Our world is full of signs and symbols. In a spontaneous manner, we make use of symbols to communicate our own thoughts to others and to interpret the thoughts that others would address to us. In our everyday life, we are bombarded with a lot of these symbols, from traffic signs, ads and billboards to books, newspapers and magazines, to movies, graffiti, brand logos, product packaging and t-shirt designs. Indeed these varieties of representations are present in whichever way we could think about.
From all the symbols around that we are exposed to, the most deliberate, complex and specific way of representation is through the text. In addition to that, the text is not only limited to the printed word. Books, manuals, electronic or web pages, and other ‘reading’ materials may contain images or pictures in them. In fact, there are, what we call, picture books which can be identified by the name itself. Furthermore, reading is not constricted to the notion of mere printed words, for words are but symbols and somehow pictures or images also hold a variety of symbols, ranging from the most distinct and specific, to the more broad systems of meaning. The system of symbols that we use today, which we call the alphabet came forth from a development of writing. In the first stages were the pictures, then picture writing, depicting a certain situation, and then pictographic writing for interpreting a series of events wherein the Egyptian’s hieroglyphics is an example, next in line is ideographic writing which makes use of unique signs and symbols to depict whole situations or events, and lastly, alphabet writing which we use today.
Interpreting these symbols, pictures and images in particular, need a specific type of literacy which the experts identify as Visual Literacy. Being visually literate deviates from the traditional description of a literate person. Traditionally, a literate person is described as someone who could read and write. In visual literacy, the person reads images, graphs, symbols, et cetera; and writes in form of using various forms of visuals as well. Visual literacy has been defined as:
"The ability to decipher, interpret, and express ideas using images, graphics, icons, charts, graphs and video."
A visually literate person on the farther end is someone who has the ability to interpret and understand messages from visuals, to create and make visuals and also has the ability to use these visuals. Reading maps and directions could measure if one is visually literate. This type of literacy is often involved and integrated in other types of literacies.
A specific example that signifies visual literacy is editorial cartooning. A vital part of a newspaper is the editorial, which also includes the editorial cartoon. The editorial cartoon is a vivid portrayal of a political or social stand through caricatures and sketches. As an image, it showcases a metaphor as a way to express an artist’s or the newspaper’s stance regarding on a current political or social issue.
The purpose of the editorial cartoon is to inform and represent ideas. The meaning which the cartoon intends to convey to the readers is only bridged if the reader is visually literate. This pertains also to the aforementioned integration of visual literacy to other types of literacies. Knowing the issues in areas of politics and society, the reader acts as someone who is politically literate. Once the reader picks up and starts reading the newspaper, he gains the consciousness of the importance of print and how it relates to him and the society. He takes note of the points raised by the different sides and therefore acquires enough knowledge, organizes the facts and then formulates his own opinion. Thus, he becomes critically literate. The same process happens when a reader stumbles upon an editorial cartoon. Upon seeing the editorial cartoon, the reader identifies the issue being delved upon by the image. Then he recognizes the biases and stereotypes represented and implied by the drawn metaphors, he conceptualizes and creates his own biases with the issue, and then he would compare and analyze them.
In our society, the newspaper is readily available and cheap. It’s proven to be an effective resource and get oneself informed of the present situation of the country and the world. In the Philippines, there is a huge setback when it comes to the efficiency and availability of instructional materials such as textbooks and digital media. Not all schools could gain access to the internet and technologically advanced resources. Due to this imminent lack, a few teachers and educators have improvised their way of teaching. One to mention is Leonila Liberato, 62, an English teacher at the Talomo Central Elementary School, Davao city. She made use of editorial cartoons as a means of teaching critical reading. She emphasized the idea that most of the students today are visual learners, therefore editorial cartoons may serve as an effective way to motivate students to learn by fostering and maintaining the attention of the students and to elicit active participation in classroom discussions. Liberato says:
“…students are encouraged to be acquainted with the current issues happening in our country today. This also promotes higher order of thinking among the students.”
The interpretation, creation and usage of images incorporate value in aspects like proxemics and spatial relations. During instruction, certain visual elements must be taken into consideration. As stated, visuals may be comprised of pictures, illustrations and graphics. When preparing the visual, the teacher must take into account the level of realism of the material. The correctness of the interpretation of the visuals depends mostly on the experience of the learner with the information. One of the guidelines is that the visual element must match the text that goes with it. Also, visuals must not be used for decorative purposes. The alignment of the elements is important for the relationship among the elements to be clear. The shape of the visual and the verbal ornaments can be arranged in a shape familiar to the learner. The balance or the weight of the elements must be equally distributed on each side of the vertical and the horizontal axis.
The element of appeal is equally important to ensure that the visual captures and holds the attention of the learner. There must be the element of surprise. It could be an unusual animation or a change in size, a catchy phrase or rhyme. Second is texture which adds more to the illusion that the visual is real. Third is interaction, where the students get to manipulate the visual. An example would be the virtual dissection of a frog which I experienced during high school.
Visual literacy is the type of literacy which we humans developed ever since the ancient times from cave paintings and hieroglyphics to the modern ways in printed or digital form. The young mind acquires and learns the skills to be able to become visually literate basically through the environment where they are exposed to. In a complex society, the young mind is bombarded with signs and symbols. It is only a matter of correct interpretation and manipulation of these images so that the young mind gains awareness of the value of the knowledge which these symbols bring about.
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