Welcome to the world of teaching the visualization reading comprehension strategy. Words come alive and stories are created in our minds. Have you ever struggled to understand and remember what you’ve read? Your students struggle with this, too. Many students face challenges when it comes to comprehending text. By using the power of your imagination, your students can unlock a whole new level of understanding.

In this blog post, we will look at the positives of mental images. We will also learn how it can enhance your students reading comprehension skills. Whether you’re a teacher looking to improve your students comprehension skills, or simply wanting to fully engage your students in a story, this article is for you. So, grab a cup of tea or coffee, settle into your favorite reading chair, get cozy, and get ready to embark on a teaching journey of visualizing. Let’s unlock the power of mental images for your students and take their reading comprehension to new heights. If you came here for the FREE Teacher Parent Checklist, scroll down or click here!

Teaching Visualization

Here is how I teach visualization, or mental imaging. First, I make popcorn and I buy the paper bags from the dollar store that says popcorn and fill them with popcorn prior to the lesson. There is a detailed lesson plan below, if you like. But I read a book such as “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie,” and stop just before the last page.

I am all drama and say, “I can’t let you see the last page because I want you to visualize the words in your mind.” I Make an anchor chart and draw out curtains on the chart as if were were sitting in a movie theater. You can also line the chairs up on the carpet like we are in a movie theater. Also, students can bring blankets. Consider turning a few lights off to dim the room. Then, I give my students a white sheet of paper on clip boards, or you can click on the link below to have a premade printable ready to go. Then, I ask my students to not look at the picture, while I hide the last page. They always want to see it and love to ‘play’ this game of me hiding something they can’t see.

Turn on some ‘end of movie’ music and let them draw the movie in their heads on their clip boards. The students then can turn and talk to share and compare their drawings or images with a partner. Lastly, I pick a couple students to share with the class what they visualized, using the term as often as you can so the vocabulary words sticks. I hope you have as much fun with this activity as I do!

The Ability to Comprehend

The ability to comprehend and remember what we read has become more important than ever. Reading comprehension is not just about reading pieces of words on a page. It is about understanding the meaning behind those words. Also, it is about making the connections to classroom and in life. But how can we unlock this power of comprehension? These strategies are an approach that taps into our imagination. By using the power of imagination, these strategies help us to create pictures in our minds while reading. This makes the text come alive. Today, we will explore the benefits of visualizing for reading comprehension. Using mental images will help us teach our students how to comprehend and retain information through read alouds and texts.

The Importance of Visualization Reading Comprehension Strategy

Reading comprehension is often thought of as one of the most important skills we can have. It is the foundation upon which all other learning is built. Without strong reading comprehension skills, we might struggle to understand the concepts presented in textbooks and even everyday reading materials. However, poor comprehension can block our ability to communicate, both in written and verbal form. In a world where information is on overload, being able to understand and process what we read is important for success in your students future academics, careers, and everyday life.

I also highly recommend this book, The Keys to Comprehension, by Susan Zimmerman and Chryse Hutchins, for more information and scholarly reading on the subject. In this book, you will find many activities to support you in this reading comprehension journey.

What are Visualization Reading Comprehension Strategies?

Visualizing strategies contain the power of mental imagery. It will enhance our reading comprehension. When we engage in mental images while reading, we create vivid pictures in our minds that bring the text to life. This experience allows us to better understand and remember the information presented to us. By visualizing the details, context, and emotions connected with the text, we can have deeper meaning and retain the information better. As students improve in their reading, they will be able to see the picture in their head and enjoy books without pictures, moving into chapter books, and non-fiction texts with greater skill.

The Benefits of Visualization Reading Comprehension Strategy

Research shows that visualizing strategies can have an impact on reading comprehension for your students. By activating the visual centers of the brain, these strategies stir our imagination and engage multiple senses, making the reading experience more memorable. When we visualize, we create a mental movie that plays out the events, characters, and settings described in the text. This not only improves our understanding of the material, but also enhances our emotional connection to the story or information being presented.

By helping your students visualize, you will be able to move them to a greater comprehension level that will help them learn to love reading, improve reading skills, improve grades, and help to raise test scores.

And honestly, it helps me as a teacher enjoy reading to my students. We are able to talk about books on a deeper level that we aren’t able to do at the beginning of the year before students learn to visualize.

Research on Visualization Strategies and Their Effectiveness

Many studies have explored the positive effects of visualization strategies in improving reading comprehension. One study conducted by Johnson and Mayer (2012) found students who used visualization techniques while reading showed an increase in their ability to recall and understand the material compared to those who did not. Another study by Pressley, Johnson, Symons, McGoldrick, and Kurita (1989) shows that teaching students how to visualize while reading resulted in higher reading comprehension scores. This also helps me as a teacher knowing the students are enjoying reading and their test scores improve.

Different Types of Visualization Techniques

There are many visualizing strategies that can be taught to enhance reading comprehension. One such technique is sensory visualization, where readers use their mental imaging to engage all their senses while visualizing the text. For example, when reading a passage about a tropical beach, students close their eyes and visualize the warm sun on their skin, the sound of crashing waves, the smell of saltwater in the air, and the sensation of sand between their toes. You can bring in scents of the sea, salt, seashells for them to feel. This multi-sensory approach creates a more immersive experience and aids in understanding the text on a deeper level. Consider bringing in actual items that relate to a story for students to feel, smell, and see.

