Essay On Visual Literacy

The topic I selected for this paper is visual literacy specifically when dealing with picture books and young students. Visual literacy can be defined as “the ability to interpret, recognize, appreciate and understand information presented through visible actions, objects and symbols, natural or man-made” (Common Core in Action). The Common Core State Standards specifically address visual literacy in the following two standards: "integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos or maps) with other information in print and digital texts" and "integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words” (Common Core in Action). The world around us …show more content…
This activity had students view art images and “read” what was happening in the artwork. They would then discuss it in small groups and finally write it down. The students were able to expand their knowledge of what literacy and reading can be. They used different aspects that all incorporated literacy. They used the visual, oral and written form in order to complete the activity conducted. Students are exponentially increasing their interactions with different visual images that are being produced by video games, computer, televisions and movies. In order to be successful in a more visually dominant world the students must learn how to “read” these …show more content…
No one seems to think that the standard definition of literacy, the ability to read and write, actually satisfies what literacy is. Social and cultural aspects need to be considered when defining what literacy is. It is now longer as simple as reading and writing. Unfortunately, the education world has not made many significant changes to the practices used for teaching and evaluating literacy. Standardized testing still focuses on very generic and outdated standards of literacy