Art as a Bridge to Literacy: Assessing the effectiveness of “Visual Thinking Strategies” (VTS) in improving vocabulary and reading comprehension among early learners
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53573/rhimrj.2026.v13n03.022Keywords:
Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), early learners, vocabulary development, reading comprehension, arts-integrated learning, constructivist pedagogy, dual coding theoryAbstract
The research problem in this study is to determine the efficacy of Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) as an arts-based integrated pedagogical strategy to improve vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension in young learners. Conventional teaching of literacy can be based on text-based approaches that can inhibit interaction and inferential abilities among children. The study will be a quasi-experimental design that will compare the literacy results of the learners who are introduced to VTS-based teaching with the results of learners taught the traditional method. The pre- and post-test data, and classroom observations have shown that VTS is very effective in enhancing vocabulary learning, contextual analysis, and expressive language skills. Moreover, VTS encourages active learning, critical thinking and collaborative learning due to the dialogic and student-centred character of the method. The research is based on the constructivist learning theory and dual coding theory and shows that the combination of visual analysis with verbal articulation increases cognitive processing and understanding. The results indicate that VTS is a useful teaching resource in the early literacy development and has significant implications for curriculum design and teacher training.
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