Another one is concept mapping, which involves creating visual thoughts of the main ideas and connections within a text. By organizing information into a visual framework, readers can better grasp the connections between ideas, making it easier to understand complex books. You might do this with making an interpretation through drawings for beginning, middle, and end with your students, or simply main characters. There are several ways you can map. Well, you can draw an actual map if there is geography. You could also draw a family tree if there are several family members in a story and you want to help your students keep them straight. You might draw the objects in a story so students can remember what is included in the duffle bag, purse, or lunch box. Depending on the story, your students can draw the contents of any situation.

How to Teach Visualization Strategies to Young Students

Teaching visualization strategies to children can improve their reading comprehension skills. One method is to model the process by reading aloud and then describing the mental images you create. Encourage children to actively participate by asking them questions about what they see in their minds while listening. Gradually, they can start practicing visualization independently while reading on their own. Visual aids, such as illustrations or photographs, can also be used to support their visualization process.

Integrating Visualization Strategies into the Classroom

Educators can use visualization in their teaching practices to increase reading comprehension in the classroom. One approach is to provide students with visual prompts, (I love this!) such as pictures or videos, before reading a text. You might think about bringing in a brown bear if you read, “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See?” This helps activate their prior or background knowledge and sets the stage for visualization. During reading, teachers can help students in creating mental images by asking questions and encouraging them to share their little movies with the class. After reading, discussions and activities centered around visualizing can deepen understanding and create critical thinking skills. A great follow up is to draw the picture for the final page of a book.

Tips for Parents to Support Reading Comprehension through Visualization Reading Comprehension Strategy.

For a FREE printable list of this checksheet, click here or on the image below.

Teachers and parents play an important role in teaching reading comprehension skills at school and home. Here are some tips to support your children’s reading comprehension through mental images:

1. Encourage your child to read a variety of genres and texts and expose students to different types of visual images within these readers, such as poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and text books. You might keep all of these within the same theme you are using in your classroom that week.

2. Discuss books with your child, asking them to describe the mental images they created while reading. Close your eyes and tell me what you see.

3. Provide time for your child to draw or create pictures of the stories they read. See Lesson Plan Below. Use art to inspire comprehension.

4. Use real-world objects or experiences to help your child connect their visualizations to their own lives. Bring in items they can see, smell, and touch. Bring items to go along with your book. This will bring the story to life!

5. Model this technique by reading aloud and sharing your own mental images. Talk about what you see, what you imagine and maybe how that compares to a real life experience. If you went the beach and are reading a beach story, you can use that background knowledge to help you create your movie.

FREE Lesson Plan for Visualization Reading Comprehension Strategy

Day One

Before your lesson: Write “Visualization” at the top of an anchor chart. I like to draw a movie theater screen similar to this, and draw popcorn too. Write the definition: To be able to see movies in your head when you read books.

During your lesson: Tell the students that today we will be talking about a new strategy. It is called, Visualizing. Refer to your anchor chart. Read a book and when you reach the final page, hide the picture. Ask the students what movie they saw in their head?

1. Hand them paper

2. Ask them to draw what they are seeing in their mind’s eye.

3. Re-read the page several times slowly so they can get details.

4. You might also ‘draw’ your image on the anchor chart movie stage, trying not to copy the picture you viewed from the book. Draw it after the lesson, after school, or later in the day to keep students from copying you.

For younger students, read the final page with only 2-3 sentences.  For older students, you might read a chapter page to see all the pieces of art the students come up with.

After all or most of the students have finished their drawings, show them the illustrator’s drawing of the words from the text of that last page.  Compare and contrast what students saw and movies were played in each persons head.

Day Two

Review the anchor chart and discuss vocabulary. Repeat the same lesson as above, using a different book.

Conclusion at the end of the week/final lesson. Review the chart again and discuss. Go back over the movies they created in their head.

Extensions for Literacy Stations or Centers for Visualization Reading Comprehension Strategy

EXTENSIONS: These are activities you can do in whole group, small reading groups, or stations, depending on the ability of your students.

Extension 1: Pick out a poem that has many details young readers can draw. Read the poem to the group, whole class, or 1-1 for remediation. Have the students draw what you are reading. Being careful to not let them see the illustrations. Afterward, show them the illustrator’s drawing of the words.

Extension 2: Read books in small groups to emulate what you did in whole group. Have students work in groups to create a mural of a picture to hang on a big wall in the hallway. On a smaller scale, you can have them create drawings on large construction paper.

Extension 3: Have them paint, chalk, clay, or use other mediums to create their images from the last page of a story or poem you read.

Different Levels of Students:

Students that need more help, work in groups of 3-4 with an adult close by.

For students that are on level can work alone or with another student, with an adult close by for direction.

Students that are above level can create a clay piece, a mural, poster, or diorama by themselves or with another student.

Common Misunderstandings about Visualization Strategies

There are some common misconceptions about visualizing. One is that it is only suitable for creative or narrative texts. However, visualizing can be used in any type of reading material. This can include textbooks, scientific articles, and even manuals. If you are putting together a shelf from the box. You know the place, haha! Visualizing what the shelf needs to look like at the end will help you in putting it together.

Another misunderstanding is that the strategies are time-consuming and may slow down the reading process. Actually, once visualizing becomes a habit, it can increase reading speed by improving comprehension and reduce the need for re-reading.

Conclusion

Visualization strategies have the power to improve our reading experience and unlock the full potential of our minds. And by tapping into the power of visuals, we can enhance our understanding, memory, and enjoyment of the texts we read. Whether we are students, teachers, or parents, putting the movie in our head into our reading habits and teaching, we can improve reading. So, let us start on this journey of teaching using the power of visual images and unlock the true magic of reading.

For More Comprehension Strategies Visit these links:

1. Making Reading Comprehension Simple with 7 Strategies
2. Text to Text Connections
3. Text to Self Connections
4. Text to World Connection
5. Background Knowledge Reading Comprehension