Viewing: an important component of the English curriculum.

Fellowes, Janet

Introduction

Visuals are a significant means of communication in our everyday life today, and they work in different ways to the written text in communicating meaning.

 Communication has changed over time so
 that the cognitive and intellectual demands
 made by the syntax of the language is
 lessened while there has been an increasing
 sophistication demanded by the visual
 medium ... Increasing technological advances
 means, among other things, increasing use of
 visual text and iconic language. (Anstey and
 Bull 2000, pp. 5-6)

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Movies, television shows, advertisements, cards, magazines, comic strips, websites, signs, logos and billboards are examples of visual social texts and the messages of these texts can often be highly abstract or multi-layered.

Today's students need to be given a repertoire of experience with a variety of visual texts--those found in everyday visuals, the mass media and literature. They need to be taught how to read (comprehend) and evaluate the images (visual literacy); they need to be taught the about the language (visual grammar) of the visual text and how it is used to create meaning; and they need to be assisted to critically evaluate visual texts, and to see how meaning is influenced by the values and beliefs of the social groups who produced them.

Working with children and visual texts

Many everyday texts can be used to teach children the key principles about viewing, for example:

* Television (drama, films, cartoons, documentaries, news)

* Children's Literature

* Newspapers and magazines

* Signs, Symbols and Logos

* Photographs

* Comic Strips

* TV Commercials

* Print Advertising

* Video and Film

* Posters

* Greeting cards

* Brochures

* Pamphlets

* Catalogues

* Billboards

The composition of a visual text is influenced by contextual features, by the communicative functions it serves and by the intended audience. Therefore, students need to gain experience with visual texts comprehending and composing) that serve a 'real' communicative purpose for an intended audience. The meaning of a visual text is influenced by the values and the beliefs of the social groups who produced it. Therefore, students need to be given the tools to be able to identify the ideology, the gaps and silences and the covert meanings in visual texts. They need to gain experience in identifying the point of view of a visual text.

Visual texts are often combined with written texts to construct meaning and achieve the communicative purpose. Therefore, students need to work with whole texts, examine and understand the connections between the visual and the written.

Viewing is an active process. It involves the text, the author (illustrator) and the viewer (reader). Therefore, students need to develop an awareness of the interactive nature of the process of viewing. They need to learn various strategies for viewing a visual text e.g. generate expectations (title, personal experience of the topic), scan, look for detail, question, re-view, summarise, evaluate.

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The codes of a visual include--colour, angle of shot, line, placement, proximity, visual framing, realism, fantasy and layout. Authors of visual texts manipulate the codes (elements) as they construct it, influencing the viewer and presenting a preferred meaning. Therefore, students need to be assisted to understand that visual texts are constructions and that they are constructed so as to invite certain meanings while excluding others. Students also need to be taught the ways in which the elements of a visual are used to influence the viewer.

Understanding visual elements (codes)

In assisting students to read (view), comprehend and write (construct) visuals, we need to teach them about the codes of such texts; the visual language which is manipulated to create the meaning. Visual codes work in a similar way to the grammar of a sentence; they are the tools that the author employs to establish the specific message. Students need to recognise the use of codes in visual texts and be able to apply them in their own visual compositions.

The codes of a visual include:

Modality: By manipulating different features such as colour, background, detail, sharpness or blurriness, the level of realism of the visual is created.

Angle: The viewer is positioned higher or lower in relation to a character in the visual. The positioning works to establish a particular relationship between the viewer and the character. An angle can be classified as low, high or equal. A high angle has the viewer positioned high, looking down on the character or the scene. A low angle has the viewer positioned low, looking up at the character or scene.

Distance of shot: Social distance is established in relation to the distance from which the 'shot' appears to be taken. It results in a specific connection which the viewer feels in relation to the characters in the visual. A close up shot seeks to establish a strong connection between the viewer and the character and so affects a strong emotional response in relation to the character's actions or experiences. A long distance shot brings about a less emotive response form the viewer and but, rather, establishes a more public relationship so as the viewer can take in the scene.

Mood: The viewer has a more emotive response to the character, the actions and the events of a visual when the character appears to be looking directly at the viewer so as to seem to appeal to the viewer for understanding. When there is an absence of direct gaze from the character toward the reader of the visual, gaze is usually directed towards an action or object in the visual. This invites the viewer to look and contemplate rather than being drawn in by the character.

Symbolism: Common objects or pictures which have a certain well known message are often used in a visual to portray meaning.

Framing: Boundaries or lines are often placed around images in visuals, particularly those in picture storybooks, so as to focus the viewers' attention in a certain way.

Colour: Certain topics, moods or events are often associated with specific colours and, in visual texts; colour is often used as a symbol for a topic, mood or event.

Music and Lighting: There are certain visual genres, such as movies and television programs, which operate with music and lighting to create meaning.

Classroom activities

Students need to learn how to read, comprehend, critically analyse and compose visual texts. The activities of the classroom, like other literacy tasks, need a whole text focus where meaning and consideration of purpose and audience is central. However, the exploration of the codes and conventions of visual texts are an important aspect for understanding how to effectively 'read' and 'write' the visual. Following are examples of activities that support the development of students' knowledge of, and ability with, viewing.

* Orally construct a story using the visuals (written text covered up). They then compare this with the original.

* Write a story using written and visual text to create the meaning. Support use of visual codes in manipulating the meaning in the visuals.

* Respond affectively to various pictures in storybooks. They discuss how the visual is constructed to influence this affective response.

* Draw the illustrations to match the text of a picture book, where the visuals have been covered up and then compare with the original.

* After examining birthday cards for girls and boys, make cards so as to use visuals that represent a broader view of gender.

* Examine a variety of visual images and discuss the relationship between the viewer and the illustrator.

* Compare a number of books presenting a different point of view on a particular theme--e.g. families, the environment, friendship and identify the different viewpoints, as the role of the visuals in constructing the different viewpoints.

* Create a tableau of a picture from a children's story book and then vary it by changing the way the different codes of a visual are used. Photographs can be taken of each for comparison.

* Discuss the portrayal of fathers and mothers in Father's Day (or Mother's Day) catalogues and design and compose own catalogue where images used are different.

* Compare the visual images of two story books.

* Children work in pairs and order a set of visual images from books--from lowest to highest modality--explain there choices.

* Categorise images according to use of angle of shot and discuss the way angle of shot influences the viewers interpretation.

* Draw a picture to accompany the written text of one page of a familiar story and do so by applying distance of shot in various ways.

* Take different photos of students applying different distance of shot and discuss effect.

* Create a dialogue between the character in a storybook visual and the viewer.

* Represent a written text, such as a recount or narrative as a comic strip.

* Students examine the use of symbols and visual signs in the school and then design their own to be placed in appropriate locations in the classroom or school grounds.

* Students find and classify visuals using the criteria angle of shot, distance of shot, mood or modality.

* Students design posters and include symbols to convey the meaning.

* Examine magazine advertisements and identify the use of colour and other symbols to portray a message about a product.

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Reference

Anstey, M. and Bull, G. (2000) Reading the Visual. Sydney: Harcourt.

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