Welcome to Connecting Art to Language Arts!
If you’ve experienced any schooling, you’ve probably
experienced some Language Arts. It’s a phrase that gets tossed around a lot
when referring to language study, reading, writing, and speech. It is an art in
that it reflects careful study, crafting, honing skills and the hope of
eventual mastery.
But what about a different view of the “art” portion of
Language Arts? What about drawing, painting, sculpting, building, carving and
creating as forms of expression? How much more or how much better could we express
our thoughts if we could tap into some of those practices?
The paring of two disciplines, such as art with language
arts, can yield opportunities for deeper understanding. Often when we draw and write together, we
feel greater connection and empathy with our subject. Art can act as a bridge
for a reluctant reader or writer to enter the world of verbal expression. Pun
intended, pictures can draw us in, helping to explain difficult concepts,
providing depth of ideas, characterization, or setting, or just acting as a
welcome relief amidst a sea of unbroken text. The opposite is also true—artists
can find new power through verbal expression along with their art.
In this blog we will investigate ways to expand the
connection between art and language arts. We will look at getting the most out
of the vehicles that already exist—everything from picture books to graphic
novels. And we will explore new activities to get kids of all ages engaged in
the art of expression—through art, through words, and best of all, through a
combination of both!
- Tracy & Claire
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