Running Head: VISUAL AND MEDIA LITERACY RESEARCH

Visual Media with ESOL Students

Jennifer Bennett
University of West Georgia

Visual Media with ESOL Students

Article 1:
Title: Analyzing the Role of Visual Cues in Developing Prediction-Making Skills of Third- and
Ninth-Grade English Language Learners
Author: Emily Campbell and Melissa Cuba
In this research article, Campbell and Cuba focused on how using visual cues in making
predictions effected the reading comprehension of third and ninth graders. The basis of this study
started with students not being able to comprehend what they were reading. To help with this, the
focus became on using making predictions along with visual cues to enhance reading
comprehension with their students. Campbell and Cuba discussed some visual cues strategies in
this research study. They used visual cues as comprehension aids to help students connect visual
representations with words. According to Cooper (as cited in Campbell & Cuba, 2015), many
beginning readers rely on visuals for clues rather than the words themselves. Visual aids are a
way to stimulate oral language (Campbell & Cuba, 2015).
Another strategy that was focused on was having students create their own visuals. This
way students can express themselves in a way that represents what they are learning when they
are uncomfortable with communication. With ELL students, academic language can be difficult
and challenging. So combining the images with the text can help increase student vocabulary
according to Sato and Suzuki (as cited in Campbell & Cuba, 2015).
For this study, there were three different sources that data was collected from: graphic
organizer using a teacher checklist, previewing reading using a multiple choice test and story
cues activity using a teaching rating scale. This is a quantitative study that used two groups of
students and teachers. Each data source contained data from Teacher A and Teacher B. Data from
Teacher A showed an increase using the graphic organizer with visual clues to make predictions.
Whereas, Teacher B showed no change in results. This could be because Teacher A focused on
before and during reading using visual cues and Teacher B focused on this strategy in
independent reading using no visual cues. With the second data source of previewing reading,

Visual Media with ESOL Students

both Teacher A and B focused on using visual cues to preview a text. The data here found an
increase in the predictions using visual cues. Teacher B saw a 33% increase in two categories and
an 83% increase in another category. This increase was more than Teacher A in terms of using
visual cues to predict main idea, concept definitions and the importance of pictures and captions.
From the third data source there was an increase in story cues using visual aids. Students were to
take an image and brief description of the image and then complete the story sequence using the
visual cues along with the description. Both teachers saw an increase in results by using visual
cues along with making predictions to aid in student comprehension. Teacher A and B allowed
for cooperative learning which attributed to the learning and interest in the activity.
These data sources used multiple learning styles from creating graphic organizers,
analyzing pictures and then previewing text. Campbell and Cuba (2015) discuss how visual cues
are most effective when the student can relate to it and the visual cues are on their developmental
level. Each activity that was done provided the opportunity for students to mix the visual clues
with text and/or their own writing.
The research that was completed was very informative in regards to visual cues having an
impact when paired with making predictions on student comprehension. However, the activities
used for the data source were slightly lacking in just how the visual cues were utilized. I also
believe that more accurate data would have been found had both Teacher A and B did the exact
activity with the different groups of students that they used. This way the comparative data
would not be subjected to the difference in the lesson. I did learn through this study that visual
cues can be beneficial not only with teacher provided visuals but also with students creating the
image themselves.
Campbell, E., & Cuba, M. (2015). Analyzing the Role of Visual Cues in Developing PredictionMaking Skills of Third- and Ninth-Grade English Language Learners. CATESOL
Journal, 27(1), 53-93.

Visual Media with ESOL Students

Article 2:
Title: Using Visual Literacy to Teach Science Academic Language: Experiences from Three
Preservice Teachers
Authors: Kelly-Jackson, C & Delacruz, S.

The idea behind this study was to determine the experience of using visual literacy to
teach the science academic language to ELL students. Along with this, part of the study
discussed the strengths and weakness of utilizing visual literacy methods in the elementary
science classroom. A point brought up in this study was the difficulty ELL students have within
the classroom because not only are they responsible for learning the content, they are also having
to learn the English language. The main purpose was to provide preservice teachers with more
experience and education to work with ELL students.
In this study, the teachers had the students find the graphics and pictures to represent the
science concept themselves from either magazines or taking their own pictures. Students were
therefore making connections from their own backgrounds to what they were learning in the
class.
The research for this study focused on three teachers who were all place in different Title
1 schools and different grade levels. The chosen method of study used qualitative research.
Initial data was collected through a demographic survey of the participants. The teachers lesson
plans were used in collaboration with the interviews that the participants were involved in. The
data was then collected through the interviews. Common themes of participants answers were
categorized to develop the data on using visual literacy with science academic language
acquisition.
The data for this study showed that using visual literacy did make a positive impact on
ELL students learning science academic language. Students were able to make connections from

