Foundations of Language and Literacy · Junior Infants

Active learning ideas

Brainstorming and Idea Generation

Drawing as writing is a natural entry point for young children, where ideas flow freely before the constraints of letters and spelling take hold. Active learning helps children connect their visual thinking to storytelling, making abstract concepts concrete and building confidence in their ability to communicate.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Junior Cycle English - Writing - Generating and Developing Ideas
• NCCA: Junior Cycle English - Writing - Planning and Drafting

• 15–25 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Peer Teaching
• 15 min · Pairs

Peer Teaching: Read My Picture

Students draw a 'news' item from their morning. They then sit with a partner and 'read' the drawing as if it were a written story, pointing to different parts of the picture to explain the details.

What story would you like to tell today?

Facilitation Tip

During Peer Teaching: Read My Picture, model how to hold up a drawing and describe it slowly, pointing to details as you speak.

What to look for

Observe students as they draw or create their mind maps. Ask individual students: 'Tell me about one idea you have for your story,' or 'What does this picture show?' Note their ability to articulate their thoughts.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Gallery Walk
• 20 min · Whole Class

Gallery Walk: The Story Wall

Students display their drawings on their desks. The class walks around, and for each drawing, they must try to guess one thing that is happening. The 'author' then confirms or explains the true story.

How can you use a drawing to share your ideas with others?

Facilitation Tip

For the Gallery Walk: The Story Wall, place students in small groups so they can discuss each other’s work without feeling overwhelmed by the whole class.

What to look for

Gather students in a circle. Present a simple prompt, such as 'If you could fly anywhere, where would you go?' Ask students to share one idea they had for this prompt, either by showing a drawing or by saying a word. Encourage them to explain their idea briefly.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Inquiry Circle
• 25 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Detail Detectives

In small groups, students look at a wordless picture book. They discuss how the artist showed that a character was happy or that it was windy. They then try to add one 'meaningful detail' to their own drawings.

Can you draw something that happened to you and then tell us about it?

Facilitation Tip

During Collaborative Investigation: Detail Detectives, provide magnifying glasses to emphasize close observation and the importance of small details in storytelling.

What to look for

Provide each student with a small piece of paper. Ask them to draw one thing they might want to write a story about. Collect these drawings to see the range of ideas generated and to use as a starting point for future writing activities.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should treat drawing as a legitimate writing stage, not a preliminary step to be rushed past. Avoid correcting or redrawing children’s work, as this can discourage their creative expression. Instead, ask open-ended questions to help them articulate their ideas, using their drawings as the primary text.

Successful learning looks like students who can explain their drawings with detail and purpose, using gestures, words, or their artwork to share ideas. They should begin to see themselves as storytellers, even when their compositions are mostly visual.

---

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Peer Teaching: Read My Picture, parents and students may think drawing is 'just play' and not 'real writing'.

  Use this activity to model narrating drawings by pointing to details and asking students to describe what they see. Emphasize that the words they use to explain their art are the start of their writing process.

• Students might feel they 'can't write' because they don't know their letters.

  During the Gallery Walk: The Story Wall, highlight that each drawing has a story behind it, regardless of letter knowledge. Ask students to share their drawings with peers to show that ideas come first, and writing skills follow.

---

Methods used in this brief

• Peer Teaching
• Gallery Walk
• Inquiry Circle