Drawing Children into Reading: Studies of Art Lessons’ Effects on Literacy

Abstract

This paper summarizes three mixed-methods studies of Drawing Children into Reading, (curricula for ages 4-8), four instructional projects evolving from the vision of Wendy Anderson Halperin, a children's book illustrator. Researchers conducted the inquiries in rural Michigan from 2008-2013.Participants with two years of instruction exhibited literacy levels characterized by:•Proper pencil grips -- which partly account for better penmanship than control groups’ printing•Written word generation that exceeds control groups’ stories by 50%•Reading abilities measured at the top-proficiency level of state assessments (correlating three times more frequently)•Increased powers of observation which may lead to more expansive composition/narratives.