| Students
view a wide range of visual texts with purpose, understanding
and critical awareness. |
|
A picture book is a story told in words and pictures.
Each makes an important contribution to the way the story
is told, the meaning created.
A picture is not the same as an illustrated story: there
the words alone could tell the story and the illustrations
simply break up the words or decorate the text...In the
best picture books, the illustrations are absolutely necessary.
They carry parts of the story or narrative and in some
cases the language is dropped and the pictures alone are
all that is needed. |
|
Anyone with an interest in children's literature will be aware
that picture books are no longer only the domain of the very
young. A quick scan of Fiction Focus over the
last three or four years and an examination of the Children's
Book Council Picture Book of the Year Awards attest to the growing
number of picture books targeted at an older, sometimes even
adult audience.
These contemporary picture books have become more sophisticated,
encourage multiple readings and often deal with controversial
or complex issues relevant to mature readers.
Picture books, therefore, are especially useful to promote the
core values that underpin the curriculum and to generate thoughtful
debate on a range of issues. They also provide ideal material
to develop students' visual literacy helping them to achieve
outcomes in the Viewing mode of the English Learning Area.
From Early Adolescence onwards students are offered texts of
increasing sophistication and encouraged to read and view actively.
They learn how to read and view with greater discernment.
For example they:
- explore and discuss texts at a number of
levels;
- identify target audiences; discuss alternative
interpretations of a text;
- come to understand that texts can comment
on and reflect society;
- make moral, psychological and philosophical
generalisations about human behaviour based on texts;
- identify the use and function of figurative
language; and
- identify ways in which text structure can
influence a reader's reactions.
Picture books can be successfully exploited
to help students develop these skills and understandings.
 |
| Lesley Reece, Fremantle Children's
Literature Centre |
Lesley employs a useful strategy
to help students construct intelligent readings
of picture books. Her methodology in workshops with
secondary students involves:
A detailed textual analysis followed by discussion
of how the text could be interpreted by the illustrator,
followed, in turn, by a close look at the finished
artwork and an analysis of what interpretation has
taken place. [The Third Millennium: Read On!
p. 127]
This learning and teaching strategy entails four
critical steps:
- Having an introductory discussion
about the author and illustrator - their roles,
previous works and perhaps considering the definition
of picture book, to establish students' prior
knowledge.
- Focusing on the written
text first (ideally copy text onto sheets as
handouts).
- Read aloud.
- Discuss: central idea, issues,
mood and tone - Can the message be interpreted
in several ways? Does reading it using a
different voice (angry, sad, jocular, urgent)
influence the interpretation?
- Identify linguistic features
- imagery, emotive language, personification,
symbols, exaggeration, puns and sarcasm.
Identify setting, characters and genre.
- Asking students to take on the
role of illustrator. Each student selects a
phrase/paragraph to illustrate in sketch form.
Share/discuss ideas. Discuss complexity of the
role: literal and implied meaning of the words,
page breaks, page layout, colour and media.
- Introducing students
to the whole book only after steps 1-3.
- What can be gleaned from
the cover - intended audience, tone, genre?
- Examine illustrations closely
- how do they enhance, extend the written
text? Do they shape the reader's interpretation
of the words?
- Look at symbols, colours,
layout, intertextual references, characterisation
and the effect of the media used for the
pictures.
- What part does the illustrative
text play in the construction of the narrative?
- Do the pictures help to create
multiple readings of the story?
Lesley's process gives
students opportunities to:
- discuss complex or controversial
topics in a structured situation;
- justify their own interpretation
of ideas in visual texts using their knowledge
of narrative structures and evidence from the
text;
- explain possible reasons for
varying interpretations of a text;
- explore layers of meaning;
- identify a target audience;
- reflect on what their own response
to texts reveals about personal values and attitudes;
- analyse a text in terms of its
social and political comment;
- write in a wide variety of forms
exploring complex and challenging issues;
- write imaginative texts in interesting
and thought-provoking ways.
|
|
|
|
Picture
Books in the Classroom PreK-9
Carol
Hurst 1997
This is a feature article in Carol Hurst's Children's Newsletter,
Vol 2 No. 1 1997. A useful introductory paper, it is a discussion
of how teachers from preprimary to secondary school can incorporate
picture books into the classroom.
Teacher Resource for Early Childhood to Early Adolescence.
Picture
Books in the History Program
Carol
Hurst 2000
Another article from Carol Hurst that shows how picture books
can be used to help students recognise that most issues can
be considered from more than one perspective.
Teacher Resource for Early Childhood to Middle Childhood.
Picture
Books for Big Kids
Denise Sweetman,
South Kalgoorlie Primary School, WA 2000
This unit of work uses picture books as a springboard for an
exploration of environmental and social issues.
Teacher Resource for Middle Childhood to Early Adolescence.
Ways
of Using Picture Books with Secondary Students
Roger
Hawcroft 1998-1999
Developed by a teacher Librarian in South Australia. Ideas include
using picture books to introduce poetry; for character or author/illustrator
studies; to examine elements of style, such as irony, satire,
humour, point of view; and to study picture as language.
