms, proportions etc. VIII. Important Tenses Simple Present Present Progressive both tenses also in Passive VoiceIX. Instruction and Activities 1. Distribute the picture to the students or show it to the students through multimedia. . 2. Ask students to examine the picture individually for a few minutes, jotting down on a piece of scratch paper or in their writers notebooks any features or details that they notice. 3. Consulting their notes if necessary, students brainstorm about the possible events and characters this picture illustrates. As students share their ideas, place the words or phrases under headings such as Character, Setting, Situation, and Vocabulary. The teacher can draw the chart on the chalk board, ask students to call out what they have found out about the picture and one of them to write them down on the board. For example: charactersettingsituationvocabularyElderly manGrown-up daughterFather and motherNext-door babyNeighborhood teenagersIce cream vendorFront stoopsCity streetSummer afternoonSidewalksStepsRailingsFolding chairsStrollerIce cream conesTalkingWavingKnittingBasketballThis is especially helpful for nonnative speakers, who may need help with vocabulary and spelling. Of course, this step may be only oral for advanced English learners. 4. Ask students to write from one characters point of view. They may write about the characters feelings and thoughts, tell the story that leads up to the picture, or narrate the events that follow. Encourage students not only to describe the picture but to invent an original story related to the event illustrated. The students will be asked to address the following questions as they generate the descriptive phrases about the picture: What do you see? What would you hear if you were in this picture? What would you smell if you were in this picture? What could the people in this picture be feeling with their hands? With their feet? What emotions do you feel as you view this picture? 5. Remind students of the characteristics of narrative writing. You might write the information on a piece of chart paper or on the board so that writers can refer to the list while working. o Focuses on a clear, well-defined incident or series of related events. o Develops plot, character, and setting with specific details. o Orders events clearly. o Uses description and dialogues as appropriate to develop setting and character. o Shows events rather than just tell about them. o Establishes and maintains a tone and point of view. o Uses a logical and effective pattern of organization, such as chronological order, flashback, or flash-forward. o Uses transitional words and phrases to maintain coherence and establish sequence within and between paragraphs. 6. After students finish their first draft, ask students to exchange their writing with each other, maybe their desk-mates to do peer review. Use the following form to give feedback to the writer. The teacher may write it down on the board or get it printed for the students. 7. Students are asked to revise their first draft and write the second draft after class based on the comments given by their peers, then hand it in to the teacher as soon as possible. Narrative Peer-Review FormWriters Name: _ Peer-editors Name: _Focus:What parts of the writing help you know that its a narrative? How can you tell that the writing is telling a story? _ What details does the writer include? _ Praise questions: What is good about the writing? What should not be changed? Why is it good? _ Question:As a reader, what do you not understand? _Polish:What specific suggestions for improvement can you make? _X. Useful Expressions for Picture Descriptions:Kinds of pictures and perspectives viewer picture, image painting photograph / photo portrait landscape painting worms eye view birds eye view Structure foreground background in the upper part in the lower part in the left part in the right part in the central part in front of behind next to on the right on the left in the middle from front from behind from above from below the second from left/right Others artificial light daylight subdued light light colours dark colours loud colours contrast vanishing point vanishing lineInformation on artist and year of origin (image) is a painting by (artist), painted in (year). (image), painted in (year), is a work by (artist) (artist) painted (image) in (year). (image) is a famous painting by (artist). Describing the scene The picture was taken in (place). The photo was taken at (party). The picture shows a scene from Its an image of (place, person, scene). The picture describes (scene). The picture shows (place, person, scene) from a distance. (place, person, scene) is shown from (a birds eye view/). You look at (place, person, scene) from (above/behind/). What can you see? In the picture you can see (position: on the left/right/) there is / are (position: on the left/right/) you can see is (position: on the left/right/) Impression gives the impression of depth. (person) seems to look at the viewer. His / Her eyes seem to follow the viewer. The figures look as if they exist in three dimensions. The viewer has the impression that the people in the picture are alive. The viewers attention is focused on To the alert eye it will become apparent The viewer finds it difficult to withdraw his eyes from The painting is vivid / happy / expressive. The picture makes the viewer feel (sad/happy) The picture inspires the viewer to think about Intention The artist mainly uses (colours/forms/) Important elements are highlighted. The artist / photographer / painter uses to express He / She (probably) wants to criticize / express / show It is obvious that the artist wants to criticize / express / show What the artist / photographer / painter wants to criticize / express / show is What the artist / photographer / painter wants to point out is I think / believe / am sure that It seems / appears to me that The problem