Scaffolding with visual imagery for

Korean EFL Learners

Tecnam Yoon, Ed.D

Professor of English Education
Chuncheon National University of Education
Typography
quizlet.com/ko cram.com
Catch it English
 Visual thinking
visual/spatial learning or picture thinking is the phenomenon of
thinking through visual processing.
 Introduction
♦ AVI learning, as a metacognitive tool is supported in research literature as
being an effective way of supporting and improving the acquisition of academic
knowledge. It assists students in understanding of new vocabulary, concept
acquisition, and basic skills mastery.

♦ As the demand for advanced literacy skills increases, the ability to understand
and use words increases in importance. To comprehend effectively what is read,
readers need to have knowledge of word meanings, its concepts to comprehend the
text.

♦ designed to see how students’ ability to comprehend passages was increased, to

explore how students could build and expand creative and critical thinking by AVI
learning and to check how students would change the affective attitude for further
reading.
 Using Images to Increase
Comprehension
• Students need visual images to help them read
and understand in a very texts.
 Visual information
can support reading
and help make meaning
of text.
 Background(1)
♦ Perspectives of Blachowicz and Fisher
(1) students need to personalize word learning, (2) students should be immersed in
words throughout the day, in many forms, (3) students need to build on multiple
sources of information to learn words through repeated exposure, and (4) students
should be active in developing their understanding of words and should be
encouraged to make connections between what they know and the vocabulary
concepts they are to learn. Instruction linking keywords to visual images is one
strategy that meets three of the four principles which guide vocabulary instruction.

♦ Perspectives of Bryant, et al
“… because vocabulary is integral to a student's academic success, vocabulary
instruction should be programmed into all content area instruction on a frequent
basis.”
 Background(2)
♦ Paivio's study and Center, et all’s study
▪ seventh and eighth grade students had better recall for information
presented in pictures compared to information presented in words.

▪ students in year 2, using visual imagery, outperformed the control group on

standardized tests of reading comprehension and story event structure and
on a curriculum based test of listening comprehension.

♦ Perspectives of Van der Bijl, Alant, & Lloyd

“…Pictures can cue students with learning disabilities with decoding unknown
words, can decrease task complexity, and can assist in developing memory for
the written word.”
 Methods
• Research questions:

 What are the benefits and challenges of AVI method when it is employed
on an elementary English class?

 Are there any changes in ELLs’ vocabulary capacity with AVI method?

• Mixed research method

• 5 focal 6th grade elementary students in a public school in Kangwon
province
 Settings
 8 week-after school program in Fall 2015
 ‘C’ public elementary school where around 250 were enrolled as of 2015
 located in the undeveloped area of Kangwon province with roughly 30,000
people
 benefited from isolated area priority educational policies(the school has an
up-to-date multimedia/computer based classroom)
 disadvantaged from the location which is a little away from town, teachers
and native speakers of English have scruples about teaching at this school
 Participants
♦ total 21(*5) 6th grader ELL students participated

• basically beginners to intermediate levels

• have studies English for only 2-3 years with Korean teachers
• no one visited English speaking countries for any reason
• 75% of them answered to learn English is compulsory
• have a lot of stress and anxiety in learning English
• lack of materials written in English, qualified teachers and interest of
parents for learning English
 Materials
♦ Design

• Students used a regular English textbook during the after school reading
class.

• For AVI learning, the class website was designed and launched.

• For individual task, students were encouraged to post their assignment at

online class website where after reading, they posted their new, unfamiliar
vocabulary with an associated image and wrote a sample sentence using
that word.

