Stage 3
Developing a visual grammar
Focus of lessons: Visual Literacy – grammar
Aim: These lessons aim to support student understanding of the
elements of visual literacy used with images in persuasive texts
and how they are created for specific purposes.
Students will develop understanding of visual grammar to support
the creation of advertising texts as part of the KDC Go Grains
Challenge
Student will participate in a range of reading, writing and talking
and listening activities.
Resources:
Into the Forest by Anthony Browne; scanned pages from book;
scanned magazine images
Collection of magazines
Digital still cameras
IIntellectual quality
Deep knowledge
Deep understanding
Problematic knowledge
Higher-order thinking
Metalanguage
Substantive
communication
Quality learning
environment
Explicit quality criteria
Engagement
High expectations
Social support
Students’ self-regulation
Student direction
Significance
Background knowledge
Cultural knowledge
Knowledge integration
Inclusivity
Connectedness
Narrative
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Reading outcomes
Reading and
RS3.5 Reads independently an extensive range of texts with increasing
Viewing Texts
content demands and responds to themes and issues.
Skills and
RS3.6 Uses a comprehensive range of skills and strategies appropriate
Strategies
to the type of text being read.
Context and Text RS3.7 Critically analyses techniques used by writers and visual text
creators to create certain effects, to use language creatively, to position
the reader/viewer in various ways and to construct different
interpretations of experience.
Language
RS3.8 Identifies the text structure of a wider range of more complex text
structures and
types and discusses how the characteristic grammatical features work to
features
influence readers’ and viewers’ understanding of texts.
Talking and Listening outcomes
Talking and
TS3.1 Communicates effectively for a range of purposes and with a
Listening
variety of audiences to express well-developed, well-organised ideas
dealing with more challenging topics.
Skills and
TS3.2 Interacts productively and with autonomy in pairs and groups of
strategies
various sizes and composition, uses effective oral presentation skills and
strategies and listens attentively.
Writing outcomes
Producing texts
WS3.9 Produces a wide range of well-structured and well-presented
literary and factual texts for a wide variety of purposes and audiences
using increasingly challenging topics, ideas, issues and written language
features.
Stage 3
Developing a visual grammar
Context and text
Language
Structures and
features
WS3.13 Critically analyses own texts in terms of how well they have
been written, how effectively they present the subject matter and how
they influence the reader.
WS3.14 Critically evaluates how own texts have been structured to
achieve their purpose and discusses ways of using related grammatical
features and conventions of written language to shape readers’ and
viewers’ understanding of texts.
Text Codebreaker C
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Four Roles of the Reader
Text Participant P
Text User U
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Text Analyst A
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During these lessons students will be undertaking all four of the reader roles as
they develop understandings about the ways in which images are produced to
position them as viewers and how they can use various techniques in creating
their own persuasive texts.
Teaching and learning activities
Lesson 1 Introduction to visual grammar
1. Read class Anthony Browne’s Into the Forest. Ask children what
they think the book is about. How do you know this? Allow children to
discuss book, explaining interpretations. P
Assessment
2. Provide groups of children with colour photocopies of various
pages from text and divide class into small groups. Children annotate
pictures with their interpretations of text and pictures using examples
from pictures to explain their understandings. Children come
together as a class and discuss the various illustrations. Develop list
of ideas from students as to techniques used by Browne to get his
messages across. Begin visual grammar chart and add students’
ideas to this. U
3. Using magazine pictures, introduce terminology of offer, demand,
close up and distance, high, low and medium angles. Children
classify pictures according to which they think is used. Discussion of
written and visual aspects of texts – what techniques are used? Why
do you think the creator of the image has used these strategies?
Children work in groups with particular pictures to annotate
according to concepts. Whole class discussion of group findings.
Add to visual grammar chart. A
4. Explore magazines to find examples of each aspect discussed.
Complete for Homework – bring in from magazines that show visual
literacy of offer/demand/long/short /high, low, medium angles etc.
Volunteer to take digital camera home to learn how to use it for
Group work
Able to work
cooperatively
Contributes to small and
large group discussions.
Uses visual literacy
grammar when
discussing images.
Able to critically analyse
images in terms of
message presented.
Stage 3
Developing a visual grammar
explanation to class tomorrow.
Lesson 2
1. Review of images brought into class. Which techniques are used
and why?
2. Introduction to digital still cameras – how to use them by class
volunteer.
3. Students work with partners to take photos showing a various
types of visual grammar. Download into personal files, printed and
shared with class.
Are students able to
apply visual grammar to
their photographs?
Are students working
cooperatively in groups?
Levels of substantive
communication
Use of ICTs –
Able to use digital
camera
Able to download photo
Able to add caption.
Web links
http://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/Health-and-Lifestyle/Whats-New-inNutrition/Nutrition-Education-Campaigns.aspx#Current%20Print%20Advertising