Today, as we observe the death anniversary of the Indore based noted artist Guruji Vishnu Chinchalkar who inspired many through his workshops on easy-to-do artwork and its application for classroom instruction of various subjects. I attended two his workshops and was motivated to use his simple drawings with structures of alphabet for lesson studies based on visual intelligent advocated by the proponent of multiple intelligence theory of learning Howard Gardner.
Earlier. I has done write up in his fond memory, which I reproduce here.
After children have learnt the writing of entire alphabet, the drawing with alphabet structures can be taken up. After structures of alphabet drawn well as the part of writing skills, with some suggestive stokes around alphabet, one can convert them into recognisable figures.
Initial exposure to drawing becomes interesting with alphabet due to linkage to something known and the transformation process creating a new thing from a known structure as a beginning.
The exercise provides an opportunity to revisit and revise alphabet as well as look at them for new possibilities of honing drawing skills. However, educators inform that activity should not be taken up with learning of alphabet. Rather, it should be taken up as separate activity after the entire alphabet has been learned.
The activity has the potential of enhancing visual intelligence of getting into the habit of recognising the basic shapes and look for suggestive strokes to convert them into pictures.
For children with special needs, a few alphabet (6-8) may be taken up which get converted into objects of daily use and should be drawn successively and consciously by verbalising the drawing of various strokes.
The inset picture shows my exposure to this activity when I had attended a session by Indore-based noted artist late Mr Vishnu Chinchalkar (1917-2000) who was one of best five painters of his times. His work 'Akshar Chitram' is also an inspiration for general education teachers who wish to enhance visual intelligence of students while teaching language.
Here is my practice sheet on drawings inspired by Guruji's workshop
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