Research on Visual and Media Literacy 1

Research on Visual and Media Literacy

Amanda C. Stallings

University of West Georgia

Research on Visual and Media Literacy 2

Introduction

While researching visual communication to support/aid English Language Learners, I

came across multiple scholarly projects/works from various universities around the world. After

careful consideration, I chose ​Usage of Multimedia Visual Aids in the English Language

Classroom: A Case Study at Margarita Salas Secondary School (Majadahonda), ESL Teachers’

Views on Visual Language: A Grounded Theory,​ and ​Using Pictures in EFL and ESL

Classrooms​. Below is an in depth review of their contents, methodology, results, and my

reflection from the studies.

Usage of Multimedia Visual Aids in the English Language Classroom: A Case Study at

Margarita Salas Secondary School (Majadahonda)

Summary

Usage of Multimedia Visual Aids in the English Language Classroom: A Case Study at

Margarita Salas Secondary School (Majadahonda)​ was performed by Maria Ramirez Garcia

from Universidad Complutense Madrid (UCM). UCM is a public research university that enrolls

over 86,000 students. It has a broad social recognition and is not only one of the oldest

universities in the world, but one of the top schools in Spain. Señora Garcia especially focused

on the positive effects of visual aids on students.

There has been a steady progression of visuals in the classroom stemming back to the

1920s when filmstrips were used to accompany a lesson. The 1950s brought tape recordings into

the classroom and the 1960s slowly lent to the use of audiovisual technology. Today’s classroom

is flooded with imagery and endless possibilities for its use to increase learning.
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The author used appropriate sources to support her research. Two of the best sources she

used were Boucheix, which stated that the younger the student, the better the benefit from

language immersion along with visual aids integrated into a lesson plan. (It was also noted that

visuals should not be used as an extra activity or to provide a break.) Brinton provided an

important point, saying that non-native speakers use objects around them to help with

conversation.

Analysis of Methodology

This study took place in Spain at Margarita Salas Secondary School. Prior to beginning

the study, a questionnaire was given to 213 students ranging from 1st year Educación Secundaria

Obligatoria (or ESO, a compulsory secondary education) to 1st year Post-compulsory Secondary

Education. The questionnaire asked both qualitative and quantitative questions related to the use

of visuals and the target language in their classrooms, the attitude of the teacher regarding the

use of visuals in class, the materials available and the training that teachers possess. This data

was then analysed and the implementation of results was performed on 27 students in their early

years of ESO, which is where visual/media aids have proven most effective for English

Language Learners (ELL). The study validated the notion that visuals command attention on a

given topic, increase student motivation, participation, and communication. While there was a

plethora of information regarding the advantages of using visuals in an ELL classroom, it is also

important to note the top reasons visuals were not being used: timing issues, technical devices

not being available, and apparent lack of teacher training.

Summary of Results
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Dual-coding and image schema theories are what best suits today’s learner. In order to

teach our ELL students English (target language), we must avoid translations and minimize

explanations in their native language. By using visuals, not only will they be able to make

connections on past experiences, but also enhance their grammar, target language, vocabulary,

language structures, and curiosity.

Dual-coding relies on the use of verbal and non-verbal cues to balance learning, while

image schema theory cognitivists understand knowledge is not static, but constructed by patterns,

interactions, and the manipulation of objects. These two overviews pair nicely and focus on the

human brain processes and how it best learns/recalls new information, in this case a target

language.

My Opinion and What I Learned

This study was highly engaging and informative. It was organized and stayed on topic. I

do not have any suggestions on how the author could improve their work.

Overall, I learned that ELL students need to learn their target language without

interruptions and explanations in their native language. It seems like this would help, but

immersion allows them to figure out meaning. Body language also helps convey meaning.

ESL Teachers’ Views on Visual Language: A Grounded Theory

Summary

ESL Teachers’ Views on Visual Language: A Grounded Theory​ was written by Gina

Mikel Petrie in 2003. It was a study conducted using various ESL teachers and their views on

visual media within their classrooms. This study used qualitative data collection methods and

included interviews with seven experienced instructors.

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Analysis of Methodology

A grounded theory study was used to generate or discover a theory amongst the

instructors. The supporting texts for this study were accurate. I found the following quote to be

most supportive of the reason to use visual aids, students “…insisted on making attractive

multimedia webpages with background colors and graphics; different colors of text; carefully

chosen and well-placed photos, graphics, and icons; and hypertext links to additional

information….” (Warschauer, 1999, p. 103). Part of the study related to how students use visuals

to create text and Warschauer’s words are an excellent culmination of our 21st century learners.

(I would also like to note this was written in 2003 when many educators were unsure of their

feelings towards technology, and its effectiveness, since it was just be introduced on a grand

scale.)

Summary of Results

This study focused on the differences between electronic reading and ink reading. It

explains that for ESL students, e-reading and ink reading are unique in their approach to convey

meaning. The author also noted that reading online is technical for ESL students. Sometimes the

black fields of information can be daunting, but with added imagery it helps make meaning

clearer to the reader. Our goal is to ensure communicative competence and the best way to do so

is partially through text and also visual elements that accompany the words.

