To reduce the lag between highly visual texts in elementary classrooms and a lack of emphasis on visual literacy in teacher preparation, this study explored preservice teachers' coding in the design of a visually-enhanced digital book. A qualitative case study shaped the research design and data collection, including ten digital book artifacts and…

This article presents one way that librarians, archivists, and educators can create new knowledge by connecting communities with rare material culture. The authors share how they engaged critically reflective practices while gathering descriptions of rare Mexican artists' books at community-engaged outreach events. The books took on new meanings…

This article reports the author's experiences using graphic novels with pre-service teachers in a young adult literature course. Drawing on critical response papers two students composed after reading "Pride of Baghdad," a graphic novel by Brian K. Vaughan and Niko Henrichon, the author argues that when readers possess the background…

This article explores the possibilities of graphic novels with young readers. During the 2009-2010 school year, while working with four fifth-grade students, the author examined the question "In what ways do readers engage while reading a graphic novel?" The fifth graders took part in book discussions and one-on-one interviews after reading two…

Multiliteracies: Beyond Text and the Written Word emphasizes literacies which are, or have been, common in American culture, but which tend to be ignored in more traditional discussions of literacy--specifically textual literacy. By describing multiliteracies or alternative literacies, and how they function, the authors have tried to develop a…

In this essay, we review and comment on three books that focus on language, literacy, and visual and cultural communication: "English as a Local Language: Post-Colonial Identities and Multilingual Practices" by Christina Higgins; "Literacy and Power" by Hilary Janks; and "South African Visual Culture," edited by…

This article discusses the benefits of using picture books with adolescent readers, describes strategies that can be taught with picture books, and provides examples of books the author has used. Some of the topics discussed include: reading comprehension, visual literacy, interactive read-aloud with facilitative talk, literary elements, and…

Understanding how to prepare transformative learning sessions and courses and design an environment for prospective online learners is a critical, as it facilitates the transfer of information, knowledge and learning from theoretical forms to real life experiences. This book provides an understanding and comprehension of aesthetics and its…

Describes how alphabet books may be used to develop children's visual and verbal literacy. (DD)

In becoming visually literate, children discover that much of what comes before the text in a picture book sets mood and provides background information. Examines front matter, a design element of picture books including half-title page, frontispiece, title page, dedication page, and blank leaves. Highlights illustrations from six children's…

An investigation designed to increase the understanding and utilization of visual expression is undertaken. The book examines the basic visual elements, the strategies and options of the visual techniques, the psychological and physiological implications of creative composition, and the range of media and formats included among the arts and…

The art of filmmaking is an excellent means of covertly teaching reading and other communication skills.

The Department of Media and Communications of the Pestalozzianum Zurich (Switzerland) develops materials for media education. This article describes a book on visual competence, a CD-ROM investigating the production and distribution of newspapers, an eight-part TV series on contributions to media education, and a multimedia package about a…

Visual and verbal literacy skills are crucial to children because of their relationship to reading, and to adults because of their social utility. Such skills are, paradoxically, among those least often developed in a systematic fashion in elementary schools. One reason for this is that component subskills of visual and verbal literacy are…