Visual art is a valuable tool in the ESL classroom. Art making is present in all cultures and offers a common ground for students to express themselves freely. The focus “provides significant cognitive advantages to ESL students by building on cognitive strengths inherent in bilingualism” (Spina, 2006). Exploring ideas using visual and tactile methods stimulates higher order thinking as well as language acquisition. Therefore, the “extralinguistic communication” (Spina, 2006) fundamentally built into the arts would be particularly beneficial for second language learners. Visual art provides a natural bridge for those students unable to express their ideas otherwise. It also gives teachers an additional device to assess understanding. Although students may seem to grasp a concept, an image can provide more data to support whether or not targets were in fact achieved.

Confidence
When implemented in an authentic and organic way, art can help English Language Learners (ELLs) develop confidence and excel in their studies. Many ELLs struggle in English classes where language barriers create a lowered sense of self. The largely nonverbal nature of the visual arts place emphasis on creativity, and in this construct, art acts as “an entry point” (Diket, 2003 as cited in Gregoire & Lupinetti, 2005) to success where participants can practice learning strategies for other academic areas. The reduced pressure and enhanced freedom while effectively reaching art targets builds individual confidence levels (Netto, 2012). This increase “can lead to better understanding and ultimately higher levels of performance in other academic subjects that may demand well-developed abilities with language” (Gregoire & Lupinetti, 2005).

Motivation
Building student confidence leads to more motivation in the classroom. Additionally, our world today is overflowing with visuals that seek to influence our lives. We are living in a time with “a whole new culture of the image” (Jameson, 1984 as cited in Duncum, 2002). Our society is extremely diverse, and “images provide a sense of common culture” (Duncum, 2002). Using visual culture is a great way to appeal to student interest and help with attitudes towards English class. It is also a revealing window into cultural comparisons that help kids develop better understandings of the global community. Students are extremely preoccupied by the glitz of pop culture found readily in their everyday lives. We cannot turn the corner without seeing a large billboard advertising a movie, or go a day without looking at a computerized screen. Duncum (2002) writes, “adolescents make sense of imagery not as isolated individuals but as part of the social interaction of everyday chit chat”. Therefore, by including visual topics, we can also increase enthusiasm in classroom dialogues and discussions. The theme has real-life applications and connections that individuals can create, making the experiences more personal. Visual culture is a valuable form of reflection and study in its relevance to society today and contribution to the development of skills needed in the workplace. Students are encouraged to look critically at the visual world and discuss and analyze the drives and appeal of it all. It shows learners that all voices are valuable and ultimately prepares them for the many interactions and obstacles they will encounter as they grow older. This authenticity and significance to student lives is a key component to improving passion and curiosity in the classroom.

Connections
Teaching through the lens of the arts helps reach more learners by providing students with additional opportunities to make cross-curricular connections. Creating a high volume of diverse opportunities, whether it is visual, kinesthetic, or otherwise, makes it possible for the students to form more links and solidify their knowledge at a deeper level. When teaching the whole child, it is all about creating these transfers of information. An integrated curriculum helps achieve this goal by bringing knowledge from all different subjects and experiences to create a new understanding based on the problem at hand. The arts “allow for the formation of new associations that are exclusive to the creative experience and form and expanding framework upon which language is built” (McGuire, 1984 as cited in Spina, 2006). Ideally, individuals will be increasingly willing and inspired to make more of these transfers outside of the classroom if they feel comfortable “making conceptual connections that underlie art and other disciplines” (Marshall, 2005).

Ideas for Implementation
Project Based Learning

• Illustration Contests: Students can compete within their classes or grade level for their on-topic illustrations to be included in worksheets or packets. Having kids vote for winners will also give them sense of ownership and feel they have more of a stake in the classroom community.
  

  Published cover contest winners for extended class worksheets

• Comic strips: Kids write and illustrate a comic strip based on a story covered in class. They can include elements of their choosing, but with target vocabulary and story lengths. If done in groups or pairs, this could help individuals work together and use their strengths to teach one another.
  

  Grade 6 comic strip based on a Mulan story unit

• Publishing: As part of a story writing lesson, students can have their pieces typed and create illustrations for the final published work.
• Movie posters: Students develop a movie premise and design a movie poster to sell their idea when presenting to the class. They can include characteristics of different characters, plot, and setting.
• Logos & Branding: Learners create personal logos or mock business logos using letterforms and business names. This activity can be created in conjunction with an advertising campaign or mock commercial to target speaking, writing, listening, and reading. This could also be tied into units on transportation, restaurants, etc.
• Posters, Menus, Maps: To supplement English curriculum, students can create research posters, menus, maps, etc. to further explore and present the themes and ideas from their books.
• Advertisements: Groups can create 2D advertisements for products they are interested in or that they invent themselves. They can continue on to create filmed commercials to sell their products.
• Class Magazines & Books: Classes can collaborate on a large magazine that includes student stories, artwork, advertisements, movie reviews, etc. This could work as an end of semester product that encompasses their work from the different units.

Reinforcement Exercises

• Pre-reading Activities: Students can predict the elements and plot of a story based on a discussion of the images.
• Post-reading Activities: Individuals can show understanding by reorganizing the illustrations from a book based on their listening and comprehension.
• Speech Bubbles: Students are given artwork and asked to write a dialogue based on the content of the images.
• Story Comprehension: After a read aloud or a class reading assignment, students can show comprehension by drawing what they understood in the beginning, middle, and end.
  

  Quick comprehension sketches after a grade 6 reading activity

• Listening exercises: Quick comprehension sketches of a word, sentence, or paragraph can help teachers evaluate student understanding and offer a different perspective on student assessments.
• Picture Dictionary: Having classes create drawings for vocabulary words can help them develop additional associations with the new material.
• Art Club: Remedial students can meet with the teacher to study art (and language in the process).
  

  Art class for grade 5 students

Creating organic learning experiences built from the English curriculum with overarching visual arts goals gives ELLs more chances to express themselves in a safe environment. We have a limited amount of time with students. By teaching units through the arts, learners develop more confidence in communicating with mediums they are familiar and skilled with. We can also emphasize the cultural similarities and differences to better understand our diverse world. Realizing these shared interests with other students and teachers can help individuals build appreciation for diversity as well understand the inherent similarities across cultures, ultimately fostering successful global citizens.

References

• Duncum, P. (2002). Visual Culture Art Education: Why, What and How. International
  Journal Of Art & Design Education, 21(1), 14.
• Gregoire, M. A., & Lupinetti, J. (2005). Supporting diversity through the arts. Kappa
  Delta Pi Record, 41(4), 159-163.
• Jaquith, D. (2012). When is creativity? Art Education, 64(1), 14-19.
• Marshall, J. (2005). Connecting art, learning and creativity: A case for curriculum
  integration. Studies in Art Education, 46(3), 227–241.
• Netto, A. M. (2012). ESOL students in the art room: An art educator’s resource guide
  (Master’s thesis). Retrieved from Art and design theses. (100)
• Spina, S.U., (2006). Worlds together…words apart: An assessment of the
  effectiveness of arts-based curriculum for second language learners. Journal of Latinos and education, 5(2), 99-122.