Photography and Writing

I read an article recently about using photography to teach writing. The article talked about the importance of photography and how well it correlates with literacy. "Photography has an important role to play in facilitating childrens' literacy experiences". A nursery school in Scotland had children use digital cameras to record their home adventures with classroom teddy bears. The school found the photography to increase independence and help with story writing, sequencing skills, creative skills and language and communication skills. This article talks about how photography and writing are both composing processes, and they both help children with competencies. The article states that the cameras made activities more fun and less intimidating for students. The cameras "changed their view of literacy".
this article really opened my eyes to the types of technology that can be used in the classroom. For the most part, when I think about using technology in the classroom I see smartBoards and computers. while those technologies are great, it is still important to keep up with what today's students are using. I could really see this as bridging the gap between words and telling a story. This article proves that by using something that we see everyday, we can open up students' eyes in different and more exciting ways.

"Children, Parents, and Writing: Using Photography in a Family Literacy Workshop" by Jane Baskwill and Mary Jane Harkins