PWIM

Picture Word Induction Model

 Overview

 •The Picture Word Inductive Model (PWIM) is

an instructional approach for the teaching of
reading that uses pictures containing familiar
objects, actions and scenes, to draw out
familiar words from students’ listening and
speaking vocabularies.

 –This strategy helps students add words to their:

 •sight reading vocabulary
•writing vocabulary
•phonetic and structural principles
 Purpose of PWIM

 to develop students’ vocabulary, concepts

about words, and sentence and paragraph
structures through reading and content areas
such as math, science, social studies, and
health
 Procedure / Methodology
 The Picture Word Inductive Model is
 a complex strategy that takes training on the
part of the teacher. It is through training,
coaching with colleagues, and practice that
teachers learn how to select the best
photographs that will draw out appropriate
vocabulary that will then lead to the study of
the appropriate structural principles and
increased reading proficiency
 Advantages of PWIM
 The strategy emphasizes phonics, grammar,
mechanics, and usage of Standard English.
 Pictures provide concrete visuals for the
learning of new words, phrases, and
sentences.

 Because students are using pictures related to

content material under study.
 Advantages
 The picture word chart serves as an immediate
reference, or picture dictionary, that enables
students to eventually add the words to their
own sight vocabulary. The teacher can
choose to emphasize almost any sound
and symbol relationship (introduced or
taken to mastery).
 Advantages
 Students are assisted in seeing the
patterns and relationships of the English
language, enabling them to apply this
learning to newly encountered words.
 Advantages
 Students hear and see words
spelled correctly and participate in
correct spelling and writing.

 Learners benefit from the teacher

modeling of the key words and
concepts. With extensive practice,
students begin to learn how to
create sentences and paragraphs
related to the subject under study.
 Rationale
 Can be used with classes of students with varied abilities
 Cultural backgrounds
 Builds vocabulary directly
 Motivating; promotes a feeling of immediate success among learners
 Uses students own developed language (listening and
speaking vocabularies) to add reading and writing to their
communication repertoire
 Supports transition from spoken to written language;
students can see the transformations from oral to written
expression
 Builds concepts about how language works, from use of
conventions and standard English, to more complex
concepts such as paragraph development
 Steps of PWIM
 Select a picture.
 Ask students to identify what they see in the picture.
 Label the picture parts identified. (Draw a line
from the identified object or area, say the word,
write the word; ask students to spell the word
aloud and then to pronounce it.)
 Read and review the picture word chart aloud.
 Ask students to read the words (using the lines
on the chart if necessary) and to classify the
words into a variety of groups. Identify common
concepts (e.g., beginning consonants, rhyming
words) to emphasize with the whole class
 Steps of PWIM Cont
 Read and review the picture word chart (say the word, spell it,
 say it again).
 Add words, if desired, to the picture word chart and to
 the word banks.
 Lead students into creating a title for the picture word chart.
Ask students to think about the information on the chart and
what they want to say about it.
 Ask students to generate a sentence, sentences, or a
paragraph about the picture word chart. Ask students
to classify sentences; model putting the sentences into
a good paragraph.

 Read and review the sentences and paragraphs

 References

 (http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/1999calhou
n/1999calhount oc.html) by Emily F. Calhoun
 Calhoun, E.F. (1999) Teaching beginning reading and
writing with
 The picture word inductive model. Alexandria, VA:
ASCD.
 Joyce, B., Hrycauk, M., & Calhoun, E. (2001) A
second chance for
 Struggling readers. Education Leadership. March,
2001, 42-46.