Illustration and Art

To Teach and Learn Content

Using Art to Teach Common Core
Process Produces Product: Art integrated
lessons provide students with time to compare
sources, conduct research and focus on the
process of their work. This process produces
richer and more extensive results than a
"traditional" approach. For LD students, an Art
integrated lesson could lead to better
understanding!
Visually stimulating: Art and Illustration can make
a lesson come alive! For students who have
difficulty concentrating or following along, using
visual stimulus can be very helpful!
Cartoons
Using humor through cartoons is a valuable
teaching tool because they motivate students to
engage with the lesson by:
grabbing attention
promoting critical thinking
helping students think outside the box
encouraging imagination
giving meaning to difficult ideas
making students laugh (relieving stress
and anxiety too!)
helping students remember key
concepts

Access Points: Illustrations and Art are naturally

engaging to both teachers and students! For LD
students who may find it difficult to engage with
certain subject areas, this could be especially
helpful! By using art and illustration to teach
common core, student learning gains relevance.
Students can also connect the world to their
learning and classroom!
Art and Learning Disabilities
Teachers across the country agree: Art and Illustration have
great value for students with disabilities. When art is infused
True Equity: By using Art and Illustration, with teaching, the impact on student attitudes, motivation,
teachers can ensure that their students are social skills, and ability to communicate is significantly
learning in a way that meets their own unique greater. Writing is richer and includes more details. Students
with certain needs or characteristics, and students
cultural, social, emotional and intellectual needs. experiencing learning, behavioral, sensory, physical, or
For LD students, this sense of equality is developmental problems, can all gain greater understanding
particularly important. when art is used as a teaching tool for common core.

Drawings and Diagrams

Arousing student interest and promoting
lateral thinking can be a challenge.

When topics are not easy to understand,

how can we motivate and keep a students
interest?

Illustrate the idea!

 References

Derby, J. (2011). Disability Studies

and Art Education. Studies In Art
Education, 52(2), 94-111.

Kennedy, M. J., Deshler, D. D., &

Lloyd, J. W. (2015). Effects of
Multimedia Vocabulary Instruction on
Adolescents With Learning
Disabilities. Journal Of Learning
Disabilities, 48(1), 22.
doi:10.1177/0022219413487406

Malley, S. s., & Silverstein, L. B.

(2014). Examining the Intersection of
Arts Education and Special
Education. Arts Education Policy
Review, 115(2), 39-43.
Art can be your best ally as a teacher! Mason, C., Thormann, M., & Steedly,
K. (2004b). Model for investigating
Reluctant writer? When students have high anxiety when the impact of the arts on social,
asked to fill a blank page, give them the opportunity to use academic, and art learning for
students with disabilities.
art first. Create a collage, making an illustration or just Washington, D.C.: VSA arts.
drawing a picture before writing a single word can be very Rose, D., & Magnotta, M. (2012).
engaging! Often times, visual drawing help stimulate Succeeding with High-Risk K-3
language development and can help a student express their Populations Using Arts-Based
Reading Instruction: A Longitudinal
ideas with words. Study. Journal Of Educational
Research, 105(6), 416-430.
Talk to your students parent! Integrating art and Satsangi, R. r., & Bouck, E. C.
illustration in the classroom can be difficult. Often times, (2015). Using Virtual Manipulative
Instruction to Teach the Concepts of
parents do not understand why their child may be using Area and Perimeter to Secondary
drawing more often than before. Helping parents Students With Learning Disabilities.
Learning Disability Quarterly, 38(3),
understand the relationship between art and learning is 174-186.
essential! Once parents understand that artistic projects doi:10.1177/0731948714550101
can help make their child more successful, you will meet Tolbert, J. B., Lazarus, B. D., & Killu,
less resistance. K. (2015). Guided Visual Vocabulary
Practice: Spanish Language
Vocabulary Instruction for Students
Help students find their strengths! In an education with Learning Disabilities and
Possibilities beyond the Foreign
environment bombarded by standardized testing, it is Language Classroom. Journal Of
important to encourage students explore their artistic side Language Teaching & Research,
6(2), 241-249.
whenever possible. Remember: Art is Smart! doi:10.17507/jltr.0602.01

6 Reasons to use Art to Teach!

1. Art makes content accessible for every student
2. The arts encourage joyful and active learning
3. Art helps students make personal connections to
content
4. Art helps students understand abstract content
5. Art stimulates higher level thinking
6. The Arts build community and help children engage
in collaborative work
(Lively Learning by Linda Crawford)