Drawing: The social construction of knowledge

Abstract

Despite a growing interest in children's drawing, there are few meaningful frameworks for examining what it is that children are doing when they draw. In this paper particular aspects of Vygotsky's sociocultural theories are re-examined in relation to young children's drawing processes. Using one kindergarten child's drawings of the growth and development of a Painted Lady butterfly as an example, I show how drawing in a social context mediates new knowledge and understanding. Drawing processes that encourage children to talk about, share, revise, revisit and re-contextualise their drawings extend young children's thinking as well their awareness of different possibilities for representation. I make recommendations for the use of drawing as a powerful meaning-making tool for young children.