Pictures for Language Learning

Cambridge Handbooks for Language Teachers

by Andrew Wright

Illustrated by the author, this analysis of the unique role of visual materials in the learning process will serve as a comprehensive resource and guide to current applications in language teaching.

A richly illustrated and valuable guide to the role of pictures and other visual materials in language teaching. This book brings together a wealth of ideas on how to use pictures in a wide range of language learning situations. It discusses the contribution visuals can make to all the classroom settings in providing real opportunities for students to communicate, whether they are working as a class, in groups or in pairs.

There are then over 200 practical suggestions for picture-generated language work. They make use of visual materials which are readily available to teachers anywhere or easy-to-copy illustrations.

The activities can be integrated into all stages of the language teaching process and advice is given on how to adapt the ideas to suit different teaching environments.

The book ends with advice on setting up a picture library, including how to find visuals, how to categorise pictures, and storage methods.

Genres: Teaching

230 pages, Paperback

First published January 25, 1989

About the author

Andrew Wright is an author, illustrator, teacher trainer and storyteller and has worked extensively with both teachers and students all over the world for many years. He loves creating things, doing practical things and working with and for people; he believes that language teaching allows him to do and be just that.

Reviews

[Adrian Buck · Rating 1 out of 5]

First published in 1989, B(efore the) W(eb), it's just amazing that this book is still on the market. It has 314 activities for the language classroom that use pictures. It doesn't have any rationale for using them, any evidence to justify using them, or even any analysis of what happens when they are used. And this intellectual poverty is pretty much the standard for methodology books. Most language teaching books are recipe books, so it should be no surprise that although teachers long to be taken as seriously as doctors or lawyers, they function at, and are paid at the level of chefs.

[Mélanie Fléchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very useful book which provides concrete examples of activities to practice in class with pictures. Most activities are focused on grammatical points.