Picture This!
Using Photography as a Teaching
and Assessment Tool
Roban Johnson, The Academy for Classical Education
robanjohnson@cox.net
Roban Johnson



8th-grade language
arts teacher
holds ESOL, gifted,
and teacher leader
endorsements
Jones County
Teacher of the Year
2010-2011
Students and Digital
Technology


Harris Interactive conducted
a study for Pearson
publishing.
They polled 2,300 American
students in grades 4 through
12 about their use of digital
technologies for educational
purposes.
Image courtesy of stoonn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Students Who Use Smart Phones
for Educational Purposes
60%
50%
40%
60%
47%
35%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Elementary
Middle
High
Frequency of Smart Phone Use

Of those students who
use smart phones,
27 percent use their
devices for educational
purposes (explicitly not
for texting or social
networking) two to
three times per week.
Image courtesy of Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Student Attitude About Use

Of all the students surveyed, 67 percent
indicated they would like to use their mobile
devices more often in class.

Another 21 percent said they're using their
mobile devices the right amount of time as it
is.
It is especially useful for ELLs.
“Use authentic visuals and manipulatives.…
Implement the use of authentic resources.
For example: menus, bus schedules, postcards, photographs, and video clips can
enhance student comprehension of complex
content concepts.”
~ Ayana Cooper, Author
“Edutopia”
Brain-based Research
“Brain-based and second language acquisition
research has taught us, thankfully, that the old school
method — assign a chapter, take a test, and discuss
the test — will not result in quality and depth of
thought. Our ESL students are not tape recorders,
waiting eagerly to receive our golden nuggets of
wisdom. Instead, they are multi-taskers who can play
video games, talk on cell phones, and listen to music,
all without missing a beat.”
~ Judy Lombardi
California State University Northridge
Teaching and Assessing is
Just a Click Away!
Image courtesy of Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Photography + Grammar =
Learning Fun!

Photography-based
projects can be used
as learning tools…

… and as
formative and
summative
assessments.
Applicable CCGPS Standards
In your packet, mark the language
concepts that you teach.
In your packet, mark the language
concepts that you teach.
Examples
Student-Created Exemplars
Grammar
Direct objects appear after an action verb.
Ask “what?” or “whom?” to find them.
Indirect objects appear between the action verb
and the direct object. Ask “to what?” or “to
whom?” to find them.
WHAT?
TO
WHOM?
If a PN is in a sentence, you can usually flip the
sentence and use the PN as the subject.
The wizard is Alana.
A predicate adjective is an adjective that follows
a linking verb and modifies the verb’s subject.
PAs won’t work as subjects, but you can slide
the word in front of the subject to see that it
works as an adjective.
Her long hair has a bow in it.
Assessment: Create a visual
representation of a predicate noun.
Assessment: Create a visual
representation of a predicate
adjective.
The cold desk needs a jacket.
Assessment: Create a visual
representation of a direct object.
Assessment: Create a visual
representation of an indirect
object.
And one for adverb clause…
Free Web-based www.picmonkey.com
Photo Editing Tool

www.picmonkey.com (a free on-line editing
software program.
Free Mobile Apps for Phones
and Tablets
It’s Your Turn to
“Picture This!”
Step 1:
Download ONE photo editing app onto your
smart phone or tablet, or use one that you have
previously downloaded.
Step 2:
With a table partner or group, choose a concept
and brainstorm ideas on the planning sheet in
your packet.
Steps 3 and 4:
 Create
your
photo.
 Use
an app
to add text
that will
explain
the concept.
Timed Activity
1.
2.
3.
4.
Download ONE photo editing app onto your
smart phone or tablet, or use one that you
have previously downloaded.
With a table partner or group, brainstorm
ideas on the planning sheet in your packet.
Create your photo.
Use an app to add text that will explain the
concept.
Send me your photos!
When you have edited your image, post it on
Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag:
#rjpicturethis
Other Ideas:
Picture This! Scavenger Hunt



With cameras, smartphones, or tablets, send
students on a scavenger hunt for sentence
parts.
Publish the photographs as a book.
Hang them in the classroom as visual
reminders.
Picture This! For Writing


Students take a picture and write a
descriptive paragraph to describe what they
see in the photo. Students
then go on a gallery walk
and match paragraphs
with photographs.
Students photograph a
household item and write
a poem using
personification.
Picture This! For Reading


To teach inference, have students plan a
series of photos that would show a scenario
and the emotions of a character. Students
then determine what might have happened.
Create an alphabet
book with
photography or
go on an ABC
vocabulary hunt.
Your Turn!



Brainstorm with others at your table.
How many ideas can
you come up with to
integrate photography
into your lessons?
Use the brainstorming
page in your packet
to record your ideas.
Students with various learning
styles can benefit from this.
References and Credits

Cooper, A. (2012, January 25). 10 Tips for Teaching English
Language Learners. Edutopia. Retrieved April 23, 2014, from
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/teaching-english-language-learnersayanna-cooper

Nagel, David. "Report: Students Use Smart Phones and Tablets for
School, Want More." T.H.E. Journal. N.p., 8 May 2013. Web. 21 Apr.
2014. <http://www.thejournal.com>.

Lombardi, Judy. “Practical Ways Brain-based Research Applies to
ESL Learners.” The Internet TSEL Journal. Retrieved April 23, 2014,
from www.itselj.org.

Students in Roban Johnson’s 8th-grade English classes at Clifton
Ridge Middle School in Jones County created the photo exemplars.
check it: happy students …
Thank
you!



I hope that you enjoyed today’s workshop
and have new ideas to implement in your
classroom this year.
Thank you for participating!
You can reach me at robanjohnson@cox.net.