Fifth Grade Children Write About Picture Books

Abstract

To investigate the development of visual literacy, data was gathered three times during a year-long study in which fifth grade children talked and wrote about picture books, as part o an experimental course of study which introduced children to visual elements. The paper reports results in terms of differences in quantity of language produced by urban and sub children, as well as differences between boys and girls, diversity of language, and ways the nature of the assignments influenced writing outcomes. Results should interest teachers and f urban curriculum specialists in developing visual literacy curricula in which picture books are used as a way of helping develop children’s written language.