Literacy Through Photography

Literacy Through Photography (LTP) is a photographic and literary art program developed by photographer Wendy Ewald. This innovative program enables students to take photographs representing three community-based themes: self & dreams, family, and neighborhood. Students develop writing skills as a means of self expression. Turning the Page has demonstrated great success in engaging teachers and students in community based-learning with more than 60 teachers and 2,200 students participating in LTP since 2003. During 2008-2009, we worked with 26 teachers in our seven partner schools, reaching 440 students.

The LTP Process

Through LTP, teachers are equipped to use art as an educational tool. Turning The Page facilitates LTP teacher trainings twice a year, putting teachers in the role of artists and writers, and demonstrating to them how to use art as a catalyst for creative writing in the classroom. They are also trained in the 6+1 Traits of Writing, a powerful writing curriculum that allows teachers and students to agree upon a set of writing characteristics that guide them through the drafting and editing process. Teachers practice different photography and writing activities and discuss ways to integrate LTP into DCPS language arts and visual arts standards. They leave the training equipped with a new set of teaching methods which will help students develop stronger writing skills.

The LTP program transforms students into photographers and writers. Students start by visiting a D.C. museum to see the work of professional photographers. In the past three years, TTP has facilitated, scheduled, and funded field trips to the Smithsonian's Museum of African Art, National Geographic's Explorers Hall, the Wilderness Society, and the Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum.

Following the field trip students learn the basics of how to use a camera and begin brainstorming ideas for photographs and creative writing samples. Teachers encourage students to make conscious choices about angle, lighting, framing and whether a photo will be candid or posed. After students take their cameras home for one week, TTP staff members develop the black and white film and return the photographs to the teachers. Students critique their own work and then choose their most successful photograph for TTP to enlarge. Students use the enlarged piece as inspiration for their final writing piece. They are so excited about LTP that even students who were disinterested and resistant to writing in the past, complete their LTP project with enthusiasm. This increased enthusiasm and skill level carries over to other classroom assignments.

LTP engages parents and the community in student learning. During the program many parents accompany their children around the city to take photographs. LTP culminates with an Exhibit Opening at each school, which teachers carefully plan so that the theme and program highlight the students' accomplishments. Exhibit Openings bring families and the school community together, allowing parents and teachers to interact while celebrating the students' work.