Visual Media with ESOL Students

their background knowledge and personal experience to the science concept that they were
learning. The teachers final discussions showed strength in that the students did not forget the
lesson. It stayed with them long after the lesson was over.
This study, in my opinion, is valuable. So often, as teachers we just focus on ELL
students learning English and focus on the subject of reading and language arts. The other
subjects are important as well and their academic language is difficult for students who are
having to learning English as well as the content. At the conclusion of this research two
limitations were discussed: the small number of teachers/classes in the study and that the ELL
students primary language was Spanish. I tend to agree with both of these limitation. I would
like to learn more about this type of study with students whose primary language is something
other than Spanish. I, myself, learned that visual literacy is about ownership in some regards.
Students, especially, ELL students need to feel ownership over their learning. Being an active
participant like they were in these lessons for this study allowed them to be a part of their
learning.
Kelly-Jackson, C. c., & Delacruz, S. (2014). Using Visual Literacy to Teach Science Academic
Language: Experiences from Three Preservice Teachers. Action In Teacher Education
(Association Of Teacher Educators), 36(3), 192-210.

Article 3:
Title: Using comic books as read-alouds: Insights on reading instruction from an English as a
second language classroom
Author: Ranker, J.
In this article, the author discusses how one teachers used comics to teacher her ELL first
grade students about narratives, dialogue and other text features. The teacher, Mrs. Stephens,
conducted three different lessons using comics. The lessons were story structure, gendered

Visual Media with ESOL Students

representation, and textual features of dialogue. By using comics, the students became very
interested in the lesson and a part of the lesson. Students were able to make connections by the
pictures in the comics as well.
The research used for this concept was qualitative. Information was gathered through
observations. The observer came to Mrs. Stephens room one to two times per week for 7 months
during her morning literacy workshop. This workshop lasted around 2 hours each day. The
students that were a part of this study were 1st grade ELL students with the majority having
Spanish as their primary language. Some of the students were also bilingual. Mrs. Stephens
taught in English unless a particular subject arose that was very difficult for them to understand
initially in English. She would then speak in Spanish, using it as a teachable moment to introduce
English transition and concepts. From these lessons, the students were able to make connections
of their own experience and even movies that they have seen in their first language, Spanish.
Through these comic lessons, students were also not only able to practice their reading skills but
also their writing skills by creating their own comics. This doubled the productivity of this lesson
in teaching and making connections with students. According to Ranker (2007), The students
were introduced to reading comics specifically, as well as the broader idea of reading media texts
from a critical perspective as they learned to read with an eye for gender representations. The
student work that came as a result of these comic lesson showed great growth in the areas of
writing and reading comprehension skills.
I believe the idea of using comics with ELL students is one that needs to be implemented
more. By using comics, we are reaching out to ELL students in a way where they are not even
aware that they are learning English and cues in our language. They are engaged and having fun.
For this study, I wish that the author would have provided more numerical data to show the
growth of the students. Through this research article, I learned more about comic instruction and

Visual Media with ESOL Students

how it can incorporate more than just reading skills. Mrs. Stephens incorporated reading, writing,
and social skills by using comics. Using visuals, she was able to reach them in a way that they
text just couldnt yet.
This statement from Ranker, who was citing Fitzgerald (1993) and Mohr (2004), really
summed up the use of comics for me, When using comic books as read-alouds, Mrs. Stephens
didnt settle for a simplistic and reductionistic reading pedagogy for the second/additionallanguage learners in her classroom-a danger in teaching ELLs that several authors have noted.
(2007) Using comics allows the opportunity for increased rigor to take place and for ELL
students to learn English in an interesting way rather than simply just learning text.
Ranker, J. (2007). Using comic books as read-alouds: Insights on reading instruction from an
English as a second language classroom: using comic books to teach lessons about text
helps young English-language learners with reading and writing. The Reading Teacher,
(4), 296.

Reflection
Through reading these articles, and many others I didnt analyze, I discovered the value
of visual literacy with ELL students. It is more than using a picture dictionary to teach words. We
need to immerse these students into the curriculum in a way that is interesting, inviting and
creates ownership of their learning for them. Engaging students is essential and using videos,
comics, graphics, graphic organizers, etc. is a way to reach out to not only ELL students but all
students. In many of these articles, the authors indicated that not only would ELL students
benefit but so would the other children as well.
My interest in this topic stemmed from having a 3rd grade student from Spain who spoke
only Spanish. After completing many of the assignments that we have for this class, I have been
able to reflect on some things that I could have done differently with that student. The ELL

Visual Media with ESOL Students

population is continuing to grow and I want to be able to take what we have learned from this
class and share it with the staff at my school. Overall this assignment was one that was very eye
opening with information that I will be able to utilize at my school and with my teachers.