Lesson 6 (b): Using visuals to recount

Links to the Victorian Curriculum – English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Pathway A

Writing

Level A1:

Respond to the terms 'writing' and 'drawing' appropriately (VCEALA059)

Level A2:

  • Illustrate texts purposefully (VCEALC139)
  • Write a small range of everyday texts and personal texts (VCEALC138)
  • Adjust size of writing, colour, layout and choice of media to support meaning (VCEALL160)

Lesson sequence

  1. Modelling the visual text (or deconstruction) Lessons 1 – 5 have drawn students' attention to particular elements of visual texts, including gaze, framing and colour. Refer to Little Beauty and other picture storybooks to remind students about these elements and how they are used.
  2. Modelling the text (or deconstruction) – recount writing My friend and I. Reinforce with students that the purpose of a recount is to retell an experience or event. Clearly state the learning intention. We are learning to recount using pictures and words.
  3. The teacher will model the process of creating a written and pictorial recount.
    Model the planning of the visuals. Draw from the picture story book inquiry to highlight the visual features to be included.
    RecountWordsVisuals
    Introduction
    Events in sequence
    Conclusion
  4. Guided practice (or joint construction) Students work in partners or in small groups to discuss the visuals that could accompany the writing, in their joint recount.
    Assessment: Anecdotal – matching the visuals and the written text and including some aspect of visual literacy. For example, "I want my picture to have a demanding​ gaze, to show I am excited".
    Students draw a picture of two friends engaging together. With a partner use a magnifying glass to see if part of the image would be appropriate as a close up.
    Use a student's illustration, which has been photocopied on multiple pieces of different coloured paper. Students work with a partner to write a feeling description for the piece.

Differentiation

The proformas and plans used can be tailored to suit the individual needs of the students. Students requiring additional support can be given more scaffolded proformas, sentence starters and guided instruction by the teacher. These students could also participate in a teacher focus group and engage in the process of guided writing.