A+Picture+is+Worth+a+Thousand+Words

A Picture is worth a thousand words: ELL students and the use of Flickr

As a journalism teacher, oftentimes the most difficult task a student faces is creating a caption that tells the story. However, pictures offer so much more information when the words may not come as easily. By using Flickr, students can upload a variety of photos and share descriptions and words that best describe the content. By using this technique, students can then become familiar with language and understand how the words are being used in a descriptive sense. By using photos that capture scenes, include a variety of objects or activities, or photos that follow a theme, students can then familiarize themselves with relevant, daily vocabulary. According to an article in Edutopia, photos can be a strong way for students to learn and apply Bloom’s Taxonomy. They can gain knowledge, comprehension, use application, analysis and evaluation. They could also use this taxonomy to create their own questions or analysis of what the photo is all about. This can also be a great way for students to work with and recognize the importance of compare and contrast. By looking for similarities and differences, students can then generate ideas for writing. Learning a second language and to be expected to understand it fluently in a short amount of time can cause extreme anxiety and cause an ELL student to be mislabeled as learning disabled. By providing an avenue of visual recognition with new words, students will experience success in recognizing that word in real world situations. By using a variety of formats, including photos, this also fits within the common core for the following standards: Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. Some of the barriers to this technology may be the absence of cameras for students to use to take pictures as well as computers to upload them. Although photos already exist on Flickr, students may want to have familiar places to apply their knowledge. Another barrier could be their district Internet filter. Flickr may not be allowed on some school sites. Photography and blogs are restricted sites on some filters to that could be an extreme limitation in using Flickr.

www.edutopia.org/blog/ell-engagment-using-photos