This recurring article features a different learning skill each time and instead of talking theory will ONLY give ideas for targeting/strengthening that learning skill for ages 2 to 102! Remember that you can find ALL the learning skills in a free interactive tool.
Illustrating: enhancing a message with images, props, drawings, or body language
Teaching children to use visuals and their bodies to communicate makes their messages more vibrant and easier to understand.
- Open-Ended “Show Me” Questions: Instead of just asking “How was your day?”, ask “Can you show me with your face and body how you felt at recess?”. Modeling this response teaches them to engage thoughtfully and use their full physical attention to communicate.
- Model Illustrating: Children learn by example, so use your hands and nearby objects to “paint a picture” of what you are saying. If you are talking about a big elephant, stretch your arms wide and point it out when the child does the same.
- Use Specific Gestures: Teach the child that certain movements have meaning. For instance, sweeping your hand can mean “a long time ago,” or pointing to your heart can illustrate “this makes me happy”.
- The “Mystery Prop” Game: Give the child a random object (like a spoon or a hat) and ask them to tell a story where that object represents something else. This helps them learn to use props to enhance their message.
In the liberal arts, the ability to illustrate abstract concepts through physical or visual metaphors is the “single best tool” for deeper communication.
- The Persona Interview with Props: Incorporate theater into history or literature courses. Have a student take on the persona of someone like Emily Dickinson or Freud, but require them to use three specific props or drawings to explain their core philosophy to the “audience”.
- Empathy through Body Language: Use role-playing to practice how body language can change the “message” of a historical text. Students can experiment with how standing tall versus slouching changes the impact of a famous speech.
- Moderated Visual Discussions: Instead of a standard debate, have students draw “concept maps” on a board as they talk. This forces them to extract maximum meaning from one another by visualizing how their ideas connect or overlap.
For STEM students, illustrating is vital for turning complex data into understandable schemas.
- Spot-Modeling Diagrams: As students work in teams, the instructor should do “spot models” of how to quickly sketch a diagram to solve a problem. Focus on the process of illustrating the logic rather than the artistic quality of the drawing.
- “Clients and Specifications” with Visuals: Play a game where the instructor is a client who needs a structural or biological problem solved but doesn’t understand technical jargon. Students must use props, drawings, or body language to explain their solution so the “client” can visualize it.
- Teaming and Collaboration: Use whiteboards or digital shared spaces where students must “illustrate” their mathematical thinking to their peers to ensure everyone is following the same schema.
Personal interactions are perfect for practicing how to make your messages more engaging through illustration.
- The “Silent Subtitle” Challenge: Watch a foreign film and mute the sound. Try to guess the message of the scene based solely on the characters’ body language and the “props” in their environment. Discuss with a friend what perspectives and motivations you found through these visual cues.
- The “Ineffective Illustration” Game: Watch a show or commercial and try to catch instances where a character’s body language doesn’t match what they are saying. Make a note of these contradictions and compare with a friend to see who caught the most “mixed messages”.
- Catch the Drift: Notice when someone’s attention drifts while you are talking. Use it as a cue to “illustrate”—grab a nearby object or use a more descriptive gesture to bring their attention back and make your point clearer.