Fine Art & Real-World Photos
The Fine Art and Real-World Photos Video shows examples of the fine art images and real-world photos, along with the accompanying vocabulary, that is included and taught across the four levels.
Images in Discussions4Learning offer an engaging focal point for all students, regardless of language proficiency. Carefully chosen for their visual appeal, the program’s images stimulate productive discussions that encourage the use of high-level vocabulary.
Program images are:
- 50% fine art—works by artists of many different times and places;
- 50% real-world photos—contemporary images from around the world.
See a complete list of images by level.
Why Images?
Just as adults might take children to a museum or park and discuss the experience during or after the visit, images provide a time- and cost-efficient “field trip,” an experience all students can share and discuss while viewing the image, as well as hours, days, or weeks afterward. Images capture the attention of all students, regardless of age or linguistic proficiency.
Fine Art and Real-World Photos
Works of fine art and real-world photographs from around the world form the visual foundation of the Discussions4Learning program. These images have been carefully chosen for their visual impact, their thought-provoking content, and their appeal for students. They represent diverse cultures, time periods, art media, and perspectives.
Each image, whether fine art or real-world photography, is rich in meaning and content, and offers countless avenues of discussion to explore with students. The fine art/real-world photo pairings deepen students’ understanding—not only of language, but also of a wide range of human experiences, occupations, activities, and values.
Image Diversity
Images in Discussions4Learning represent cultures around the world. They give students glimpses of lives and creative endeavors very different from those they know. Included in the program is fine art and contemporary photography from such countries as:
- Ancient Egypt
- Bangladesh
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Canada
- China
- Croatia
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Japan
- Korea
- Mexico
- Peru
- Russia
- South Africa
- Spain
Works from the United States include indigenous cultures such as:
- Hopi Pueblo
- Yup’ik
- Tlingit
- Kiowa
Students are introduced to children and adults from around the world engaging in such activities as:
- Bricklaying
- Broom-making
- Glassblowing
- Installing a solar panel
- Measuring lumber
- Repairing a piano
- Shoeing a horse
Research shows that students who develop strong vocabulary skills go on to develop strong reading comprehension skills. The most effective way to build student vocabulary is to give your students frequent oral language experiences.
Discussions4Learning:
- builds overall vocabulary knowledge
- repeatedly exposes students to advanced, academic vocabulary in a variety of contexts
- prepares students to comprehend increasingly challenging cross-curricular vocabulary
