Class-As-Curator: Putting Images to Work in the Language Classroom

Although images have long been acknowledged as crucial tools for language teaching, this “how-to” piece brings up ways of expanding their pedagogical scope beyond this illustrative and descriptive function. In the activities this essay outlines, these descriptive steps instead lay the groundwork for visual and critical analysis. The article focuses on colonialism through historical exotic painting and colonialist art. Materials include visual materials being shown on slides except for the final curatorship activity.