Making Meaning Visually

Challenging texts such as The Arrival, by Shaun Tan, invite readers to respond to text carefully to find their own interpretations. While I recommend that students explore the whole text slowly for enjoyment’s sake, it is also good to encourage ‘split screen thinking’ (Claxton 2006). This allows the reader to linger over images to imagine a story as well as critically view what they can see in the images because of the illustrative choices Tan has made. This approach invites imaginative awareness (modelled by the teacher’s curiosity) and can start with the simple question, I wonder why?

Visual awareness is an essential attitude to reading image that attempts to shift students “beyond tacit awareness” (Shirato and Webb 04) towards visual literacy. We want students to take active roles in making meaning from texts. To encourage such learning we can help our students to interpret image as well as produce their own images. These complementary approaches are supported by the following ideas.

Interpretive: Because the book depends on readers making connections from prior knowledge to new contexts students need to consider their own cultural knowledge. For example, students could consider what knowledges they need to travel somewhere familiar as opposed to somewhere unfamiliar. Students could explore the book for the symbols Shaun Tan used to represent difference and then discuss how they recognise anyone as a newcomer. They could think about the ways communication is expressed in symbols and metaphorically, for example, why are letters are folded into paper birds? There are various emotional stages in the book; they might debate how inclusivity is a core ideology represented at these times?

Productive: Because the book uses image to communicate we could employ concepts from visual literacy to help us look at the meaning making strategies the illustrator has used. Ask students open ended questions, for example, why are the basic colour tones black and white? What do we associate with this in terms of time or age or reality? Students could then create their own image using a particular colour choice that is deliberately aimed to affect a viewer’s emotions. What is the effect on the story telling of framing parts of the narrative scene by scene? What work does the reader need to do between the frames in order to continue the story? Students could continue framed sections of the story and consider the choices they need to make about perspective.

Like to know more?

• Shirato, T. & Webb, J. (2004), Reading the visual. Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin.
• Claxton, G (2006), Expanding the capacity to learn. Keynote speech presented at the BERA conference, Warwick University.
• Callow, Jon (ed.) (1999) Image matters: Visual texts in the classroom. PETA, Sydney.
• Simpson, Alyson (2004) PEN 142 Visual literacy: A coded language for viewing in the classroom. PETA, Sydney.
• Visit Shaun Tan’s website: www.shauntan.net

This information is available as a PDF Teaching Tip Sheet. Download Making Meaning Visually

© Primary English Teaching Association 2006. PO Box 3106 Marrickville NSW 2204 Tel 61 2 9565 1277. This page may be photocopied for the purposes of professional development but may not otherwise be reproduced without the publisher’s permission.