Teaching Strategies
Art Based Research
The practice of making art to form a greater sense of self and understanding of the world is not a new concept in Art Education. However, examining Art practice as research asks educators to look at art-making under a new lens: that of art-making as a form of inquiry. As art educators guide students to develop an inquiry focus within classroom learning experiences, students establish a personal focus in their work and greater understanding of how their work is connected to a larger world. Marshall and D’Adamo suggest that an Art-based research practice that borrows from three well established approaches in education--experiential learning, inquiry-based learning, and project-based learning--has the power to engage students in a learning journey that “introduces the celebration of personal interpretation or subjectivity in a realm that often strives for clarity and objectivity.”10
Concept Mapping
Students create visual and verbal connections to ideas, facts, and thoughts. As they reflect on their experiences and envision their futures, students will represent observations of places, people, and events. By connecting images and words or sentences English Learners are constructing meaning and understanding of concepts and ideas. Conversations rooted within the concept maps allow students to share their thinking verbally and visually.
Making Learning Visible
Wall space within the classroom to post student observations, questions, notes, photos, artwork, and newly discovered information about the topic that students are exploring is ongoing. This visual representation of student learning expands as student knowledge grows through out the unit.
Pre-Teaching Vocabulary
Pre-teaching vocabulary that is new for English Learners can help lay the foundation for deepening understanding of a text and help students build upon their vocabulary.
First choose a few new words from a text that will be read by students. Create a slide or poster with: the new vocabulary word in large bold print, a student friendly definition, a visual illustration that represents the word, and a sentence using the word in context. Then explicitly teach each word by engaging students in dialog, using gestures, and connecting text to world examples while expanding on word meanings. Provide students with time to practice saying the new word, writing sentences with the new word, and speaking to other students using the new word. Keeping new words on a word wall can remind students of the new vocabulary words they are learning.
Visible Thinking
Think, Pair, Share
Think Pair Share involves posing a question to students, asking them to take a few minutes of thinking time and then turning to a nearby student to share their thoughts.
This routine encourages students to think about something, such as a problem, question or topic, and then articulate their thoughts. The Think Pair Share routine promotes understanding through active reasoning and explanation. Because students are listening to and sharing ideas, Think Pair Share encourages students to understand multiple perspectives.
See, Think, Wonder
This routine encourages students to make careful observations and thoughtful interpretations. It helps stimulate curiosity and sets the stage for inquiry.
The routine works best when a student responds by using the three stems together at the same time, i.e., "I see..., I think..., I wonder...." However, you may find that students begin by using one stem at a time, and that you need to scaffold each response with a follow up question for the next stem.
Visual Thinking Strategies
Using the three VTS questions: What's happening in this picture? What makes you say that? What more can we find? Students will draw out information from photographs and artwork depicting migration. These questions take the emphasis off of a dissemination of facts and focuses on a student directed conversation that encourages observation, and inference. During VTS discussion, teachers only ask the three stated questions, leaving opportunities for quiet observation and debate among students. As a classroom routine, this practice deepens student critical thinking, vocabulary, and communication skills.
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