Every time I use the word glyph I get a ton of messages asking me “What is a glyph?” Well to put it simply, a glyph is a symbol or a pictograph, not an infographic (they use no words). In the world language classroom, a glyph is an outline of a picture. The picture will be colored by students depending on how the teacher presents the information. Glyphs are great stress reducers because students think they are coloring, but in fact, they are being assessed by you.
How to use a glyph
You can search Pinterest for all kinds of glyph ideas. And they can be used in a few different ways in the language classroom. First, you will need to locate a picture that connects to what you are teaching (vocabulary or a story). You can find these images on the Internet or draw them yourself. Secondly, you will need to make a “key” for what you are focusing on.
Idea #1- Getting to know you
If you have a class that has a basic knowledge of the language you teach, you can use a glyph at the start of the school year. Find an image that you want to use that will have enough things to color that matches the number of questions you will ask. Get to know students by asking questions like “If you like to learn independently color the sun blue. If you like to learn in a group, color the sun pink.” Continue with a list of questions to get to know your students better.
This can also be done in a getting to know you unit after you have taught vocabualry.
Idea #2 – Vocabulary practice
Glyphs can be a fun little trick that will allow you to squeeze in some vocabulary repetition. Find or draw an image that works with the vocabulary you are practicing. So if you are working on clothes, find an image that has a lot of different clothes in it. Then make the key. Tell the students, “Color the pants brown if you like shopping. Color the pants yellow if you don’t like shopping.” You can also make a choice in the key. You would say, “Color the pants brown if you like shopping. Color the pants black if you prefer going to the movies.” In this type of practice, there is no right or wrong answer. The image becomes a representation of the student. As the teacher, you can monitor this to make sure they are understanding the vocabulary and coloring the correct items of clothing.
Idea #3 – Story Telling True or False
If you use storytelling in your classroom (and you should), you can use a glyph after to check for understanding. Make a statement about the story. Then tell students to “Color the image green if the statement was true or orange if the statement was false.”
Making Glyphs Expressive
Glyphs in the language classroom are an interpretive practice. They allow beginning or advanced students to communicate without producing language. Students can show understanding through the coloring of the image. This makes glyphs great for emergent learners.
However, you can still make glyphs into an expressive activity by confirming the colors on the picture. If Susie Student colors the pants black we know she likes going to the movies better than she likes shopping. To make this expressive, we would ask Susie Student if this was true. “Do you like going to the movies better than shopping?” Susie would respond with a “Yes!” and hopefully, she would even add “Yes! I like shopping better.” But if she doesn’t, all is good. We know Susie Student understands.
Using Video
Alternatively, you can record the “key” so this can become an independent activity. Place the videos next to the picture. You can also use links, QR codes, or short URLs. This allows students to move at their own pace and watch the videos as many times as needed to ensure they understand.
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