The Draw Of Drawing
ELT Buzz. Students all love to draw and it is an activity teachers can "draw" upon.
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As a language teacher, I often use drawing as a way for students to “learn” language. Students love drawing and it is a very motivating tool that almost every student enjoys Even those students who have difficulty drawing can have fun given a teacher that shows their own inept drawing ability and keeps things “light”.
I wrote “learn” because the real purpose of getting students drawing is not so they “learn” language but rather unconsciously acquire language. The distinction between L1 language acquisition and L2 learning of a language – where, how, when etc… has long been a contentious and debated issue. Please read more here, clicking the links to some valuable ELT history/discussion on this issue. What I’d like to add here though is my belief that “drawing” is one way (music, drama, TPR, laughter are some others) in which 2nd language teachers can tap into the unconscious mind and get students “acquiring” a language and not “learning” a language.
When we “draw”, we reach into some primitive and automatic process. We concentrate and relax at the same time. The mind opens up and language can “pour” in. It really can. So much of what we call, “good teaching practice” is only the teacher’s skill in relaxing students, even distracting students so that they can tap into the unconscious processes that allow language to be acquired. I do not believe that there is a “language window”. We can at all times/ages, open that window. It just gets more difficult as we age.
Still, I don’t like the word – “acquire”. I prefer the Chomskyian term “grow”. We grow a language. Yes, at first we consciously and explicitly plant a seed (memorize structures/vocabulary) – but that is only a small part of the whole process. The most important aspect is the care, the watering, the nurturing, the “time” of living and experiencing that allows growth. This is the teacher’s job, to set those conditions so that the growth of language happens. Drawing is a great way – it is sunlight to the seed of language. Drawing also makes a steel connection to the “ego” of the learner. It is highly personal and provides titanium-like context – something invaluable for teaching and language acquisition.
But enough theory! Let’s get practical!
Here are some of the ways I’ve used “drawing” with my students. Find all our tagged resources for drawing in our lesson library.
These activities work and I highly urge all teachers to use them when possible. And please note *** drawing is not just a “kids” thing!
1. Describe and Draw: One student describes a picture and the other draws it. A basic two-way task. See an example HERE. Also, these prepared sheets. Another option is to just give students an A4 piece of paper. At the top, write a common title. Then ask students what they see. As they describe, draw together (the teacher draws large on the board). Label too, as you go along. A very informal but beneficial lesson…. One alternative way is also to play the “I Can See” game. Students contribute what they see and everyone adds it to their own picture. After, compare.
2. Draw and Describe: Put on “mood” music. Give students a theme – let’s say, “At the ……..”. Then let them draw for 5 min. Afterward, in groups, they label and describe their drawings. Or allow students to draw and then after, write about their drawing.
3. Listening comprehension. Read a passage and have students listen and draw what they hear. Afterward, assess their drawing. Did they capture all the essential features of the text by drawing? See these prepared examples.
4. Vocabulary “solidifying”. It is difficult to acquire “words”. However, when we draw those words while learning, we activate a powerful part of our brain. This article explains what’s happening to students when they draw. I have students draw pictures in their notebooks beside newly acquired vocabulary. I also have them do so on worksheets, word searches etc ….. One concrete example would be a 2-way task where a student tells their partner the vocabulary to draw in “X” box. See this example.
5. Design. Self-expression. Students can show the world what they believe and who they are by creating a manifesto or designing their own personalized items, a t-shirt, a mug, a mat etc … See these examples.
6. People. Monsters. Wingdingdillys. Drawing is a great way for students to learn vocabulary related to body parts, emotions, describing features of living things. Describe in words and then have students draw. Wingdingdilly’s are especially fun - students create their own animals from many different body parts of other animals.
7. Storybook Making / Cartoons: Students make story/picture books to help them acquire language. Students first draw the pictures for the story using a storyboard (very easy to make, just fold an A4 piece of paper into as many boxes as you need to detail the story). Then, the students write the story for the pictures. The teacher or peers correct and then they make a final product/book. Susan Kapuscinski is an amazing resource and teacher whose Making Storybooks, I highly recommend. Use her videos (on youtube) showing how each book is made too! Speaking of stories, drawing is also a great way to retell a story students have read or watched/listened to.
8. Cartoon And Comic Drawing. All students love cartoons. It’s an easy lesson. First, show students some simple examples. Then, give students a blank cartoon template and let them put in the words and draw the pictures. You can easily take a real cartoon image and using online tools, erase the text for students to write in their own words. See all the resources for cartoons in our library.
9. Doodle Picture Songs: much like making a storybook only this time, students “tell” the song by creating pictures to contextualize the lyrics. Do a song the students like. Give students parts/lines of the song (make sure they number their picture so you can put it in order afterward!). The students draw a picture for their line of the lyrics. See the wonderful example above, students on EFL Classroom (our old community) made. Also, check out more examples and how to make a video like this on Project Peace.
10. Pictionary: Yes, the obvious standard. Students are given a vocabulary picture they must draw. The other students guess and the first person guessing correctly wins a point. There are many variations. See our lesson materials.
11. Online Drawing. A) Quick Draw by google is a fun tool for doodling and sketching. Students will be WOWED. B) Draw My Thing – a great game (get the app). Students can play at home or it can be used as a filler in class. Just like Pictionary but in real-time and online. You draw with your mouse and you compete for points!
12. Draw what you hear. Yes, it is as simple as that - put on some music or even a video (with just audio) and students can imagine the scene and draw it. After, use to discuss what they heard and compare it against the original. See this.
13. Online tools: If you just want a handy way to draw on the computer or big screen – Go HERE. Scribble Maps is also a great way to draw with maps. Google Drawings is a big winner! Many ways to use it.
14. Other ways! Drawing can be brought into almost any lesson plan. Too many ways to elaborate but think about how you might incorporate drawing into each of your lesson plans if possible!