How to Use Photographs to Teach Writing with MLs

Using photographs to teach writing is a powerful ESL teaching strategy for Multilingual Learners. A single high-quality image can spark ideas and naturally build academic vocabulary. Photos also make differentiated instruction simple: every student writes about the same image, but you can adjust the amount of writing, the level of support, and the sentence complexity to meet each learner where they are. As a bonus, photo prompts are a simple way for ELD teachers to introduce content-based learning to students.

Label Photographs with Newcomers and Emergent ELLs

• Provide students with a list of objects found in the picture and have them label the picture.
• Write simple sentence frames. Then, have students complete them with the words that they have labeled on the picture. (I see _____. I hear ______. In the summer, I see _____. )
• Read more tips about the benefits of Labeling Pictures with ELLs.

Talk Before Writing

Many students will benefit from talking before they begin writing. For beginning ELLs, do this step after first labeling the picture. Practicing oral language first is a helpful bridge for using photographs to teach writing.

Writing About Photographs with Intermediate & Advanced ELLs

1. Have students talk about what they see in the photograph. They can then create a list of vocabulary words or label the photograph.
2. Present students with a writing prompt around the photograph.
3. Review sentence frames and additional vocabulary to assist with writing.
4. Allow students to talk about ideas with a partner or in a small group before writing.

 

Writing Sentences with Intermediate ELLs

1. Make a list of words connected with the photograph, sort by part of speech
   • Label the nouns in one color, verbs in another color, and adjectives in a third color.
2. Show students a photograph with a short sentence.
3. Use question words to expand the short sentence.
   • Ex: Look in the classroom. What?  Look at the chairs in the classroom.
   • Ex: Look in the classroom. Where? Look at the classroom in the basement.
   • Ex: Look in the classroom. Why? Look in the classroom for a comfortable spot to sit.

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Resources for Using Photographs to Teach Writing

Check out these premade picture writing prompts. They come in three levels, with a writing prompt, a vocabulary bank, and sentence frames.

You can also get the picture writing prompts in a printed workbook format.

The photograph writing prompt workbook is also available in a printable PDF.

Try out a FREE set of the picture writing prompts.