Why Drawing Works Better Than Picture Books in Story-Listening

Introduction

Teachers often ask: Isn’t reading a picture book aloud just as good as drawing while telling a story?
The short answer is no—and here’s why.

When we draw while telling the story, we support comprehension more effectively than when we show a full-page illustration. In this post—and in the video linked below—I explain why drawing is a better fit for Story-Listening and for providing Pure Optimal Unified Input (POUI).

🎬 Watch the Video: Why Drawing Works Better

Picture Books Show Too Much at Once

When a picture book is opened, the full illustration is visible. Some students focus on the background, others on a bright object or detail. Often, they miss the part of the image where the story is happening.

The result? Split attention. Instead of supporting the story, the visual competes with the spoken input.

Drawing Guides Attention

When we draw as we tell the story, each image appears at the exact moment it’s introduced.

For example, when we say “There was a king,” we draw a simple figure with a crown and write the word king. This pairing of language and image keeps students focused and helps them understand more easily.

This approach follows Richard Mayer’s Temporal Contiguity Principle (2001): students learn better when words and images appear together, not separately.

Avoiding Cognitive Overload

When students see a fully detailed picture, their brains process all of it—useful or not. This leads to what Mayer calls extraneous cognitive load: mental effort spent on unhelpful details.

Drawing step by step helps reduce this burden. It keeps the visual input simple, relevant, and timed with the language.

Drawing as Stepping Stones

Think of drawing as placing stepping stones in a river. One by one, these small images help students cross the river of language.

Drawing helps them listen, imagine, and understand—without feeling overwhelmed.

Practical Tip for Teachers

Instead of showing a detailed picture before or during the story, try drawing as you go. Let the story unfold, and let the image grow with it.

Drawing in real-time helps learners stay with the story, moment by moment.

Watch the Full Video

🎥 Watch: Why Drawing Works Better
See visual examples and hear more about how drawing supports language acquisition.

Want to Learn More?

Take a course on the theory and practice of Story-Listening
Learn how to provide Pure Optimal Unified Input (POUI)

References

Mayer, R. E. (2001). Multimedia Learning. Cambridge University Press
Krashen, S., Mason, B., & Smith, K. (2018). Comprehension-Aiding Supplementation
Moreno, R. & Mayer, R. E. (1999). Cognitive Principles of Multimedia Learning

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