Pedagogy First. Technology Second.

Words and Images Together

The strategy, as published

Exactly as it appears on the card

Part of Multimedia & Dual Coding in 05 Explanations & Modelling, where it sits alongside its neighbouring strategies, the infographic and the thinking for the whole area.

Why you might use it

The problem it may help with

Words and images reach the mind through separate channels, and Paivio's dual coding theory says using both gives the same idea two routes in.

The design instruction that follows: pair a key visual with minimal text, both carrying the one idea.

What it might look like

One version of it, in a classroom

For a lesson on trench warfare, the slide holds one cross-section image and six words of labelling. The teacher's narration does the explaining; the image and the sparse text give the idea its second route.

Try it

A way to begin

Choose one text-only slide and find the visual that shows its idea. Cut the text to the few words the visual cannot carry.

What to notice

Reading what happens

  • Whether pupils sketch when they try to recall the idea, and what their sketches keep.
  • Whether the image comes back when the words are tested later.

Things to think about

Before and while you use it

  • Two routes to the same idea, not two ideas at once. An unrelated image is clutter, not coding.
  • Minimal text is part of the theory, not a style preference; the redundancy and coherence cards explain what fuller text costs.

Inclusive practice

The lens this connects with

Through the inclusive practice lens, this is one of the approaches that may reduce barriers around:

The wider thinking

Where the evidence sits

Paivio laid out dual coding theory, and Mayer built on it in the cognitive theory of multimedia learning; this card is the theory applied to a single slide. The card’s attribution stands as published: Paivio.

The fuller picture, sources included, is in further reading and evidence for Explanations & Modelling.

Keep exploring

Where next?

Back to this strategy in 05 Explanations & Modelling, across to what you're trying to improve, or into all 144 at once.

Want to take this further?

Support is available

Pedagogy First gives you a starting point. If you want support exploring how approaches like this can work across your school, trust or professional learning programme, that work is available.

Work with Mark