Abstract/Summary

Drawing is central to the Art and Design Curriculum (OFSTED, 2023) in the National Curriculum in England (DfE, 2013) and has been recognised for its educational value; yet children’s engagement in drawing has been recognised to decline with age (Fava, 2019). Historically, research has focused on early years development, the content analysis of children’s graphic representations or the diagnostic assessment and practice within art therapy. There is little research that explores children’s responses to, and experiences and perceptions of, drawing in all subjects across the primary curriculum at key stage 2 (ages 7 to 11), from the children’s perspective. The purpose of this study is to close that gap. This research builds on the socio-constructionist work of Vygotsky (1978, 1962) and Brooks (2002, 2004, 2005a, 2005b) and focuses on the process of drawing and its links to language acquisition and development, child development and children’s engagement with drawing. It is influenced by early art educator’s views of drawing (Ruskin,1856-1857; Rousseau 1979/1792); Froebel, 1887) and key art educationists on children’s drawing (Adams, 2013; Brew, 2011; Hall, 2010; Watts, 2010; Hope, 2008; Matthews, 2003; Eisner, 2002; Efland, 2002). It uses an Embedded mixed method case study approach framed within an interpretivist paradigm. Data were collected from participant observations during a six-month drawing intervention of daily drawing across the curriculum, child questionnaires including drawings of familiar subjects, and a parent questionnaire. These data were analysed using thematic analysis techniques. The findings provide evidence of the ways in which the children in this study expressed their enjoyment of drawing and demonstrated markedly different behavioural and verbal responses to different drawing activities. The findings shed light on how daily drawing has potential benefits in the promotion of children’s vocabulary and language acquisition, communication and development. It builds on Ruskin’s concept of seeing, Vygotsky’s concept of Verbal Thought (1962) and Brook’s concept of Visual Thought (2002) in relation to drawing and puts forward a multisensory framework of drawing that recognises the multimodal and multisensory nature of drawing. It sheds light on the affordances of drawing on the children’s cognitive awareness and development, on children’s social, emotional and well-being and children’s drawing engagement, ability and drawing self-efficacy, the promotion of which may help to reduce or ameliorate the decline in children’s drawing engagement at key stage 2. Finally, it sheds light on the importance of seeking the parental view in education. It is hoped that the findings from this study provides insight into the pedagogical benefits of drawing for teachers and educational practitioners in the field of art,ß primary education and wider education knowledge.