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What is a Picture Talk?

In a nutshell, ‘picture talk’ is using an image to maximise repetitions on a target structure.

The success of picture talk relies both on the image itself and the questions asked. A truly compelling image is one that is quirky, and offers opportunities to use the target structure in both statements and questions.

Read to the end to find links to demo videos, blog posts and more…

How To Set Up a Picture Talk?

Picture Talk #1

A picture talk can be simply an image which is shown to students to generate scaffolded and fully comprehensible discussions that either introduce a target structure &/or to get repetitions on the target structure. For preliterate learners, when introducing a target structure, relying on ‘point & pause’ is often not a viable option. Picture Talks are super helpful for overcoming this when working with preliterate learners.

Picture Talk #2

Another successful way to set up a picture talk is to cover the cognate in the image. To what extent, you cover the cognate, will depend on your learners. If the covered cognate is ambiguous, I like to leave a bit of the image showing as a hint. Covering up the cognate opens it up for student contributions which can then be restated as repetitions incorporating the target structure.

Targeting the verb ‘eat’, using the image below of Bluey eating, you could ask…..

1. What is Bluey eating?

2. Bluey is eating………(pause)?

3. Bluey is eating a taco (or substitute with another cognate)?

4. Is Bluey eating a taco or an ice cream?

The number of questions you ask will depend on a million factors including the cohort, the time of day etc. When ready, you simply remove the image and restate the sentence using the target structure!!
Input, input, input for the win!
I do this in PowerPoint as it is so easy to insert and then fade out each shape. Covering the cognate is so popular with young learners and gives them such a huge confidence boost when they guess correctly the hidden cognate.

Picture Talk # 3

Recently I discovered the image below on one of the Bluey Facebook groups for adults! It has so much potential for another way to picture talk!
It would be so easy to create this format using 4 well known characters and 4 cognates that relate easily to the target structure. The cognates (written in the target language) could be true answers, they could be totally unknown or could be focusing on the negative only. With older students, I would encourage the use of the ‘maybe’ (in Indonesian ‘mungkin’) and/or, again depending on the cohort, ‘not possible’ (in Indonesian ‘tidak mungkin) when commenting on the contributions of their peers.

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Would love to hear Picture Talk works for you in your context!
Comment below and share your experiences and ideas!!

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A huge, huge thank you to Moya for sharing this amazing link (see below)! It contains significantly more detail, links to YouTube demo videos plus so much more.

Enjoy….

Kawai Resources.com