Rawley Silver
Encyclopedia
Rawley Silver is an American
Art Therapist, artist, author, and educator. She has worked with different populations with her strong belief in using art as a form of language. She has created tests to screen for cognitive and emotional disturbances in children with hearing impairment
s, stroke
patients, and individuals with learning disabilities and those with emotional issues such as aggression and depression. Through her work in the field, Silver has contributed over eighty published works, including journal articles, books, and other publications, and she has presented at over seventy conferences and universities. Silver has been an honorary member of the American Art Therapy Association
(AATA) since 1983, and has earned awards for her research in the field in 1976, 1989, 1992, and 1996. Rawley Silver is an honorary lifetime member of AATA and has been further honored by AATA creating an award in her name, the Rawley Silver Award for Excellence. This award is given to one student every year that has been accepted into an art therapy program and has at least a 3.5 grade point average.
in 1939 with a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy
and Studio Art
. She then went on to study at the School of Social Work
at Smith College
from 1940 to 1941. Silver went on to work as a medical social worker and volunteered to work in a school that had no art teacher. In 1962, she attended the Teachers College of Columbia University
, where she received her Doctorate of Education and Masters’ of Arts degree in Fine Arts and Fine Arts Education in 1966.
During this time, Silver began working with individuals with disabilities, especially children with auditory disorders. Silver discovered at this time that communication is a problem not only for those persons who have language disorders, but also for those who work with them. Due to this barrier, she began utilizing stimulating drawings in her work with patients. In her book, Art as Language, Silver stated one could use drawings to bypass language
problems and assess cognitive skills. She went on to conduct research projects on this subject, supported by the U.S. Office of Education
and the National Institute of Education
, among others.
and reading
, has three subtests: drawing from imagination, drawing from observation, and predictive drawing. The Drawing from Imagination test in the Silver Drawing Test is similar to Silvers’ assessment, Draw a Story.
The Silver Drawing Test and Draw a Story assessments provide quantitative findings of reliability, validity, normative data, and outcome studies that assess changes in cognitive skills or emotional states following remedial programs. In addition, they provide case studies and drawing responses by children, adolescents, and adults in clinical and non-clinical populations. The assessments use stimulus drawings to elicit responses. Responses are scored on 5-point rating scales that range from low to high levels of Ability to Select. Combine, and Represent, and from strongly negative to strongly positive Emotional Content, Self-Image, and when appropriate, Use of Humor. The findings, by mental health professionals and educators not only in the U.S.A. but also in Europe, Asia, and South America, include age, gender, and cultural difference and similarities. The three subtests of the Silver Drawing Test assess the three concepts said to be fundamental in reading and mathematics: Drawing from Imagination assesses concepts of class inclusion; Predictive Drawing, concepts of sequential order; and Drawing from Observation, concepts of space. The Draw A Story assessment is used to screen for masked depression that may lead to suicide, and reactive or predatory aggression that may lead to violence in schools.
Predictive Drawing assesses clients' grasp of the concepts of sequential order, horizontality, and verticality. In this test, there are three separate tests. One, which measures sequential order, shows an ice cream float in a clear glass, and six empty glasses. The client is directed to draw lines in the empty glasses to show how the glasses would appear if the float were drunk with a straw. The next one, which measures horizontality, shows two empty bottles. One is sitting upright, and the other tilted to the side. The client draws lines in the bottles to show where water would be with the bottles filled up halfway. The last test, which measures verticality, presents the clients with a drawing of a house sitting on top of a mountain. Clients draw the way the house would look if it moved to the spot marked with an “X” on the slope. Once these are finished, the assessment is complete.
The Draw a Story test, used most often on children and adolescents, is used to screen for depression by looking at negative and positive themes to responses. The client chooses two pictures from two forms that contain stimulus drawings, and imagine a story between them. They are then directed to draw a story between them.
http://www.taylorandfrancis.com
http://www.eric.gov
http://www.americanarttherapyassociation.org
http://www.rawleysilver.com/
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Art Therapist, artist, author, and educator. She has worked with different populations with her strong belief in using art as a form of language. She has created tests to screen for cognitive and emotional disturbances in children with hearing impairment
Hearing impairment
-Definition:Deafness is the inability for the ear to interpret certain or all frequencies of sound.-Environmental Situations:Deafness can be caused by environmental situations such as noise, trauma, or other ear defections...
s, stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
patients, and individuals with learning disabilities and those with emotional issues such as aggression and depression. Through her work in the field, Silver has contributed over eighty published works, including journal articles, books, and other publications, and she has presented at over seventy conferences and universities. Silver has been an honorary member of the American Art Therapy Association
American Art Therapy Association
The American Art Therapy Association is a U.S. national professional association of over 5,000 practicing art therapists, students, educators, and related practitioners in the field of art therapy, with both U.S. and international members...
