A Year 1 Literacy Hour can provide a range of creative activities to make the lesson an exciting learning experience for children.

Visual Paths is a Tate education and research project sponsored by Morgan Stanley in association with the Institute of Education, University of London. Project coordinator Colin Grigg gives an overview of the project and Gill Hillier, literacy coordinator at Michael Faraday School, London, reports on her class's experience.

Visual Paths is an innovative three-year project that uses artwork in the Tate's galleries as a stimulus for literacy work. Launched in March 1999, it has involved over 2,000 children from inner-city London primary schools.

Art is a catalyst for literacy: an image can absorb the mind, formulate thoughts and encourage the onlooker to express emotions. As writers, poets, storytellers, actors, puppeteers and artists work with
children to bring art to life, the children begin to speak in a more focused way; their language becomes more expressive and they use new vocabulary when discussing and writing about the paintings.

When Manique started school, her teacher soon grew concerned that she did not appear to take in much of the curriculum. She was very quiet, preferring to observe class discussions rather than take
part. However, on her first visit to the Tate for a session with storyteller Kevin Graal, Manique 'came alive'. She offered accurate observations and ideas, even calling out in her excitement, something she had never done before. Manique's teacher believes that the mixture of the unusual environment and
stimulating activities transformed this introverted, inhibited child into a jumping, laughing, noisy
participant.

For many of the children involved in the project, English is a second language and they have to balance the culture of home with a different set of values promoted through school. Visual images can form an
important bridge in coming to terms with a new culture and language. One teacher commented: "It's really important for children for whom English is a second language, finding words for things and
having to expand their vocabulary. The paintings are wonderful, and issues arise that the children have experienced... it pushes them."

The project outcomes provide a strong case for recognising the role of public art galleries and museums as valuable and effective resources in literacy education; the insights into language and writing
development are of direct relevance to the National Curriculum and National Literacy Strategy. The research, teaching approaches and learning resources provide a national example for new developments
in literacy teaching.

Michael Faraday School

Michael Faraday School is a multicultural school with over 17 different languages spoken by our pupils and their families. Our participation in the project had to reflect this rich cultural diversity while making Visual Paths an important, integral aspect of our children's education, not just a pleasant series of gallery visits.

We concentrated on two aspects: the playful aural sounds and vocabulary of English and the concept of symbolism. We explored these through sharing traditional stories, discussing a wide variety of artworks and drawing on the different religions of our pupils. A developing understanding of symbolism emerged in the opinions that pupils voiced about the hidden messages, subplots and authors' intentions. The use of new and subtle language enriched their means of expression and vocabulary.

Providing lasting value and work of high quality takes time and requires thoughtful, thorough planning - so we made the Tate project the foundation for the whole curriculum. We took themes from the Foundation subjects, such as the Tudors, and used the Tate visits and workshops to explore these themes. Our cross-curricular approach ensured that we met literacy objectives at the same time, introducing a range of text types rather than trying to squeeze them all into the literacy hour. For example, we followed a Tudor recipe for making 'potage' which we then wrote as a manuscript; we read the letters from Elizabeth I to the Earl of Essex, and wrote our own letters, full or hyperbole and symbolism; we studied modern newspapers and produced our own 'Tudor Times' reporting on events illustrated in Tudor paintings. Believing that children, especially boys, are more enthusiastic about writing when it is for a specific purpose, we planned time for our pupils to experience, research, reflect, draft, edit and produce a final product. By the end, the children had gained a thorough understanding of Tudor history and produced work with a rich element of literacy.

A lasting benefit for the school is that we shall continue to work in this way, even when Visual Paths is over.

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