My Opinion and What I Learned

Although this study seemed to jump around a lot, it was a neat way of looking at how far

we have come with digital technologies in the past 15 years. Many educators in the study

deemed computers as a distraction, where current educators would view them as a vital
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accessory to their classroom. The only advice I would have for this researcher is to divide the

paper into coherent sections such as e-reading and ink reading. I would have been able to

differentiate between the two a little easier if it were broken up into explicit sections. It also only

mentioned that 13 year olds can show what they know from a science unit through the use of

pictures. I am assuming the vast range of students were in the middle school range. I never saw a

definitive number of students, nor their ages, only the number of instructors.

I learned that learning styles have changed since I graduated from college in 2004. The

past eight years seem to have the most impact/change with the use of technology and it paralleled

the study by Petrie. I do not think I have ever seen a difference in e-reading and ink reading.

Computers/screens allow for more interaction, but the author’s point was that many ESL teachers

prefer to teach ink reading (meaning/comprehension) first because it teaches the target language

better than online learning. Students will then use online resources to create meaning and interact

with materials in their core classes.

Using Pictures in EFL and ESL Classrooms

Summary

This report was a general overview of why pictures are advantageous in an English as a

Foreign Language (EFL) and English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom. Christine

Canning-Wilson relied on much of her own research and a few others to add meaning to her

work. The supporting data that she used added depth to her argument.

Analysis of Methodology

Canning-Wilson’s work was a summary of other data that had already been collected.

Her main focus is the human brain is capable of blending intelligences. Learners are asked to
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predict, infer, and deduce information and must be able to navigate in an environment of English

language users/speakers.

She also makes a great point when discussing testing students who are in EFL or ESL

programs. Pictures on a test could indicate whether a student understands syntax and structure of

the English language.

Summary of Results

In short, color visuals are most beneficial to EFL/ESL students. Linguistic, musical, and

spatial reasoning intelligences work together to learn another language. They also rely on visual

prompting and cueing from the instructor.

My Opinion and What I Learned

Canning-Wilson’s work was well organized and very concise. I wish it would have given

more information about the participants of her study. Did she survey students or educators? How

many subjects were used? This would be helpful to ensure the validity of the research/study.

The thing that stood out to me was that we ask our ESL/ELL students to do so much with

the English language, but do not always provide all of the needed information to make it easiest

for them to learn. Simply adding visuals on a test could increase their output and show their

overall comprehension of materials presented in their classes, not just the ESL setting.
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Final Reflection for Research on Visual and Media Literacy

While researching these studies, it brought back full images of my Spanish I and II

classes in high school in the late 1990s. I dreaded those classes so much that I took a placement

test in college to place out of taking foreign language classes in order to graduate. The students

in the case studies seemed to mimic my uneasiness which seems to be the precursor to learning a

foreign language. They also parallelled everything we have learned in class so far this semester.

Imagery is so important! I recalled a friend of mine, who speaks English as a second language,

telling me that she used television shows to help learn the language. She used their body

language and tone to determine the full meaning of words. I still explain things to her

occasionally, but typically with figurative language.

My current school has the motto of “Make it Real” and it truly shows in this case study.

Making students participate in real world situations (no matter the class content) is highly

informative. Connections can be made if we draw in real world experiences. I recall when I was

learning basic German before I went to Germany for the first time. It was much more meaningful

to speak to someone on the street (which they avoid small talk, and I was grateful for that since it

was hard to put together what I was trying to say) and to order in a restaurant. Knowing the

words was important, but actually using them in context was more powerful.

Finally, I learned why language immersion programs are surfacing across the nation, as

well as why applications like Duolingo and Busuu pair images with vocabulary (Hill, 2018).

Foreign language is something Americans need to embrace and become a participant, not a

bystander. While English is the universal language, it by no means makes other languages

inferior or unimportant.
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References

Boucheix, J., & Guignard, H. (2005). What animated illustrations conditions can improve

technical document comprehension in young students? Format, signaling and control of

the presentation. ​European Journal of Psychology of Education,20​(4), 369-388.

doi:10.1007/bf03173563

Canning-Wilson, C. (1999, June 6). ​Using Pictures in EFL and ESL Classrooms[​ Scholarly

project].

Brinton, D.M. (2001) ‘The use of Media in Language Teaching’, in Celce-Murcia, M. (ed.)

Teaching English as a second or foreign language (3rd ed., pp.459-475). Boston: Heinle

and Heinle

Hill, S. (2018, April 06). These language apps are almost as good as having a babelfish in your

ear. Retrieved April 08, 2018, from

https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-language-learning-apps/

Petrie, G. M. (2003). Petrie, G. M. (n.d.). ESL TEACHERS’ VIEWS ON VISUAL

LANGUAGE: A GROUNDED THEORY [Scholarly project]. ​3(​ 3).

Usage of Multimedia Visual Aids in the English Language Classroom: A Case Study at

Margarita Salas Secondary School (Majadahonda)[​ Scholarly project]. (n.d.).

Warschauer, M. (1999). Electronic literacies: Language, culture, and power in online education.

Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers: Mahwah, NJ.