Using Picture Books to Using Picture Books to Teach Literary Terms in Teach Literary Terms in the High School English the High School English

ClassroomClassroom

Bridget RobinsonBridget Robinson

Department of EducationDepartment of Education

University of North Carolina - University of North Carolina - AshevilleAsheville

Research QuestionResearch Question

Will the use of picture books to teachWill the use of picture books to teach

students literary elements affect student students literary elements affect student

understanding of and motivation to understanding of and motivation to

read traditional literature as they apply read traditional literature as they apply

these literary elements to the works?these literary elements to the works?

What is a picture What is a picture book?book? Illustrations dominate each pageIllustrations dominate each page Text is placed neatly so that the Text is placed neatly so that the

book flows naturally from book flows naturally from beginning to endbeginning to end

Typical length is 32 pagesTypical length is 32 pages Trim size of the book is markedly Trim size of the book is markedly

larger than that of the average larger than that of the average novelnovel

1999 National 1999 National Assessment of Assessment of

EducationEducation 50% of eighth graders read once 50% of eighth graders read once

a month or less for their own a month or less for their own interestinterest

25% of fourth graders read once 25% of fourth graders read once a month or less for their own a month or less for their own interestinterest

Cited in Darigan, Tunnell and Cited in Darigan, Tunnell and Jacobs (2002)Jacobs (2002)

Schema Theory and Schema Theory and Visual ThinkingVisual Thinking

Bruner (1990) Bruner (1990) – Using prior knowledge to organize Using prior knowledge to organize

informationinformation Vacca and Vacca (2005)Vacca and Vacca (2005)

– Schema activationSchema activation– Learning through direct experienceLearning through direct experience

Arnheim (1969)Arnheim (1969)– Pictorial thinkingPictorial thinking

Engaged and Engaged and Disengaged ReadersDisengaged Readers

Engaged readers are intrinsically Engaged readers are intrinsically motivated and have a developed motivated and have a developed self-efficacy.self-efficacy.

Disengaged readers read out of Disengaged readers read out of necessity. They read only necessity. They read only because the work has been because the work has been assigned to them. assigned to them.

Guthrie (2001) Guthrie (2001)

SubjectsSubjects

Urban high school in Western North Urban high school in Western North CarolinaCarolina

Two standard American Literature classesTwo standard American Literature classes 37 students 37 students

– 23 males & 14 females23 males & 14 females– 4 students with special needs4 students with special needs– 36 white students & 1 African-American 36 white students & 1 African-American

studentsstudents– Mixed socio-economic statusMixed socio-economic status

InstrumentsInstruments

QualitativeQualitative– Pre-experiment Pre-experiment

surveysurvey– Post-experiment Post-experiment

surveysurvey– Observations on Observations on

student student involvement involvement

QuantitativeQuantitative– Pre-experiment Pre-experiment

literary term literary term evaluative toolevaluative tool

– Post-experiment Post-experiment literary term literary term evaluative toolevaluative tool

– Objective testsObjective tests

Research DesignResearch Design

Pre-experiment literary terms evaluative toolPre-experiment literary terms evaluative tool Pre-experiment surveyPre-experiment survey Traditional instruction Traditional instruction Objective Test 1Objective Test 1 Picture Book Instruction Picture Book Instruction Objective Test 1 repeatedObjective Test 1 repeated Traditional instructionTraditional instruction Objective Test 2Objective Test 2 Picture Book InstructionPicture Book Instruction Objective Test 2 repeatedObjective Test 2 repeated Post-experiment literary terms evaluative toolPost-experiment literary terms evaluative tool Post-experiment surveyPost-experiment survey

Two Major QuestionsTwo Major Questions

Did the use of Did the use of picture books picture books increase student increase student understanding of understanding of literary elements literary elements in more complex in more complex texts?texts?

Did the use of Did the use of picture books picture books increase student increase student engagement in engagement in literary material?literary material?

Test ResultsTest Results

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Unit 1 Unit 2

Test 1Test 2

Were the literary terms easier Were the literary terms easier to understand through the to understand through the

tool of picture books?tool of picture books?

Yes

No72%

28%

Observations of Observations of Student InvolvementStudent Involvement

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%

On-task

Mostlyon

task

Off-task

Small Group Work

Picture book groupworkIndividual work

Post-experiment Post-experiment Picture Book Picture Book

QuestionsQuestionsQuestion Response

1. How did picture books affect 66% No affect

your interest in the material? 13% Decreased interest

21% Increased interest

2. How did picture books affect 31% No affect

your understanding of the material? 28% Decreased understanding

41% Increased understanding

Limitations of StudyLimitations of Study

Repetition of TestRepetition of Test Time limitTime limit

Limited use of picture booksLimited use of picture books

ConclusionsConclusions

Picture books help high school Picture books help high school students better understand students better understand literary elements!literary elements!

Picture books do not improve Picture books do not improve student engagement in readingstudent engagement in reading

Picture books should be Picture books should be incorporated into the English incorporated into the English classroom in various instructional classroom in various instructional methodsmethods

ReferencesReferences

Arnheim, R. (1969). Arnheim, R. (1969). Visual thinkingVisual thinking. Los Angeles: University . Los Angeles: University of California Press. of California Press.

Bruner, J. (1990). Bruner, J. (1990). Acts of MeaningActs of Meaning. Cambridge, MA: Harvard . Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. University Press.

Darigan, D. L., Tunnell, M. O., & Jacobs, J. S. (2002). Darigan, D. L., Tunnell, M. O., & Jacobs, J. S. (2002). Children’s literature: Engaging teachers and children in good Children’s literature: Engaging teachers and children in good books. books. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc

Guthrie, J. T. (2001). Guthrie, J. T. (2001). Contexts for engagement and Contexts for engagement and motivation in reading. motivation in reading. Retrieved October 10, 2006 from Retrieved October 10, 2006 from http://www.readingonline.org/articles/handbook/guthrie/indehttp://www.readingonline.org/articles/handbook/guthrie/index.htmlx.html

Vacca, R. T. & Vacca, J.L. (2005). Vacca, R. T. & Vacca, J.L. (2005). Content area reading: Content area reading: Literacy and learning acrossthe curriculum. Literacy and learning acrossthe curriculum. Boston: Pearson Boston: Pearson Education, Inc. Education, Inc.