Bringing the Outside In

The reading that we value in school is becoming further and further distanced from the literacy students experience in their outside lives.

Keying in on the visual aspects of literacy, and building upon students' growing interest in using words and images from their lives to read and write for authentic reasons and authentic audiences — integrating such strategies as digital storytelling, visual think-alouds, visual literature circles, and others into English class — this book redefines what it means to be literate in today's world.

By adding visual components to class activities and projects integrating tools ranging from pencils and paper to “weblogs” and “wikis”, even reluctant students can become engaged and see themselves as readers and writers for the first time.