Arts and Creativity Literacies

VISUAL LITERACY
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to:

 Reveal the message the caution/ warning shown in each

picture.
 Interpret what the author wants to tell to the reader based on
the given graph.
 Analyze the visual and share observations/ analysis by
comparing and contrasting Bloom’s Old and New Taxonomy in
the discussion.
 Create own story using the different pictures given.

INTRODUCTION
Visual literacy is the ability to read, interpret, and understand
information presented in pictorial or graphic images. It is also an ability
to turn information of all types into pictures, graphics, or forms that help
communicate the information (Wileman, 1993).

This usually precedes verbal literacy in human development.

Seeing comes before words and all other things related to it. The child
looks and recognizes something which leads the need to speak, read or
write. Words are the images of things. Without images and all that we
see, thinking and language are impossible!

Visual images fast becoming the most predominant form of

communication. A language based pedagogy is no longer sufficient for
newer literacy practices. With writing, words rely only the ‘logic of
speech’ involving time and sequence, whereas the ‘logic of the image’
involves the presentation of space and simultaneity. Mostly schools
foster the ‘logic of writing’ whereas contemporary children’s life

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experiences are grounded in the ‘logic of the image’ and the ‘logic of the
screen’. Interpreting visual language play an important part in learning
about world in general. Thus, arise the need of visual literacy in the
emergence of other new literacies.

Let’s Get Started (Activity)

A. Direction: Study the picture and decide who the killer is. Support
your answer with an explanation on why you chose the said number.

B. Direction: Read and follow the given instructions below.

Let’s assume the lockdown due to pandemic had ended and

everyone is now free to roam around the city.
Now, draw at least five logos/ trademarks of establishments
(stores, restaurants, fast food, etc.)that are usually found in any cities.

Let’s think it deeply (Analysis)

1. Would you agree that the most important sense in our body is
sight? Why?

2. Which do you think is correct?

Words come from images. / Images come from words.

Explain your side.

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Let’s Learn It (Abstraction)

VISUAL LITERACY
What is visual literacy?
Visual literacy is an ability that enables an individual to
effectively find, interpret, evaluate, use, and create images and visual
media. This skill equips a learner to analyze the contextual, cultural,
ethical, aesthetic, intellectual, and technical components involved in the
production and use of visual materials. A visually literate person is both
a critical consumer of visual media and a competent contributor to a
body of shared knowledge and culture.
Visual literacy is being aware of how one experience images,
video, and other forms of multimedia. Images must be evaluated in a
similar way to written texts. Like text, images can be used accurately,
deliberately, misleadingly or carelessly. Some images, can also be
interpreted in different and contradictory, ways.
Visual literacy is not only limited to art, history, and film studies
but is also important to everyone. For example, maps can show
geographical information much better than a verbal or textual
description. Charts and graphs can clearly describe the growth or
decline of population, financial performance of a company, etc.
Cartoons can sum up viewpoint or opinion.
Images are everywhere in increasing number. It entertain,
influence, manipulate and encourage. Some images are used to fill an
otherwise blank space. It is easy to view images passively without
thinking about them or even just not notice them. However, it is
important that you reflect critically on any images that you come across
in your research and even when casually searching the internet and
other visual media just as you would to written text.
According to Merriam-Webster, visual literacy is the ability to
recognize and understand ideas conveyed through visible actions or
images. From an educational institution's standpoint, visual literacy
is the ability to see, understand and, ultimately, communicate visually.

It is the ability of the learner to carefully scrutinize the visual creation-

-with great curiosity, skepticism and analytical skills--and understand
what the intended purpose of the creation was from the standpoint of
the maker.

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The term “visual literacy” was first coined in 1969 by John

Debes, who was the founder of the International Visual Literacy
Association:
“Visual Literacy refers to a group of vision-competencies a
human being can develop by seeing and at the same time having and
integrating other sensory experiences. The development of these
competencies is fundamental to normal human learning. When
developed, they enable a visually literate person to discriminate and
interpret the visible actions, objects, symbols, natural or man-made,
that he encounters in his environment. Through the creative use of
these competencies, he is able to communicate with others. Through
the appreciative use of these competencies, he is able to comprehend
and enjoy the masterworks of visual communication.” – John Debes,
1969

Why is To put itliteracy

visual simply, important?
visual literacy is defined as the ability to
make meaning from what we see.

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Why Visual Literacy is Important?
Do you remember how you started to communicate? How you
were taught about the things around you? How you came to identify
daily items around the house: animals, shapes and sizes? What aids
were used by teachers to effectively facilitate learning in your early
childhood education?
When infants reach the 9-month mark, they begin to recognize
things, and parents oftentimes offer visual aids to help them identify
what they need and communicate what they want. Parents offer
pictures of their toys and teach them how to identify colors by showing
pictures. Similarly, as they grow older, people rely on visual aids to
teach them the names of animals, places and things.
 Visual literacy, otherwise known as visual skill, is the
foundation of learning. Children read pictures before they
master verbal skills.

