Effects of Integrating Drawing to the Writing Process
Abstract: This study was conducted over an 8- week period with 20 first graders in an urban school setting. Students simply wrote on self-selected topics without drawing. During the first week students were limited to writing in a 30 minute time frame. Two weeks later students were timed for 30 minutes again and they were asked to draw and then write. Results showed that when students draw and then write their stories, their writing performance increased. Changes to their writing center occurred during this 8-week period. Hence, their feelings toward writing also increased at the end of this study as measured with a survey and informal observations.
Introduction:
It seems that the Visual Arts is often a neglected aspect of the elementary school curriculum and frequently at the top of the elimination list. According to Norris (1997) teachers are often reluctant to bring art into the classrooms because they are faced with pressure to improve their students’ standardized test scores. Norris (1997) also points out that some teachers don’t view themselves as being artistic, complicated by seldom having the benefit of an art teacher. Unfortunately, as I’ve seen it, art becomes an add on activity “saved” only for Friday afternoons or bad weather days when the students can’t go outside for recess. In addition, if “art” is used, it is used in coordination with writing as an “after-the-fact” activity, as decoration, or illustration when stories are completed.
As a first grade teacher I can attest to my students’ enjoyment of classroom time devoted to art activities. However, I ,like many teachers in my school, found art difficult to incorporate daily. The very few times that children had to draw were after they’ve written a story. Children seemed to enjoy this time of drawing but were often rushed to finish in order to share their writing. Many times I found myself saying, “When you are finished writing you may draw a picture.” Drawing was not stressed and
Introduction:
It seems that the Visual Arts is often a neglected aspect of the elementary school curriculum and frequently at the top of the elimination list. According to Norris (1997) teachers are often reluctant to bring art into the classrooms because they are faced with pressure to improve their students’ standardized test scores. Norris (1997) also points out that some teachers don’t view themselves as being artistic, complicated by seldom having the benefit of an art teacher. Unfortunately, as I’ve seen it, art becomes an add on activity “saved” only for Friday afternoons or bad weather days when the students can’t go outside for recess. In addition, if “art” is used, it is used in coordination with writing as an “after-the-fact” activity, as decoration, or illustration when stories are completed.
As a first grade teacher I can attest to my students’ enjoyment of classroom time devoted to art activities. However, I ,like many teachers in my school, found art difficult to incorporate daily. The very few times that children had to draw were after they’ve written a story. Children seemed to enjoy this time of drawing but were often rushed to finish in order to share their writing. Many times I found myself saying, “When you are finished writing you may draw a picture.” Drawing was not stressed and
References: Calkins, L. (1986). The art of teaching writing. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann DuCharme C Graves, D. (1983). Writing: Teachers and children at work. Exeter, NH: Heinemann Hubbard, R Karowski, L. (1986). How young writers communicate. Educational Leadership, 44, 58-60 Norris, E. (1997). The Influence of Drawing on Third Graders’ Writing Performance. Reading Horizon, 38, 13-35. Olson, J. (1992). Envisioning writing: Toward an integration of drawing of drawing and writing