Paths to Reading and Writing through the Visual Arts

Introduction

The arts provide insight into the way other people think, respond, create, and provides a basic means of communication. When barriers in language cause insufficient means of communication, art serves as a universal language (Linderman, 1984). Art is a visual language with a culmination of perception, skill and imagination being merged much as the same process as practiced reading and writing develops.

Using the visual arts (illustrations, drawings, sketches, and craft such as pottery, carving, or printmaking) enables students to gain better eye-hand coordination, visual representation skills, communicate ideas, and deeper understanding of the process of discovery. Each of these areas contributes to the development of thinking, creating, problem solving and expressing thoughts through symbols.

Visual Arts

The visual arts provide the opportunities for students to be involved in divergent thinking and creative design. Van Buren (1986) states that communication and self-expression are two goals that are common to art, reading, and writing. When the classroom teacher selects the appropriate strategies, a student's interest and motivation in reading and writing are enhanced (Criscuolo, 1985). Teachers can be encouraged to integrate or have embedded, literacy instruction throughout the curriculum, (Armbuster & Osborn, 2002). The reading-writing experience connected to art can be highly motivational and …