(AATA) since 1983, and has earned awards for her research in the field in 1976, 1989, 1992, and 1996. Rawley Silver is an honorary lifetime member of AATA and has been further honored by AATA creating an award in her name, the Rawley Silver Award for Excellence. This award is given to one student every year that has been accepted into an art therapy program and has at least a 3.5 grade point average.
Life and Work
Silver graduated from Cornell UniversityCornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1939 with a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and Studio Art
Studio art
Studio art is made of art and studio, and the term has several implications depending on the context used. The term encompasses all art forms, be they performing or visual.-Definition:...
. She then went on to study at the School of Social Work
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
at Smith College
Smith College
Smith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
from 1940 to 1941. Silver went on to work as a medical social worker and volunteered to work in a school that had no art teacher. In 1962, she attended the Teachers College of Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, where she received her Doctorate of Education and Masters’ of Arts degree in Fine Arts and Fine Arts Education in 1966.
During this time, Silver began working with individuals with disabilities, especially children with auditory disorders. Silver discovered at this time that communication is a problem not only for those persons who have language disorders, but also for those who work with them. Due to this barrier, she began utilizing stimulating drawings in her work with patients. In her book, Art as Language, Silver stated one could use drawings to bypass language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
problems and assess cognitive skills. She went on to conduct research projects on this subject, supported by the U.S. Office of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
and the National Institute of Education
National Institute of Education
The is an institute of the , Singapore.NIE, Singapore, provides all levels of teacher education, from programmes to for in-service teachers and executive for Principals, Departmental Heads and other school leaders. NIE also administers postgraduate programmes that lead to the award of in...
, among others.
Silver Drawing Assessments
During her work in the field Silver created two assessments: the Silver Drawing Test and Draw a Story. Silver's assessments use stimulus drawings to bypass language disorders in assessing cognitive skills, and to provide access to emotions and attitudes. The Silver Drawing Test, which measures perceptions essential to mathematicsMathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and reading
Reading (process)
Reading is a complex cognitive process of decoding symbols for the intention of constructing or deriving meaning . It is a means of language acquisition, of communication, and of sharing information and ideas...
, has three subtests: drawing from imagination, drawing from observation, and predictive drawing. The Drawing from Imagination test in the Silver Drawing Test is similar to Silvers’ assessment, Draw a Story.
The Silver Drawing Test and Draw a Story assessments provide quantitative findings of reliability, validity, normative data, and outcome studies that assess changes in cognitive skills or emotional states following remedial programs. In addition, they provide case studies and drawing responses by children, adolescents, and adults in clinical and non-clinical populations. The assessments use stimulus drawings to elicit responses. Responses are scored on 5-point rating scales that range from low to high levels of Ability to Select. Combine, and Represent, and from strongly negative to strongly positive Emotional Content, Self-Image, and when appropriate, Use of Humor. The findings, by mental health professionals and educators not only in the U.S.A. but also in Europe, Asia, and South America, include age, gender, and cultural difference and similarities. The three subtests of the Silver Drawing Test assess the three concepts said to be fundamental in reading and mathematics: Drawing from Imagination assesses concepts of class inclusion; Predictive Drawing, concepts of sequential order; and Drawing from Observation, concepts of space. The Draw A Story assessment is used to screen for masked depression that may lead to suicide, and reactive or predatory aggression that may lead to violence in schools.
Predictive Drawing assesses clients' grasp of the concepts of sequential order, horizontality, and verticality. In this test, there are three separate tests. One, which measures sequential order, shows an ice cream float in a clear glass, and six empty glasses. The client is directed to draw lines in the empty glasses to show how the glasses would appear if the float were drunk with a straw. The next one, which measures horizontality, shows two empty bottles. One is sitting upright, and the other tilted to the side. The client draws lines in the bottles to show where water would be with the bottles filled up halfway. The last test, which measures verticality, presents the clients with a drawing of a house sitting on top of a mountain. Clients draw the way the house would look if it moved to the spot marked with an “X” on the slope. Once these are finished, the assessment is complete.
The Draw a Story test, used most often on children and adolescents, is used to screen for depression by looking at negative and positive themes to responses. The client chooses two pictures from two forms that contain stimulus drawings, and imagine a story between them. They are then directed to draw a story between them.
Books by Rawley Silver
- Art as Language, Access to Thoughts and Feelings Through Stimulus Drawings
- Developing Cognitive and Creative Skills Through Art Programs for Children with Communications Disorders or Learning Disabilities
- Aggression and Depression Assessed Through Art; Using Draw-A-Story to Identify Children and Adolescents at Risk
- The Silver Drawing Test and Draw A Story, Assessing Depression, Aggression, and Cognitive Skills
- Identifying Risks for Aggression and Depression Through Metaphors, The Mouse, The Bride, and the Use of Humor
External links
http://www.routledgementalhealth.comhttp://www.taylorandfrancis.com
http://www.eric.gov
http://www.americanarttherapyassociation.org
http://www.rawleysilver.com/