By
Terrah Johnson
Selina Black
Mary Proctor
How can the Arts be fundamental to
becoming literate?
How does using the Arts provide
an effective methodology for
acquiring reading, writing,
comprehension, and
communication skills?
The Arts Can Provide a Common
Language for Students with “Word”
Language Barriers.
It provides freedom of expression for second language
learners.
This freedom of expression allows for collaborative
learning amongst students.
The Arts Provide the Means for
Children to Represent Images and
Ideas.
It can be achieved through dramatic play
which helps with the development of
language which sets the stage for creative
language and symbolic development.
Learning With and Through the
Arts
This includes teaching cursive writing through
movement, and spelling and vocabulary through
drawing picto-spelling.
Literacy and Story Comprehension
With and Through Arts
The first step in this process is to introducing students to quality poetry
and literature.
The second step is to allow the students the time to examine paintings or
sculptures.
The third step is allow time for the students to create a story, poem, or
dance about their observations.
The fourth step is to enjoy .
http://youtu.be/WkBepgH00GM
Obtain English Language Acquisition through
English Poetry in
three easy steps.
Introduce Poetry
First Step
 Ask the students to describe what they think
poetry is.
 Ask students if they have ever written, read, or
remembered any poetry.
 Read some popular poems out loud to
students.
Common Topic
Second Step
 Focus on one topic that is familiar to everyone in one
form or another.
 For example ~ “family”
 Group students to brainstorm on words in English
relating to family and write them on the board.
 Have students come up with their own list of
words that relate to families.
An example of the words written on the board would be:
grandma, grandpa, brother, sister, aunt , niece, dad, mom.
 Using this list of words have the students write their own
“word poem.”
Student poem example –
Caring grandma, grandpa
mom, dad, aunt, uncle, cousin, niece, nephew,
sister, brother, baby
A Step Further
 Using the same familiar topic, “family,” ask the
students to write a simile about one of their family
members.
 Student simile example:
My brothers are like spider webs
• From this simile the students brainstormed a different
set of words. Words like sticky, cockroach and
tarantula.
• Using this set of words the students created another
poem.
Additional Methods
JOURNALING
Students kept poetry
journals.
Journals included poems
they composed and
poems they found.
Students were able to
write in their journal every
morning.
COPYING POEMS
Copying poems helps with
spelling and grammar.
Copying poems serves as a
bridge for students who
are not comfortable with
their writing ability.
Key Elements Toward Writing
Poetry
 Wordstorming- Students brainstorm words before writing
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poetry as a way to get started.
Modeling- Teachers model elements of the writing process
using an overhead, always clearing away model-poems
quickly to avoid copying or dependence.
Editing and Revising- Spend several weeks on the same
poem. Edit and revise constantly!
Publishing- Publish poetry using bulletin boards, local
schools/colleges, and poetry books.
Journals- Assign poetry journals to every student!
Timing- Use guided poetry writing at the same time every
week.
Sharing- Share! Share! Share!
Summary
 Art provides many methods for gaining literacy skills
and can support reading and writing skills.
 Poetry has an especially important function with
regard to literacy.
 Through writing poetry, students may explore a world
of words!
Lesson Plans
 Picto-spells (93)
 Helps students visually represent spelling of vocabulary
words.
 Photograph Exploration and Writing (94)
 Uses photography as an art form to teach creative
writing.
 Animal Alliteration (95)
 Students draw an animal in the shape of the first letter
from which the animal is spelled (Example: S= Snake).
 Pantomime Storytelling (96)
 Students model characters’ emotions and actions.