According to Hillman, Pictorial or wordless books contain pictures and pure illustrations in a volume that illustrates it all; “tell it all”. However, certain wordless books have minimal wording and labels. Others have phrases and single sentences alongside the illustrations (Hillman, 2010). These books comprise all genes; fiction, poetry, fantasy, biography and nonfiction. Such is a sample of books fellow learners, and I used to aid our understanding of the content of what is taught by the teacher (Wendy, Janice, Amy & Abigail, 2011). We actively participated and fully concentrated on what was taught by our teacher through graphical representations that were displayed on the walls and pictorial books. Wordless picture books are used for learning in diverse setups which include classrooms; during normal class lessons in kindergartens, library and for home studies (Hillman, 2010). Previously the books were presumed to be used only by children that were not the case as it is of much significance to adults. It is so interesting and captivating using wordless pictorials as a tool for learning amongst children. Pictorials use the common images that are frequently used by the children outside class and relate them to what is taught in classrooms (Young, 2009). They offer a surprising variety in themes, topics and levels of difficulty.
Were it not for the pictorial books that we used for learning, the outstanding literacy skills which link interpretation of learnt images, social group norm and characters and print literacy could not have been as meticulous in us as it is today. (Wendy, Janice, Amy & Abigail, 2011). Using pictorial books is what enhanced my behavior in book handling. Most of the young children before they are introduced to such books have challenges identifying the front cover and the back page of a pictorial book (Young, 2009). In addition to this, the bottom page could be confused for the top page. The toddler would possibly begin reading either from the back page or when the book is upside down depending on what images has come to their attention on their first glance of the book. Failure to introduce the picture books to a child could, therefore, limit their ability and exposure on how to handle books that not only contain the pictorial information. The proficient skills I have today on book handling is undisputable acquired from the knowledge I gathered from my tender lessons of using picture books (Wendy, Janice, Amy & Abigail, 2011).
In my tender age, I could surprisingly note certain information that was missed by my elders after I had a clear understanding and interpretation of visual images. These aspect natured visual literacy skills that have today enabled me infer on pictures and images that I come across at any given moment. The advancement in technology has exposed the current generation to a vast variety of images. This is through access to computer screens, television sets and billboards. The wordless books relay stories in the form of images and illustrations which help develop their visual literacy skills (Wendy, Janice, Amy & Abigail, 2011). Interpretative skills and comprehension abilities among children and persons with hearing challenges are natured through the use of wordless books. A best friend and classmate, Johnson, had the most outstanding grade in art and craft design and interpretation. His visual literacy skills boosted his ability in this particular subject. Being introduced to English as my second language when I had very dismal proficiency in the language could have been a great challenge without the use of wordless books and pictorials (Young, 2009). Relation of the images and illustrations improved my interpretive skills and the ability to comprehensively analyze any piece of information and pictorial. Pictorial books were some of the learning resources that most of us treasured and shared with lots of fun amongst our peers and those who were at different levels in learning the English language (Young, 2009).
Inspirational qualities in storytelling, garnered from the use of Wordless Books, is of much significance to learners who are not yet deciphering the print alongside developing their potential as advanced writers and active readers. As children, we acquired sense of narration with a clear demonstration of logical understanding alongside cognitive abilities through the use of Wordless Books. Finally, Wordless Books encompasses a series of subjects and topics in one volume (Wendy, Janice, Amy & Abigail, 2011). This enabled the learning of different disciplines at ones hence boosting curricular integration. How funny and interesting to learn about nature alongside science and the interactions of biological organisms in a given ecological setup (Massetti, 2009). One of the most interesting pictorials that was most captivating while in the kindergarten was the illustration of a tabby cat's life which each of us in the class had to rewrite in a journal with labels (Young, 2009).
I got introduce to the learning of English language at the age of seven years old. This involved a rigorous tutoring for twelve weeks using the Wordless Books. This program was aimed at improving my literacy in English alongside French (Hillman, 2010). This was done at different levels that comprised identification of characters alongside alphabets, directionality and vocabulary in the two languages. This was followed by very thorough assessments by my tutor (Young, 2009). The tutor was so strict that committing petty mistakes that he had ones corrected earned me a long double pinch on my ears. Each time the slender, tall and smartly dressed teacher walked into class I would freeze on the cold metal seat and take a very keen observation on whatever was expected of us (Wendy, Janice, Amy & Abigail, 2011). This was the only way to escape the thirty second pinch that would leave the years as hot as if some superheated water were splashed onto the pinna (Young, 2009). The marks at beach stage would be kept for summation to get an average score after the three stages are successfully completed. Serious consequences awaited those who would fall below the cut off marks. This would include retaking the tests for another twelve weeks. Each of the class members would converge for consultation on the day the results were being released. On our favor, everybody passed the tests, and we parted each other jubilantly at the back for the good work done (Young, 2009). The Wordless Books we used were of great help as it enhanced the development of our vocabulary and literacy skill (Hillman, 2010).
Wordless Books that were used mainly for children teaching advance and are used today by the adults. The pictorial language tells it all and thus has made me participate actively in drawing of cartoons for publications that have had a farfetched audience and funs. As have been reflected above the use of Wordless Books contributed greatly in the development of literacy skills, attitudes and comprehension qualities (Hillman, 2010). Personally the skills that I express today were natured by the use of Wordless Books. These books had much imagery and fun alongside boosting my basic skills of book handling. The pictorials in certain incidences could be interpreted differently depending on the interest of the reader. However, a common consensus could be reached a deliberate debate alongside the guidance of the teacher on the most appropriate meaning of any given picture (Hillman, 2010). These qualities that I have acquired from the use of Wordless Books built on my ability to communicate to a large number of persons without moving from one place to another. I am, therefore, for the idea that an effective use of Wordless Books is very mandatory right from the kindergarten to adulthood. It has helped people develop their talents and earn a living from photography a skill that is mostly developed at a very tender age.
Reference
Hillman, J. (2010). Discovering children’s literature. Englewood in your classroom. Young Children, 43(6), 24–25.Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Massetti, G. M. (2009). Enhancing Emergent Literacy Skills of Preschoolers from Low-Income Environments Through a Classroom-Based Approach. School of Psychology Review,
38(4), 554-569.
Wendy C. K., Janice V. K., Amy A. M., and Abigail G. (2011). Living Literature: Using Children's Literature to Support Reading and Language Arts
Young, J. (2009). Enhancing emergent literacy potential for young children. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 32(2), 163-180.
