Reading in the Real World: The Importance of Visual Literacy for Reading Literacy

When we think about reading, our mind can often go straight to relaxing with a good book. The reality is somewhat different. On a daily basis, we are more likely to use literacy skills in shorter, more purposeful ways.

We might go out for breakfast to a coffee shop, taking time to peruse the menu before ordering. Perhaps we skim reviews first and then use an online map or follow signs to find the right place. On the way, we may stop to withdraw some cash at the ATM and then check our bank statement just to make sure we have enough for an extra croissant!

Each of these reading skills is uniquely different:

• Reading a book requires concentration for longer periods of time as well as imagination and the ability to consider the author's purpose or implied meaning.
• Reading a menu may involve scanning for a specific item and then checking prices or information about ingredients, allergies, or nutrition.
• Reading reviews involves skimming to get an overall idea of what to expect, scanning the ratings, and identifying facts or opinions. 
• Reading maps will have us scanning for locations and matching street names and landmarks. 
• Reading ATM receipts or bank statements will make us scan for important information such as previous withdrawals and our current balance. 

Just as each of the reading skills required are different, so too are the layouts of each of these texts:

• A book uses continuous prose.  
• A menu will use food names, descriptions, ingredients, prices, and perhaps even images. 
• A review will use images, star ratings, and a short summary text. 
• A map will show distance, grids, suggested routes, and bird's-eye views of streets or geographic data. 
• ATM receipts use summary texts, headings, and numbers. 

When reading, we not only read the text, but also the visual clues surrounding it. I recently switched my phone to Spanish to help surround myself with the language, and I found myself using visual cues such as app icons and structure to help me understand new words. 

In this post, I will explore the importance of visual literacy to support reading skills development, taking examples from Ellii's Real-World Reading series. This series provides learners with the opportunity to read texts as they would experience them in real life. 

Health Labels & Warnings

Food packaging contains a lot of important information, especially if learners have dietary requirements or allergies. Food manufacturers use visuals to make this information more accessible. In Ellii's Health Labels & Warnings lesson, students read various food labels and icons and consider their meaning. Visual literacy plays a key part in interpreting the message. 

For example, this black circle with a cross through it makes it very clear that consuming alcohol while taking this specific medication is not advised. The visual alone can convey this message in an impactful way without the need to read and understand the text. 

Another example is the black octagonal food warning icon that is used in many countries to express that food is high in calories, salt, sugars, or saturated fats, or that it isn't suitable for children. A research study by the Ministry of Health and Wellness of Jamaica found that these black octagons had a bigger impact on healthy food choices than the nutritional traffic light system. From a visual literacy perspective, perhaps the black color choice and octagonal shape convey more of a warning message than the bright, cheerful colors of the green, amber, and red traffic light system. 

Of course, some food labels can be misleading and require critical thinking skills to decode. For example, the color green in these circles suggests natural and healthy. However, not all gluten-free, vegan, and organic products are good for your health. Some may be high in fats, salts, or sugars, or they may use processed ingredients. 

Parking

The ability to read and understand information about parking is a key skill. Without it, students run the risk of fines or their car being impounded. To help everyone avoid that, visual support is often provided in the form of signs, colors, and icons. In this lesson on Parking, students explore the meaning of different signs and interpret an infographic on how to pay for parking. 

Once again, we see the circle with a cross through it. This time, it's red to express that parking is prohibited. As a comparison, the green circle shows that parking is allowed. This circle does not have a cross through it, so it uses both color and shape to convey meaning. 

The other signs show:

• a wheelchair on a blue background to express that parking is reserved for people with mobility needs
• a red sign warning that your car could be towed if you are not a tenant at the property
• a mobile phone to convey that you can pay for parking via their website
• a red sign with a fork and knife to show that only restaurant customers can use the parking lot

The lesson starts with key vocabulary and then has students interpret these signs. It then continues with an infographic on how to pay for parking. The infographic mirrors the type of signage you may encounter in a parking lot. The visuals make the information more understandable for everyone and could easily be understood without knowing the language. 

The infographic uses dotted lines to connect the larger image to the logical order in which people will pay for parking. The circular pop-up images highlight key stages. The text has headings that can be used as a summary as well as more detailed information. 

Other Real Reading Examples

The Real-World Reading section covers essential topics such as banking, house & home, employment & school, transportation & food, and health & hospitality. Each lesson uses authentic features of layout, color, icons, and headings to provide students with experience of reading real-world texts. 

For more ideas on teaching reading or visual literacy skills, check out these posts: 

• Ten Ways to Develop Visual Literacy in the ELT Classroom
• Pre-Reading Activities to Boost Comprehension
• Nine Post-Reading Activities to Help Students Get the Most Out of a Text
• What's the Story? How One Image Can Develop Visual Literacy & Critical Thinking Skills
• The Power of Visuals in the Classroom

How do you incorporate visual literacy to support learners developing their reading skills? Have you explored any of the concepts in this post? We'd love to know!