Enhancing English Learners' Language Development Using Wordless Picture Books

This article presents an approach to use wordless picture books to enhance the language development of English language learners. This approach is grounded in best practices to teach ELLs. The process starts with viewing and analyzing the visual images, engaging ELLs in discussion, and ending with students' self-authored texts. The wordless picture books contain all the literary elements and text structures that books with text have. Wordless picture books, without the language demands, invite ELLs to share the reading experience and to construct meaning from the viewing experience. Since wordless picture books vary in their complexity, a booklist indicating level of complexity with annotations is provided for K-5 students. Classroom discussion and writing samples are also included to demonstrate the four stages of this instructional approach.