Dual Coding in Action: The Power of Sketch and Tell

Cognitive science tells us that we have two main channels for processing information: the verbal channel (words, text, speech) and the visual channel (images, diagrams, spatial representations). This idea comes from Allan Paivio’s dual coding theory. When information is encoded in both channels, learners create two mental representations of the same knowledge. That means when students later try to retrieve it, they have multiple pathways back to the memory. This strengthens recall, deepens understanding, and makes learning more durable over time.

What makes dual coding especially powerful is the way the two systems reinforce each other. Words can clarify visuals, and visuals can anchor abstract words. For instance, when my students learn about the concept of urban sprawl, with terms like “suburban development,” “zoning laws,” and “traffic congestion”, the ideas can feel abstract on their own. But when paired with a sketch showing a city core, expanding housing developments, and highways pushing outward, the concept becomes more concrete and therefore easier to grasp and remember. 

This interplay between the verbal and visual channels creates richer, more interconnected mental models by helping students not only remember information, but also apply it flexibly in new contexts.

My Go-To Strategy: Sketch and Tell

One of my favorite ways to help students engage in dual coding is Sketch and Tell. Here’s how it works:

1. Sketch: Students draw a visual representation of the concept they are learning.

2. Tell: Students explain the concept using words.

I always tell students that the “sketch” and the “tell” should say the same thing but in different ways. The drawing doesn’t need to be artistic either; stick figures and symbols work just fine. The goal is meaning-making, not art.

I often have students do this on mini whiteboards, which lets me quickly see their thinking in real time. Once they’ve sketched and written, I’ll turn it into a quick Think-Pair-Share. Students explain their sketch to a partner before we share out as a class. This adds another layer of rehearsal, students are retrieving the information, saying it out loud, and hearing another version of it, all of which further strengthen memory.

I don’t just use dual coding strategies with my students. I also teach them about the science behind it. Early in the year, I explain that our brains have two main channels for coding and storing information: one for words and one for visuals. When we use both together, we’re creating stronger and more durable memories. I tell them this is why we practice “Sketch and Tell”. They know it isn’t busywork or just a chance to doodle mindlessly, it’s a proven way to make knowledge easier to retrieve later. Framing it this way gives students a clear why behind the routine and helps them see themselves as active participants in building long-term, accessible memory.

Variations of Sketch and Tell

The beauty of Sketch and Tell is its flexibility. It can be adapted to many different kinds of information students are trying to learn:

• Vocabulary: Students sketch a symbol or image that represents a new word and then write the definition in their own words.

• Concepts: Students draw a simple representation of an abstract idea and explain it.

• Processes: Students show the steps in a sequence and pair it with a written description of each step.

• Cause and Effect: Students sketch the chain of events leading from one factor to another and then explain the relationship.

• Comparisons: Students draw two images side by side to represent similarities and differences, then write about the comparison.

Beyond those basics, there are even more ways to adapt the strategy:

• Timelines: Sketch key events as images on a timeline, then explain their sequence and significance.

• Symbols & Icons: Use symbolic images with written explanations of their meaning.

• Analogies: Draw an analogy and explain how it connects to the concept.

• Graphic Notes: Blend words and sketches like mini sketchnotes while listening to a lesson or reading.

• Before & After: Sketch two versions of a concept and explain the change.

• Prediction Sketches: Before learning the full content, students sketch a prediction of how something works, then revise and explain after instruction.

• Compare Perspectives: Sketch two viewpoints on an event or issue and then explain the contrast.

• Concept Connections: Sketch a web of related ideas, with small drawings for each, and explain how they connect in writing.

Why It Works

The magic of Sketch and Tell is that it forces students to:

• Organize knowledge: What image best represents this concept?

• Translate across modes: How do I put this into words?

• Strengthen retrieval: Two memory traces = stronger recall

Dual coding isn’t about pretty pictures; it’s about deeper processing. Sketch and Tell helps students slow down, visualize, and explain which strengthens their memory and makes learning stick.