Teaching WH Questions through Picture Description | EdQueries

 The Power of Curiosity in Language Learning

They say, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” At EdQueries, we like to add — “provided you know how to use it.”
Picture description activities are powerful tools to enhance language, observation, and reasoning skills among children. When guided correctly, a single image can spark storytelling, vocabulary development, inferencing, and critical thinking.

This article explores how parents, educators, and therapists can use the 5 W’s and 1 H framework — Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How — to nurture curiosity and communication through pictures.
We’ll also highlight how EdQueries’ interactive language and comprehension games make learning engaging, inclusive, and accessible for children with special needs.

Why Picture Description Matters

A picture description is not just an observation activity — it’s a gateway to language growth.
While many children describe what they see — nouns, verbs, or basic emotions — guided questioning helps them explore why and how things happen.

Parents and educators become that “curious neighbour” who asks questions like:
What happened? Who is there? Where are they? Why is it happening? When did it happen? How do we know?

To make this process enjoyable, EdQueries offers WH Questions Games — an interactive course that helps children practice these question forms through vivid visuals, real-life scenarios, and structured prompts.
It enhances vocabulary, comprehension, and question-answer formation — turning curiosity into confident communication.

Step-by-Step Guide: Using the 5 W’s & 1 H

1. Start with the Place

Begin with simple prompts such as:

• “Which place is this?”
  If the child struggles, offer distinct options like “Is it a park or a bathroom?” to guide understanding.
  In EdQueries’ WH Questions module, children practice identifying settings and matching them to “where” or “when” questions, reinforcing contextual comprehension.

2. Describe in Sequence

Encourage the child to describe the picture clockwise or anti-clockwise to ensure they notice every element.
This structured approach strengthens attention and sequencing — key foundations of comprehension.

3. Identify Actions and Add Descriptions

Ask:

“The old woman is feeding birds.”
“The small boy is playing with a heart-shaped balloon.”

Adding adjectives expands vocabulary and descriptive expression.
In Picture Comprehension Games, children practice identifying actions and describing scenes in detail. These visuals teach them to observe carefully and use context-appropriate words.

4. Recognize and Label Objects

Guide the child to identify details — the fountain, stroller, open gate, or bird behind the boy. Celebrate new words:

“Wow! That’s a new word we’ve learned!”

Through EdQueries’ picture-based modules, children strengthen object recognition and learn to describe elements systematically — a core step in building structured speech.

Expanding Vocabulary with Context

Vocabulary becomes meaningful when taught in context. Replace general terms with precise ones — huge instead of big, tiny instead of small, massive instead of large. This promotes natural language use and prepares children for expressive communication.

Encouraging Inferential Thinking

Once children grasp the visible details, it’s time to go deeper — to teach them to infer what’s not directly shown.
Ask questions like:

• “What is the boy with the ball doing?” → Waving

• “Who is he waving at?” → The boy with glasses

• “Why are they waving?” → Because they are friends

This process helps children connect visual cues, logic, and prior knowledge — an essential part of comprehension.

To strengthen this skill further, EdQueries offers Inferencing Games — a collection of engaging tasks where children practice drawing conclusions from pictures, short stories, and real-life scenarios.
These games enhance:

• Observation and reasoning

• Logical deduction

• Vocabulary through context clues

• Independent thinking

Used alongside picture description, inferencing games help children move from “What do you see?” to “What do you think is happening?”

Teaching Perspective: Theory of Mind

Ask:

• “Does the boy with glasses know there’s a bird behind him?”

Such questions teach Theory of Mind — understanding that others may have thoughts or knowledge different from our own.
For many children with Autism or developmental delays, this is a skill that needs explicit teaching.

EdQueries’ Perspective Taking Games are designed exactly for this purpose. These interactive exercises use visual scenes and everyday contexts to help children:

• Understand emotions and body language

• Predict others’ thoughts and reactions

• Build empathy and social understanding

💡 Tip: Before introducing perspective-based questions, ensure your child understands cause and effect and can express basic emotions and actions.

Interpreting Emotions and Expressions

Body language and facial expressions provide subtle clues to meaning. Ask:

• “How do you know the boy on the bench is enjoying music?”

• “Why does the girl behind the tree look amused?”

• “Why does the girl in polka dots look cross?”

Using words like amused, cross, curious, or excited deepens emotional vocabulary.
This skill connects beautifully with the Perspective Taking Games, where children learn to decode emotions through pictures — a crucial step toward better social communication.

For Beginners: Simplify and Relate

Start with simple images with fewer details. Use expressive tones, and relate questions to real-life experiences:

“Oh! You also go to the park daily. Does it have a fountain?”

This real-world connection, combined with EdQueries’ interactive modules, helps children learn naturally through experiences they recognize — bridging understanding between visual and verbal communication.

 Turning Pictures into Possibilities

A single picture can open a world of imagination and learning. Through guided questioning, children don’t just see — they observe, infer, and understand.

EdQueries’ WH Questions, Picture Comprehension, Inferencing, and Perspective Taking Games bring this process to life through interactive, game-based learning.
They support speech therapy, classroom learning, and home practice — transforming simple visuals into powerful tools for communication and cognitive development.

At EdQueries, we believe that curiosity is the foundation of learning. Explore these resources today and watch every picture turn into a meaningful story of growth and discovery.

👉 Visit EdQueries.com to get started!