Teacher Resource for Early Adolescence.
How
Can He Write 5 Pages About A Wordless Picture Book?
Roger Hawcroft 1998-1999
Another unit developed in South Australia, cooperatively planned
and implemented with the aim of developing student's appreciation
of picture books as a literary art form.
Teacher Resource for Early Adolescence to Late Adolescence.
Picture
Books for Secondary Students [PDF]
P.
Brandt 2000
Located on the Curriculum Resources Laboratory pages at the
University of Iowa this is an extensive bibliography of mostly
American picture books. However, there are titles by Gary Crew,
Mem Fox, Allan Baillie, Junko Morimoto, Jeannie Baker and Libby
Hathorn, and many of the overseas titles will also be found
in Australian school libraries. The books are organised under
headings such as sophisticated picture books, parodies, war,
history, biography and social issues.
Teacher Resource for Early Adolescence.
|
|
|
ANSTEY, Michele and BULL, Geoff
Reading
the Visual: Written and Illustrated Children's Literature
Sydney : Harcourt, 2000. 278 p.
ISBN 0 7295 3602 5
SCIS No: 1011625
If you are involved in helping students to achieve Viewing
outcomes and developing their broader critical thinking skills,
then Reading the Visual is an essential reference.
Highly recommended.
Reviewed in Fiction Focus Vol 15 No 1 2001.
Phase of Development: Teacher Reference for Early Childhood
to Late Adolescence
SCOBIE, Susan [Compiler]
The
Dromkeen Book of Australian Children's Illustrators
Sydney : Scholastic, 1997. 176 p.
ISBN 1 86388 695 8
SCIS No: 899826
Beautifully produced, this is a wonderful tribute to Australian
illustrators. The range, standard and diversity of their craft
can only be realised when they are represented together in
one volume. Each illustrator has up to four pages, which display
examples of their work, a photograph and biography of the
illustrator plus a description of how the works were created
and the medium used.
Reviewed in Fiction Focus Vol 11 No 3 1997.
Phase of Development: Teacher Reference for Early Childhood
to Late Adolescence
WATSON, Ken and STEVENS, John [Editors]
From Picture Book to Literary Theory
Sydney : St Clair, 1994. 56 p.
ISBN 0 949898 51 1
SCIS No: 802926
This is a wonderful addition to the teacher's, or librarian's
armoury and expertise. It is a guaranteed painless even pleasurable,
way to teach or to learn aspects of modern literary theory
by way of analysing picture books. Sophisticated concepts
such as focalisation, intertextuality and metafiction, are
introduced through picture books.
Reviewed in Fiction Focus Vol 8 No 2 1994.
Phase of Development: Teacher Reference for Early Adolescence
to Late Adolescence
GLEESON, Libby
Dreaming of the Great Bear
In Practically Primary Vol 5, No 3 Oct 2000, p. 4-6.
Norwood, SA : Australian Literacy Educators' Association,
2000.
This readable article provides insight
into the collaborative process between Libby Gleeson and Armin
Greder in the production of their book The Great Bear.
Phase of Development: Teacher Reference for Early Childhood
to Early Adolescence
GLEESON, Libby.
Making
Picture Books
Lindfield, NSW : Scholastic, 2003. 58 p.
ISBN 1 86504 515 2
SCIS No: 1150350
The making of a picture book is covered
from the first idea of a story, through the planning and writing,
revision, editing, illustration, design and production. Includes
examples from well known Australian writers and illustrators.
Highly recommended reading for teachers and students.
Hamilton, Margaret
The Picture People: Illustrators of Contemporary Australian
Picture Books
Hunters Hill, NSW : Margaret Hamilton, 1993. 95 p.
ISBN 0 947241 44 2
SCIS No: 763330
Covers 58 contemporary Australian illustrators. Concise text
includes biographical details, black and white photographic
portraits, awards, background information about each illustrator's
work, a list of their picture books, reprints of their work.
Useful background for teachers and students.
Reviewed in Primary Focus: Nonfiction 1994.
Phase of Development: Teacher Reference for Middle
Childhood to Early Adolescence
JOHNSON, Greer
Multiple Readings of a Picture Book
In The Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, Vol
22, No 3 Oct 1999, p. 176-191. Norwood, SA : Australian
Literacy Educators' Association, 1999.
Aimed at teachers from kindergarten to tertiary this article
explores four readings of Libby Gleeson's, Mum Goes to
Work. The author, the text, the individual reader and
critical literacy are examined, with the focus on critical
literacy. Johnson shows how each approach, can help to develop
readers' understanding and appreciation of texts
Phase of Development: Teacher Reference for Early Childhood
to Late Adolescence
MALLAN, Kerry
In the Picture: Perspectives on Picture Book Art and Artists
Wagga Wagga, NSW : Centre for Information Studies, Charles
Sturt University, 1999. 185 p. (Literature and Literacy for
Young People: An Australian Series: 3)
ISBN 0 949060 93 3
SCIS No: 997462
This interesting and practical book is organised into three
distinct phases: History and Aesthetics; Approaches to Art
and Artistry; and Investigating Artistic Practice. Commencing
with a short history of picture books, the first chapter outlines
the role of the illustrator, examines the characteristics
of picture books and raises the question of picture books
as a cultural artifact.
