Pictures of Phrases

[PictureGuy_StJoe]

OK. Here is the deal.
I have been chosen, out of a list of me and no one else, to help design a poster.
The poster will depict common household phrases, translated into the students' native language. That part is easy to grasp. Where is gets tricky, is how to get vague phrases, (i.e. "What are we eating?" "Can I go outside?" and even "yes" and "no") to be depicted in a single photograph.

I have several shots already taken and I am not happy with any of them. I was willing to chalk it up to the teacher wanting this poster not thinking the chosen phrases out as to how they would be depicted. But I am taking it as a challenge now, and I was wondering if anyone had any nuggets of inspiration?

Entire list follows:
Sit down
Be quiet.
Please read ...
Yes.
No.
Maybe.
I am thirsty.
I am hungry.
Can I go upstairs?
Can I go outside?
Can I go to the bathroom?
Stop.
Clean up please.
Line up.
You may go.
Let’s pray.
Get your books.
Are we/you ready?
Use your manners.
Can I answer the phone?
What are we eating?
Can I go there.
Are we going swimming?
What hurts?
Brush your teeth.

 

[Do'Urden's Eyes]

What are the posters actually going to be used for? I mean, what kind of mood are we going for? its pretty easy just to get a model and sort of have them exaggerate these phrases and you might get something good out of those. of course this would be for a more lax feel. were you going for more of a serious feel?

 

[Iron Flatline]

Some of these go to cultural body language, which isn't universal. A hand held flat up may mean stop to Europeans, but it means something else in India. So you may have to deal with target-specific context.

Is it Lakota? Because then a person gesturing to a chair might be different than an invitation to an empty spot on a blanket.

I am Thirsty and I am Hungry... hmmm... a hand holding an empty glass or plate, with the person seen soft in the background.

I dunno, this is hard to do out-of-context.

Could you point us to a poster or an image that you think successfully fulfills the mission you are seeking to accomplish?

 

[Iron Flatline]

How old is the target audience?

 

[PictureGuy_StJoe]

We are a residential school, and as far as I know these posters are to be distributed to the various home units on campus, with possible distribution to the students families on the local reservations.

And yes, the language is Lakota. the kids on campus range from grades 1st through HS.

The project is a branch out of a multi-cultural goal set by the administration. It's amazing how many kids on this generation are out of touch with their roots.

**anecdote not quite on topic but gets the point across to what I need to convey, which is getting these kids back in touch with their heritage**

A class of 3rd graders were touring the historical museum focused on the plains Indians here on campus. While looking at traditional regalia, one of the students put on a headdress and exclaimed, "Look! I'm an Indian."
To which his teacher replied, "Dear, you are ALWAYS an Indian."

** funny and really sad at the same time **

 

[julie32]

Though I don't have any ideas at the moment, I admire you for taking this on as a challenge.

 

[Do'Urden's Eyes]

haha 'native' language! i fully misinterpretted that guys sorry! alot of people refer to teenagers talking to eachother as a completely different language and thats what i thought was going on!

 

[notelliot]

sounds like a lot of fun. i got a few ideas for how i'd do it, but i think they would be relatively inappropriate for your audience.

 

[flygning]

To clear this up-- these students are English speaking, and the project is to teach them a bit of their native language, or the other way around?

 

[craig]

The key here is to shoot, then shoot, and then shoot some more. Show the shots to everyone involved and then shoot some more. General phrases like this are very open ended. The idea is to get super creative and try every possible angle.

Love & Bass

 

[Jedo_03]

you will get some answers and inspiration by consulting "signed language" books - used by disabled and hearing impaired people - here in Australia we have MAKATON for kids and AUSLAN for the hearing impaired. I think you will find quite a bit of signed language on the internet...
not a lot is free...
try this
http://www.makaton.org/docs/MakatonNativity.pdf
Jedo

 

[PictureGuy_StJoe]

To clear this up-- these students are English speaking, and the project is to teach them a bit of their native language, or the other way around?

Yes the kids speak English, well thug mostly (whole different problem).
It is part of their Native American Studies to teach them Lakota (Sioux).
It's one of those "losing one's cultural identity" instances.

The poster is to give them a chance to reinforce common phrases around the house in their tribal Language. It's a great project idea; I just feel it is being approached in the wrong way by the administration, but I am still the new guy (less than three years with an organization that boasts careers of 20-35 years) and boat-rockers aren't smiled upon.

The other facet is that students are the models in the pictures. So that is one of the fun parts. These kids LOVE getting their picture taken.