{"id":1803,"date":"2026-03-29T08:00:19","date_gmt":"2026-03-29T08:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.processeducation.org\/blog\/?p=1803"},"modified":"2026-03-29T08:00:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-29T08:00:19","slug":"contextualizing-learning-skills-8-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.processeducation.org\/blog\/2026\/03\/29\/contextualizing-learning-skills-8-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Contextualizing Learning Skills: Illustrating"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>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!<\/em> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.processeducation.org\/cls\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Remember that you can find ALL the learning skills in a free interactive tool.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#e47603\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Illustrating<\/mark>:<\/strong> <strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#6aad80\" class=\"has-inline-color\">enhancing a message with images, props, drawings, or body language<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-center\" style=\"grid-template-columns:20% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"167\" height=\"108\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.processeducation.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/LS_home.jpg?resize=167%2C108\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1241 size-full\"\/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Teaching children to use visuals and their bodies to communicate makes their messages more vibrant and easier to understand.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Open-Ended &#8220;Show Me&#8221; Questions<\/strong>: Instead of just asking &#8220;How was your day?&#8221;, ask &#8220;Can you show me with your face and body how you felt at recess?&#8221;. Modeling this response teaches them to engage thoughtfully and use their full physical attention to communicate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Model Illustrating<\/strong>: Children learn by example, so use your hands and nearby objects to &#8220;paint a picture&#8221; 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.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Use Specific Gestures<\/strong>: Teach the child that certain movements have meaning. For instance, sweeping your hand can mean &#8220;a long time ago,&#8221; or pointing to your heart can illustrate &#8220;this makes me happy&#8221;.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>The &#8220;Mystery Prop&#8221; Game<\/strong>: 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.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-center\" style=\"grid-template-columns:20% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"167\" height=\"108\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.processeducation.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/LS_arts.jpg?resize=167%2C108\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1240 size-full\"\/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the liberal arts, the ability to illustrate abstract concepts through physical or visual metaphors is the &#8220;single best tool&#8221; for deeper communication.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>The Persona Interview with Props<\/strong>: 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 &#8220;audience&#8221;.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Empathy through Body Language<\/strong>: Use role-playing to practice how body language can change the &#8220;message&#8221; of a historical text. Students can experiment with how standing tall versus slouching changes the impact of a famous speech.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Moderated Visual Discussions<\/strong>: Instead of a standard debate, have students draw &#8220;concept maps&#8221; on a board as they talk. This forces them to extract maximum meaning from one another by visualizing how their ideas connect or overlap.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-center\" style=\"grid-template-columns:20% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"167\" height=\"108\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.processeducation.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/LS_stem.jpg?resize=167%2C108\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1243 size-full\"\/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For STEM students, illustrating is vital for turning complex data into understandable schemas.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Spot-Modeling Diagrams<\/strong>: As students work in teams, the instructor should do &#8220;spot models&#8221; of how to quickly sketch a diagram to solve a problem. Focus on the <em>process<\/em> of illustrating the logic rather than the artistic quality of the drawing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>&#8220;Clients and Specifications&#8221; with Visuals<\/strong>: Play a game where the instructor is a client who needs a structural or biological problem solved but doesn&#8217;t understand technical jargon. Students must use props, drawings, or body language to explain their solution so the &#8220;client&#8221; can visualize it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Teaming and Collaboration<\/strong>: Use whiteboards or digital shared spaces where students must &#8220;illustrate&#8221; their mathematical thinking to their peers to ensure everyone is following the same schema.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-center\" style=\"grid-template-columns:20% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"167\" height=\"108\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.processeducation.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/LS_idea.jpg?resize=167%2C108\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1242 size-full\"\/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Personal interactions are perfect for practicing how to make your messages more engaging through illustration.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>The &#8220;Silent Subtitle&#8221; Challenge<\/strong>: Watch a foreign film and mute the sound. Try to guess the message of the scene based solely on the characters&#8217; body language and the &#8220;props&#8221; in their environment. Discuss with a friend what perspectives and motivations you found through these visual cues.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>The &#8220;Ineffective Illustration&#8221; Game<\/strong>: Watch a show or commercial and try to catch instances where a character&#8217;s body language <em>doesn&#8217;t<\/em> match what they are saying. Make a note of these contradictions and compare with a friend to see who caught the most &#8220;mixed messages&#8221;.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Catch the Drift<\/strong>: Notice when someone&#8217;s attention drifts while you are talking. Use it as a cue to &#8220;illustrate&#8221;\u2014grab a nearby object or use a more descriptive gesture to bring their attention back and make your point clearer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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 &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.processeducation.org\/blog\/2026\/03\/29\/contextualizing-learning-skills-8-2\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":1276,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_eb_attr":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1803","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academy-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.processeducation.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/skills.jpg?fit=889%2C132","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.processeducation.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1803","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.processeducation.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.processeducation.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.processeducation.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.processeducation.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1803"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.processeducation.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1803\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1805,"href":"http:\/\/www.processeducation.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1803\/revisions\/1805"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.processeducation.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1276"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.processeducation.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1803"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.processeducation.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1803"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.processeducation.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1803"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}