Talking Picture Books

Many of the schools in the New York City communities where we teach our workshops are identified as "Schools in Need of Improvement" in the area of Elementary Language Arts. Many participating students are "English Language Learners" and "Former English Language Learners."

In our Talking Picture Books program students work with one of our teaching artists to read an original selected text of a highly visual science linked story. They then respond, discuss and write their own storyboard and narration in English and Spanish based on the text, analyze their stories, and combine their sequence with others at the school. Students use digital cameras and computers to create; as they edit and create stop-motion animation, students apply the knowledge and thinking skills of technology to address challenges.

Through animation work, Talking Picture Books addresses the need for visual arts experiential learning( often in schools without a certified Visual Arts teacher), as well as expand the use of technology in academic and artistic subject areas.

Students develop knowledge and the use of arts materials and resources, respond critically to their own artistic choices, and take video segments and put them together to create a cohesive finished piece.
Ultimately, they gain perspective and a hands-on personal experience to better understand the cultural contributions of the arts.

Talking Picture Books is an integrated collaborative that reinforces and enhances educational standards in English Language Arts, Visual Arts and Technology. It is a critical time for teaching technology to students in the United States, and it is critical to get technology and arts to the students in communities whose school budgets do not provide for them.