• For group work, each student was expected to write down new words on
the individual paper and as a group, they drew a cartoon, or manga, using
the new vocabulary, and then and created a short story.
https://www.kiddle.co
• a safe search web tool for kids that filters search
results to enhance younger children safe search
experience
 Data collection/analysis
♦ observing an ELL class at after school
• writing fieldnotes(jottings and memos)
• students’ in-depth interview
• interview with a co-teacher
• two(pre- & post-) survey questionnaires about using AVI in English
reading class
• affective filters: students’ attitude towards AVI and English class over time
• Vocabulary test( pre- and post-)

♦ artifacts (visual data: students’ writing samples)

• group work (paper cartoon)
• individual assignment (online posting)

 all the data set were analyzed in a quantitative and qualitative manner
respectively after collecting, based on its own character
http://old.njoyschool.net/club/album/club_photo_view.asp?mode=all&gid
=10001084&album_id=3
 Findings(1)
♦ The result of surveys and questionnaires reveals that through AVI learning,
students were able,
1) to have more interest and intention to study English more,
2) to feel comfortable to work collaboratively,
3) to gain confidence in general learning.

♦ improvement mean of 28 percent in vocabulary tests, suggesting the

conceptualization and creation of such images would allow young EFL learners
to have the deep processing necessary for long term retention.

 associated images promoted to decode unknown words,

decreased task complexity, and assisted in developing memory
for the written words
 Findings(2)
♦ In writing samples(cartoons), it is observed that students are writing more
stories with acquired vocabularies.

♦ The class website shows how students can expand their creative and critical
thinking and knowledge by sharing what each one did.

♦ One of the focal participants answered in Korean during the interview that,

“… I always wait for English class, because we can see each other’s posting.
Yes, it’s a homework, but I feel like it’s a very interactive game to enjoy. And I
never imagined this kind of fun assignment. I love doing AVI learning.
 Discussions
BENEFITS CHALLENGES

alternative pedagogical strategy to learn a clear understanding regarding

vocabulary the complex nature of vocabulary
VS.
traditional method of rote memorization Learning / lack of proper search tools

AVI
APPLICATION IMPACT/EFFECT

digital natives, to use multimedia and creative and cooperative

computer would be an excellent way develop innovative and useful activities
of motivating students for learning
AVI as a Successful Language Learning Activity

Meeting a Learning Goal

Making a Student-Centered Learning

Integrating Technology into Learning

Suiting Young Learners’ Learning Style

Enhancing Collaboration

Providing Pleasure in Learning

competence attitude

motivation interest
 Conclusion & Implication
♦ In an ESL/EFL classroom, AVI(Associated-Visual-Image) mediated
learning triggers to develop vocabulary increase, to improve reading
comprehensive skills and strategies, and to facilitate recall and
retention. It also accelerates students' creative and critical thinking in that
each of student used a different image whether it is correct or not. Besides,
AVI learning motivates ESL students to read more English books and
work collaboratively.

♦ AVI learning can be done at online-based blog, Wiki, class website or

LMS as well as in a traditional paper-based reading class by working
individually, or collaboratively with peers and group members.
 References
• Blachowicz, C. (1987). Vocabulary instruction: What goes on in the classroom?
Reading Teacher, 41, 132-137.
• Blachowicz, C. & Fisher, P. (2000). Teaching vocabulary. In M. Kamil, P.
Mosenthal, P.D. Pearson, & R. Ban" (Eds.) Handbook of reading research (Vol.
3 pp. 503-523) Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
• Bryant, D., Goodwin, M., Bryant, B., & Higgins K. (2003). Vocabulary
instruction for students with learning disabilities: A review of the research.
Learning Disability Quarterly, 26, 117-128.
• Paivio, A. (1971). Imagery and verbal processes. New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart,
and Winston. (Reprinted 1979: Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.)
• van den Berg, R. (2002).Teachers' meanings regarding educational practice.
Review of Educational Research, 72(4), 577-625.
• van den Broek, P. & Kremer, K. E. (2000). The mind in action: What it means
to comprehend during reading. In B. M. Taylor, M. F. Graves, & P. van den
Broek (Eds.), Reading for meaning: Fostering comprehension in the middle
grades (pp. 1-31). Columbia University: Teachers College Press.
 My two cents…

• K-6: AVI/Pictionary
• 7-9: typography/typotionary
• 10-12: word cloud

• Quizlet (flash card)

• Cram (flash card)
• Tagxedo (word cloud)