Lesson 13

Teaching with Visual Symbols

   Visual symbols include drawings, cartoons, strip drawings, diagrams, formulas, charts, graphs, maps, globes. Let us divide this lesson into seven (7) parts:

A.   DRAWINGS

A drawing may not be the real thing but better to have a concrete visual aid than nothing. To avoid confusion, it is good that our drawing correctly represents the real thing.

Here are some samples of stick drawings:

B.   CARTOONS

Another useful visual symbol that can bring novelty to our teaching is the cartoon. A first-rate cartoon tells it¢s story metaphorically. The perfect cartoon needs no caption. The less the artist depends on words, the more effective the symbolism. The symbolism conveys the message.

Here are examples:

C.   STRIP DRAWINGS

These are commonly called comics or comic strip. Dale (1969) asserts that a more accurate term is strip drawings. Make use of strips that are educational and entertaining at the same time.

Here is an example:

D.   DIAGRAMS

It is “any line drawing that shows arrangement and relations as of parts to the whole, relative values, origins and development, chronological fluctuations, distribution, etc. ” (Dale 1969)

Here is an example:

Types of a Diagram

1.    Affinity diagram- used to cluster complex apparently unrelated date into natural and meaningful groups.

2.    Tree diagram- used to chart out, in increasing detail, the various tasks that must be accomplished to complete a project or achieve a specific objective.

3.    Fishbone diagram- it is also called cause-and-effect diagram. It is a structured form of brainstorming that graphically shows the relationship of possible causes and sub causes directly related to an identified effect/problem. It is most commonly used to analyze work-related problems.

E.   CHARTS  

A chart is a diagrammatic representation of relationships among individuals within an organization. We can have a:

1.    Time chart-is a tabular time chart that presents date in ordinal sequence. Here is an example:

2.    Tree or stream chart- depicts development, growth and change by beginning with a single course (the trunk) which spreads out into many branches or by beginning with the many tributaries which then converge into a single channel. The genealogical tree is an example:

3.    Flow chart-is a visual way of charting or showing a process from beginning to end. It is a means of analyzing a process. By outlining every step in a process, you can begin to find inefficiencies or problems.(Latta,1994)

4.    Organizational chart- shows how one part of the organization relates to other parts of the organization.

5.    Comparison and contrast chart- used to show similarities and differences between two things.

6.    Pareto chart- is a type of bar chart, prioritized in descending order of magnitude or importance from left to right. It shows at a glance which factors are occurring most.

7.    Gannt chart- is an activity time chart.

F.    GRAPHS  

There are several types of graphs. They are:

·         Pie or circle graph- recommended for showing parts of whole.

·         Bar graph- used in comparing the magnitude of similar items at different ties or seeing relative sizes of the parts of a whole.

·         Pictorial graph- makes use of picture symbols.

·         Graphic organizers- you met several graphic organizers in your subject, Principles of Teaching. Here is another graphic organizer, an information organizer.

G.   MAPS 

A map is a “representation of the surface of the earth or some part of it…”  (Dale 1969)

Kinds of Map

·         Physical map- combines in a single projection data like altitude, temperature, rainfall, precipitation, vegetation and soil.

·         Relief map- has three dimensional representations and show contours of the physical data of the earth or part of the earth.

·         Commercial or economic map- also called product or industrial map since they show land areas in relation to the economy.

·         Political map- gives detailed information about country, provinces, cities and towns, roads and highways. Oceans, rivers and lakes are the main features of most political maps.

Map Language

Ø  Scale- shows how much of the actual earth¢s surface is represented by a given measurement on a map. On some maps, scale is shown graphically. In others the scale is expressed in words and figures.

Ø  Symbols- usually a map has a legend that explains what each symbols means.

Ø  Color- the different colors of the map are part of the map language.

Ø  Geographic graphs- the entire system of these grid lines are called grid lines. These grid lines called meridians and parallels. A meridian is a north to south pole line. Parallels are lines drawn around a globe with all points along each line with an equal distance from the pole. Longitude is the distance in degrees of any place east or west of the prime meridian. Latitude is the distance in degrees of any place north and south of the equator.

Poster-An artistic work, often a reproduction of an original painting or photograph, printed on a large sheet of paper.