The Visualising for Comprehension program helps students develop oral language and comprehension skills. Students learn to visualise, or use imagery, to build a mental picture of the information they are listening to or reading. This visualisation of information helps students remember details and integrate information to support their comprehension. In describing their image, students practice their spoken language skills.

The program is particularly effective with students who have language and learning difficulties, but can also be implemented as a whole class approach to teaching comprehension.

Program Structure

Students practice visualising and describing imagery beginning with pictures. As their visualisation skills develop, students practice with increasing amounts of text. The program targets the following specific skill levels:

• Visualising and describing pictures
• Visualising and describing words with picture support
• Visualising and describing words
• Visualising and summarising sentences and paragraphs

Each practice session includes the following:

• Introducing / reinforcing the concept of visualising
• Visualising and describing at the appropriate skill level
• Use of structure words (e.g. colour, size, action) to support descriptions
• Questioning and feedback from the instructor

The manual includes:

• Detailed instructions to introduce and provide feedback for each activity
• Prompts to use if students have difficulty visualising or describing
• Resources for all activities

 

The program can be implemented with individual students, small groups or a whole class.

Program Requirements

The course Visualising for Comprehension Program gives Teachers and Education Support Officers the training and resources required to implement a Visualising for Comprehension program in their school.