The Power of Pictures: Creating Pathways to Literacy Through Art, Grades K-6 - Paperback

by Beth Olshansky (Author)

In The Power of Pictures book and companion DVD, Beth Olshansky introduces teachers to her innovative art-based approach to literacy instruction. Widely practiced in classrooms across the country, the model has been proven by research to improve literacy achievement with a wide range of learners, especially those who struggle with verbal skills. At the heart of her approach is the Artists/Writers Workshop. Through study of quality picture books and hands-on art experiences, students learn to visualize, "paint pictures with words," and ultimately create their own extraordinary artistic and literary work. The book and DVD explain how any teacher can successfully use this process to enable all students, particularly low performers, to make dramatic gains in both reading and writing.

Front Jacket

THE POWER OF PICTURES

In The Power of Pictures book and companion DVD, Beth Olshansky introduces teachers to her innovative art-based approach to literacy instruction. Widely practiced in classrooms across the country, the model has been proven by research to improve literacy achievement with a wide range of learners, especially those who struggle with verbal skills. At the heart of her approach is the Artists/Writers Workshop. Through study of quality picture books and hands-on art experiences, students learn to visualize, "paint pictures with words," and ultimately create their own extraordinary artistic and literary work. The book and DVD explain how any teacher can successfully use this process to enable all students, particularly low performers, to make dramatic gains in both reading and writing.

PRAISE FOR THE POWER OF PICTURES

"Beth Olshansky provides teachers with sound, refined methods for engaging all students in integrated studies of art, writing, and literature. Unlike other literacy claims, these techniques truly leave no child behind."
-- SUSAN STIRES, PhD, Reading and Literacy Program, Bank Street College

"This dynamic approach engages all learners while addressing the mandates of No Child Left Behind. Our Title I and special education students consis-tently scored above the national and state averages on standardized reading and writing assessments."
-- DR. SUSAN O'CONNOR, director of instruction for language arts andscience, Exeter School District, New Hampshire

"I have witnessed the results of this visual approach to writing on standardized reading assessments. At the beginning of the school year, 33% of my students scored 1-4 years below grade level in reading comprehension. After 8 months of consistent use of Picturing Writing, only 3% scored below grade level with 75% scoring 1-4 years above grade level!"
-- AMANDA E. URRUTIA-RAYBURN, third-grade teacher, Manchester G.A.T.E. School, Fowler, California

Back Jacket

THE POWER OF PICTURES

In The Power of Pictures book and companion DVD, Beth Olshansky introduces teachers to her innovative art-based approach to literacy instruction. Widely practiced in classrooms across the country, the model has been proven by research to improve literacy achievement with a wide range of learners, especially those who struggle with verbal skills. At the heart of her approach is the Artists/Writers Workshop. Through study of quality picture books and hands-on art experiences, students learn to visualize, "paint pictures with words," and ultimately create their own extraordinary artistic and literary work. The book and DVD explain how any teacher can successfully use this process to enable all students, particularly low performers, to make dramatic gains in both reading and writing.

PRAISE FOR THE POWER OF PICTURES

"Beth Olshansky provides teachers with sound, refined methods for engaging all students in integrated studies of art, writing, and literature. Unlike other literacy claims, these techniques truly leave no child behind."
-- SUSAN STIRES, PhD, Reading and Literacy Program, Bank Street College

"This dynamic approach engages all learners while addressing the mandates of No Child Left Behind. Our Title I and special education students consis-tently scored above the national and state averages on standardized reading and writing assessments."
-- DR. SUSAN O'CONNOR, director of instruction for language arts and science, Exeter School District, New Hampshire

"I have witnessed the results of this visual approach to writing on standardized reading assessments. At the beginning of the school year, 33% of my students scored 1-4 years below grade level in reading comprehension. After 8 months of consistent use of Picturing Writing, only 3% scored below grade level with 75% scoring 1-4 years above grade level!"
-- AMANDA E. URRUTIA-RAYBURN, third-grade teacher, Manchester G.A.T.E. School, Fowler, California

Author Biography

THE AUTHOR

BETH OLSHANSKY is director of the Center for the Advancement of Art-Based Literacy at the University of New Hampshire in Durham. Developer of two dynamic art-based literacy models, Beth oversees and manages a nationwide teacher-training program (www.picturingwriting.org).