UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

DEPARTMENT OF TEACHER EDUCATION

MORGENSTER TEACHERS COLLEGE

DIPLOMA IN EDUCATION (PRIMARY)

GENERAL COURSE: INTAKE 23 CLASS OF JAN 2018 – 20

NAME: MUDUNGA.MEMORIZE

CANDIDATE NUMBER:23/185/2018

SUBJECT: ART

TOPIC: VISUAL ARTS

DUE DATE:

LECTURERS:

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MARK OBTAINED

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Visual arts is one of the curriculum components that play an important role in the development

of young children in primary school. It comprises of different core areas which strives to develop

six domains in learners. A classroom full of visual arts activities is a warm classroom where

learners are getting lots of quality knowledge. In primary teaching communities visual arts play a

vital role in expressing emotions, boosting moral, conveying messages, as a medium for healing

among others. This write up is necessitated by the desire to discuss the importance of of teaching

Visual Arts at primary school. Key terms are going to be defined as the essay unfolds

Morgan and Saxton (2006) describe visual arts as reviewing of ideas skills and thoughts

through observable activities. Taconic (2006) defines Visual Arts as art forms such as ceramics,

drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, designing, crafts, photography, video, filmmaking and

architecture. Stabbing (2009) posits that Visual art are forms of art in which artists use their

voices or bodies, often in relation to other objects, to convey artistic expression. Therefore,

Visual Arts refers to a subject discipline, which combines the crafting of form and imagery with

the display of the aesthetic values of sound, artefacts, movement and posture.

In addition, teaching is a term that means the process of passing on knowledge or skills

(Merriam-Webster, 2020). Also, Grant and Murray (2009) defines teaching as a term that means

the process of assisting learners to acquire information or skills. Therefore, teaching is a term

that means the process of sharing knowledge or skills by a teacher to a learner or learners.

To start with, visual arts teaching in primary school which includes drawing, painting, singing

among others helps learners and the teacher for communication purposes. Keammer (1993)

noted that music sometimes performed specifically for the purpose of communication citing
examples of lullabies and courtship songs. This means that music considers be a medium of

communication with the class or the teacher for examples the learners can use songs while

dancing to celebrate classmate birthdays or successes which is a form of communication.

Through visual Art learners convey information through drawing each other and self-expression

(Taylor, 2010). Through teaching of visual arts learners can develop different skills using the

computers the can draw posters to communicate a school event. Through visual arts learners

will be able to differentiate or draw at toilets drawing painting that shows a male or female on

the walls of the toilet. Those signs communicate to people through the use of visual arts.

Therefore it can be argued that visual arts is important in learners learning.

Johnson (2013) states that learners learn through playing especially at lower grades, there is no

real time for playing during classroom lessons. Yet, through Visual arts lesson learners may learn

through playing. . After the teacher had demonstrated how leaf printing is done, learners in their

groups of threes will have their leaves, paints and spatulas. As they will be making leaf prints

they will be playing. Learners will end up painting each other’s faces, sprinkling paints on each

other’s faces as well as many other fun activities. This gives the room for learners to vent out

their emotions. The rejected child will realize that he is also part of the loved learners. They can

also fell very important as other learners will be interacting with him. The future careers of these

learners might be Art teachers. Thus, the importance of visual arts teaching in primary school

. In addition, According to Purge (2003), visual arts are a powerful tool that helps learners to

learn new thinking skills for example they learn to express themselves through singing. Songs

are important in the teaching and learning of young learners as they bring learn to sing in groups

and also they learn to interact with each other. By playing different musical instruments during

learning they will also develop fine and gross motor skills like finger muscles when they clap
hands and gross motor skills while dancing. Through singing songs in the teaching of visual Arts

learners develops speaking skills and also they learn to follow rhythm. Songs also helps learners

especially infant about themselves and others by singing songs and also they learn to listen to

each other and sometimes became friends. Wood (2004), alludes that learners who love music

and singing songs regularly also tend to have an easier time learning to speak. By doing so, they

have already developed the vocabulary and they became more creative and confident in

everything they do. Therefore the teaching of visual arts is of paramount importance.

Gwekwerere et al (2013) point out that visual art helps in drawing the school community

together. More so, Merriam (1960) in Gwekwerer (2013) suggests that visual art helps learners in

the co-operation and acts as a social control. This implies it creates an atmosphere that is

conducive to spirituality bound up by certain norms and values. Music and drawing gives

cultural identity and it is important for a learners to have a sense of belonging or identity. This

means help learners of different tribe in schools to work together as they share the same culture

and other elements of culture such as language. Furthermore, learners share knowledge about

social issues, human rights, values, beliefs, fears, joy, achievements, and loses are shared by the

community as one unit from early childhood through music and drawings This reflects life of

visual arts in the teaching of primary school learners

Young children have an enormous amount of energy that parents and teachers are always looking

to burn off. By using teaching visual art in primary schools involves a lot of movement is

always a great addition to learners playtime this helps learners to makes their body fit through

various exercises like running, jogging and crawling while singing. Also, there is development of

affective aspect through drawing movement because they will learn acceptable outlets to express
feelings and retrieve tensions as they sing freely. This may also convey a specific mood through

which learners reveals their feelings and emotions.

In sum, the essay discussed how important visual arts is in the teaching and learning of primary.

Learners has witnessed a number of positive benefits from Visual arts which some of them had

been discussed in the essay. However it is also important to value all the subjects in the primary

school as they also have more to do with the future of the young people in primary school.
REFERENCES

1. GWEKERERE, P. A. (2000). Dance and drama of the Gods. Institute of African Studies.

2. Johnson, L. (2013). Musical Involvement: Influencing Factors and Implications. New

York:

3. Kiammer (1993).Invented worlds.Cambridge Harvard University Press.

4. Merriam-Webster. (2020). Teaching. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved

September 17, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/integration.

5. Purge .(2003) Young in Art .A developmental look at child art.Retrieved from www Art

junction. Org( 28-01-18)

6. Stebbing, P. (2011). Learning through play. UNICEF Paper converter: Harare.

7. Tasson, P. (2009)). Planning Play in Early years. Hanman: London.

8. Taylor (2010) The Biology of Art. London. Mathuen.

9. Wood,E.(2004). . New York.Open University Press

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