 In today's visual Internet, visual literacy is a skill and a necessary

ability to decipher what is shared online and distributed in any
other form of visual media. A perfect example of this are road
and safety signs. When you learn to drive, you are often given a
set of local road signs and safety booklets to memorize and know
by heart this will help you greatly when driving to another place,
city or country. Though road and safety signs vary in
presentation, their meanings are universal.
 Visual literacy offers a deeper connection with all kinds of texts
and encourages analytical interpretations of what is
represented and their hidden meanings. It is a skill that
eliminates barriers to learning. An example to this is an
archaeologists are with great visual literacy skills who rely
on engraved drawings on caves and stones to understand
how the world worked long before the modern era.

 There is undeniable evidence that learners actually visualize

what they are reading to get a better understanding of what is
being told in the text. It happens to every one when we read
something foreign to our understanding. We paint the picture of
what it is and try to connect the visuals in our head. A great
example of learners visualizing what they read are doctors.
While reading the procedures of their next heart surgeries,
surgeons imagine the actual operations and the movements of
their hands as they stitch up the patient. In preparation for
tumor-removal procedures, doctors print the tumor to get a
good visual of how they can safely remove it without rupturing
the patient's heart, spleen or pancreas.

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SEVEN STANDARDS OF A VISUAL LITERACY:
A visually literate person is someone who can:
• Determine the nature and extent of the visual materials needed
• Find and access needed images and visual media effectively and
efficiently
• Interpret and analyze the meanings of images and visual media
• Evaluate images and their sources
• Use images and visual media effectively
• Design and create meaningful images and visual media
• Understand many of the ethical, legal, social, and economic issues
surrounding the creation and use of images and visual media, and
access and use visual materials ethically.

ELEMENTS OF VISUAL LITERACY:

Visual literacy is an ability that enables an individual to

effectively find, interpret, evaluate, use, and create images and visual
media. This skill equips a learner to analyze the contextual, cultural,
ethical, aesthetic, intellectual, and technical components involved in the
production and use of visual materials. A visually literate person is both
a critical consumer of visual media and a competent contributor to a
body of shared knowledge and culture.

Elements of Visual Literacy (Beaudry, 2014 as adapted from Sinatra, 1986

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Visual Elements: Syntax and Semantics

Languages of Visual Elements: Syntax and Semantics

 Visuals are a language that allow us to produce and
communicate thoughts and images about reality.
 The symbols used in visual communication are not a fixed
vocabulary (dictionary).
 Visual communication is made up of symbols whose meaning
results from their context.
 A visual meaning is formed by seeing and thinking.

Visual Semantics
 Semantic is the study of language meaning.
 Visual semantics are the cultural, communicative and social
signs relate to meaning.
 Examples of visual semantics signs includes:
photo creator, date & time of shooting, purpose, context,
audience, relationships

Visual Syntax
 Syntax is the grammatical arrangement of words in sentences.
 VL syntax is the form of building of blocks of an image. These
blocks are called visual elements.
 Examples of visual elements includes:
scale, dimension, arrangements, framing, motion, colour,
light, shadow, juxtaposition, relative size, foreground,
background
Main Visual Elements (visual syntax)
1. Framing
2. Angle
3. Lighting
4. Timing
5. Contrast
6. Scale

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Let’s Do It (Application)
Format:
Margin- 1.5”L and 1” in all other sides
Font- Cambria, 12
School Heading (with name and school logo)
Name: Year and Section:
Activity No. Rating

Visual Literacy
Title

A. Direction: Reveal the message the caution/ warning shown in each

picture.

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B. Direction: Interpret what the author wants to tell to the reader based
on the given graph.

CRITERIA OF RATING
Creativity of Content Relevance Uniqueness/ TOTAL
Thoughts Originality
30% 40% 20% 20% 100%

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 Arts and Creativity Literacies
Evaluation
A. Direction: Analyze the visual below. Share your observations/ analysis
by comparing and contrasting Bloom’s Old and New Taxonomy
in your discussion.

B. Direction: Tell the message of the road and safety signs shown below

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C. Direction: Create your own story using the different pictures given.

Mechanics:
1. The self- made story must contain the elements: setting,
character, plot, theme, and conflict.

2. The pictures below ARE NOT arranged. It is up to the author

on how his/ her story should begin and what picture he/she
would take to begin the story.

3. The story must have a minimum of 500 words and maximum

of 1000 words.

4. The visuals below could be taken as part of your major scenes,

which means that minor scenes can be created between each
major scenes.

Font- Cambria, 12
School Heading (with name and school logo)
Name Year and Section
Evaluation No. Rating

___________________________________
Title

CRITERIA OF RATING
Creativity
Elements of Organization
of Originality TOTAL
the Story of Thoughts
Thoughts
25% 40% 20% 15% 100%

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