Visualization Instruction

Visualization instruction “uses language to directly and explicitly stimulate the sensory input of imagery.… The language ‘What are you picturing for…?’ directly and explicitly stimulates imagery, whereas the language ‘What are you thinking about…?’ does not. The language ‘What do you picture will happen if…?’ is better than ‘What do you think will happen if…?’ By adding the words picture or see or imagine to your language, you bring imagery to a conscious level as a sensory tool the child may begin to use spontaneously , improving her reading comprehension, problem solving, creativity, and critical thinking, even when not in the instructional environment” (Visualizing and Verbalizing, p. 50).

“A question needs to require more than a yes or no response and is often best when asked with choices in the beginning steps of [visualization instruction] For example, ‘What did you picture for the girl’s hair? Was it long or short? Black or blond?’ is best. Not, ‘Did you picture the girl’s hair?’” (p. 70)

Error handling (p. 53)

“A student is visualizing… the sentence “The lion hid in the tall grass.” When asked how tall she pictured the grass, she answered, ‘Very short’:

1. Note the student’s response.

You probably expected her to answer that she pictured the grass tall, tall enough to hide a lion. But you must note her actual response that the grass was very short. Now you need to meet her in her thinking.

• Find a spot in her response from which to positively engage her.

You might respond, ‘I’m glad you have that grass pictured.’ It’s important to give positive feedback even if it is just for the fact that she responded to your question.

• Question to help her analyze her response.

You must question carefully to help her see the implications of her response. You might respond, ‘When you say very short grass, what are you picturing? Grass short like this (gesture about half an inch) or grass short like this (gesture about 2 inches)?’

• Question to help her compare her response to the stimulus.

If she doesn’t modify her response, question to help her see where her response doesn’t match the stimulus. ‘let’s read the sentence again: The lion hid in the tall grass. What did the words say to picture? Tall grass or short grass?’”