The second section examines the manner in which various illustrators
employ the varied and sometimes unique techniques of their
trade. Finally, through an unusual method of interviews the
personal styles and approaches to picture books of five emerging
illustrators are explored in detail.
Reviewed in Fiction Focus Vol 14 No 2 2000.
Phase of Development: Teacher Reference for Early Childhood
to Late Adolescence
MORROW, Robin
Place and Passion in the Work of Ron Brooks
In Australian Bookseller and Publisher, Oct 2000, p. 38.
An interesting one-page article about the picture book Fox,
by Margaret Wild and Ron Brooks. The focus is on Brooks, his
life, artistic process and the impact of his work.
Phase of Development: Teacher Reference for Early Childhood
to Late Adolescence
The Picture Book - Discussion and
Links
In Back
to Books: Creating a Focus on Fiction,
Ch 9.
Edited by Susan La Marca, Richmond, Vic : SLAV, 1999. 2 v.
ISBN 0909978204
SCIS No: 993820
In this chapter, five teacher-librarians share their approaches
to using picture books with secondary students.
Reviewed in Fiction Focus Vol 14 No 1 2000.
Phase of Development: Teacher Reference for Early Adolescence
to Late Adolescence
REECE, Lesley
Fremantle Children's Literature Centre Workshop
In The Third Millennium: Read On! Proceedings of the Fifth
National Conference of the Children's Book Council of Australia,
2000, p. 124-127. Hughes, ACT : Children's Book Council
of Australia, 2000.
ISBN 0 909612 11 0
SCIS No: 1033858
This is a summary of Lesley Reece's workshop on The Rabbits
by John Marsden and Shaun Tan as presented to delegates at
the Children's Book Conference in 2000. Lesley demonstrates
the methodology she uses with secondary students who attend
sessions at the Fremantle Children's Literature Centre to
study picture books.
Linked to the English Learning Area Student Outcomes Statements,
the methodology involves a detailed textual analysis, followed
by discussion of how the text could be interpreted by an illustrator,
and culminates in an examination of the finished artwork and
an analysis of the illustrator's interpretation of the written
text.
Highly recommended.
Phase of Development: Teacher Reference for Early Adolescence
to Late Adolescence
SWANEY, Amanda
Reading and Viewing
Flinders Park, SA : Era, 1999. 63 p.
ISBN 1 86374 509 2
SCIS No: 979625
As well as the support text by Amanda Swaney, this package
includes copies of Caleb, The Watertower and
Tagged. Swaney provides a series of graded activities
for each text aligned with the National Statement English
- Level 5 and 6. Western Australian teachers may need to adapt
activities to support our English learning outcomes.
Reviewed in Fiction Focus Vol 13 No 3 1999.
Phase of Development: Teacher Reference for Early Adolescence
to Late Adolescence
WATSON, Ken
Picture Books in the Secondary Classroom
In Re-Viewing
English, Ch 16, p. 182-187.
Rozelle, NSW : St Clair, 1998.
ISBN 0 949898 84 8
SCIS No: 935645
Aimed at English teachers and trainee teachers this academic
text provides an overview of the developments in secondary
English teaching since the 1960s. The chapter on picture books
discusses how the use of picture books in the English classroom
has changed. Watson effectively illustrates how these texts
can be powerful aids in helping students grasp complex literary
concepts, develop students' visual literacy and stimulate
discussion on innumerable topics.
Phase of Development: Teacher Reference for Early Adolescence
to Late Adolescence
BOUGH, Jill and others
Word & Image: Using Picture Books In Years 6 to 10
Edited by Ken Watson, Sydney : St Clair, 1997. 56 p.
ISBN 0 949898 71 6
SCIS No: 906247
With twenty-six topics containing suggested activities for
over forty picture books this is a practical resource for
many teachers.
Reviewed in Fiction Focus Vol 13 No 2 1999.
Phase of Development: Teacher Reference for Early Adolescence
to Late Adolescence
|
|
|
Fremantle
Children's Literature Centre is the meeting
place for all those interested in children's literature in Western
Australia.
The Centre provides:
- Regular exhibitions of original artwork and
manuscripts.
- Workshops for students and teachers with
writers and illustrators.
- Open Days and Evenings for the public.
Contact details:
Fremantle Children's Literature Centre
Old Prison Hospital
Cnr Knutsford Street and Hampton Road
PO Box 109, Fremantle WA 6160
Ph: 9430 6869 fax: 9430 5279
Email: freoclc@iinet.net
Search
the CMIS Resource Bank from the button below to locate suitable picture
books for Viewing:
Put in PICTURE
and FICTION, then select EARLY ADOLESCENCE as
the restrictor from the drop-down menus.
|
