10 ways to use drawings in the ELT classroom

I am a graphic facilitator. To keep it super simple, that essentially means that I facilitate my language classes and teacher training sessions visually, using my own hand-drawn graphics. Here are some of my favourite ways to do this.

1. Note taking

As teachers, we want to share strategies to help our students to learn effectively. Using drawings whilst taking notes (aka. sketchnoting) makes the content more memorable. Teaching our learners some simple icons can help them to categorise their notes. Techniques such as mindmapping, Venn diagrams, graphs or tables are also helpful.

A sketch note I made of a recent webinar with Abby McBride, National Geographic Sketch Biologist.

2. Learning new vocabulary

In 2016, Wammes, Meade and Fernandes conducted research that found that drawn words were remembered better than written words. Encouraging learners to use graphic organisers containing a simple drawing can help them learn new vocabulary.

Graphic Organiser for vocabulary

3. Future planning

One of the main reasons students give for learning English is to improve their future prospects, or help them reach their goals. Help your learners envision their future by asking them to draw a road map or progression ladder. You can ask them to complete it using drawings or simply by writing the stages.

4. Explaining

I haven’t used the adage ‘a picture says a thousand words’ in this blog yet. But I’m surprised I haven’t, because pictures do say a thousand words. And when your students don’t even know a hundred words, pictures are invaluable. Here’s one I drew to explain breakout rooms to my A0 class.

5. Prompting language

Visuals can be used as prompts for language learning. I used this activity to practise word order in past tense questions. Draw a simple icon which represents the question, then give them (or elicit) the question word. Then ask learners to create the question following the word order rules. Once the students have the questions, ask them to discuss them in small groups. As an extension, you could ask students to use the questions as prompts for writing.Margarita Kosior – Pick a cause and fight for it. Introducing Tales of Strays.

6. Directing and inspiring the conversation

Visual templates are commonly used by graphic facilitators to engage participants in discussions. They are often drawn on flipcharts and displayed around the room, but work equally well displayed online. One of their main benefits is that they are flexible and can be re-used.

This example could be used in a few ways:

1 – Students discuss what they know about each energy source and complete the relevant section with post its/virtual post-its in Jamboard.

2 – Students are allocated one energy source to research individually, in pairs or in groups. Students then add the information they find and present it to the class.

3 – Students read or listen to information about the energy sources and complete the relevant sections.

4 – Add a +/- section to the template. Students have to then add the advantages and disadvantages of each energy source.

5 – Your own idea! Please tell me in the comments how you would use this in class!

7. Checking understanding

Drawing is a great way to concept check meaning. You can draw and ask students to explain, ask them to draw their own explanations or ask them to explain while you draw. Drawing dictations are also a fun way to check understanding; one person dictates a picture or story while the other draws.

A drawing dictation. The teacher or another student dictates.

8. Reflecting

Reviewing a learning experience helps students to consider their next steps and what they could do differently. I find that visual facilitation benefits this process immensely. Here’s a visual reflection sheet that I used with my A0 learners’ this year. We completed it during exit guidance and used it to guide the discussion.

10. Creating (and having fun)

Linkedin found creativity to be one of the most desirable 21st Century Skills. Supporting learners to think creatively will help them develop these life skills. Using drawings in class can do just that.

One way I like to do this is using the Japanese art of Hirameki. Basically, give students some blobs of paint. You could also get them to make their own with paint or by quickly scribbling randomly in their notebooks. Ask them to look closely at the blobs and draw what they see. I often find that they can come up with the most wonderful ideas and vocabulary.

Love these ideas? Why not join me for my online course in September? There are still a few places left. https://www.emilybrysonelt.com/all-courses/

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