Symbols for frequently used words such as like, of, some, and know do not help someone produce a picture in their mind. Look at the examples below. If you covered up the text, could you guess the text below?

When a picture representation of a word is added to a text representation of a word, it tends to add to the complexity of visual information presented in a way that does NOT help an individual learn how to decode, recognize, or comprehend the text. The added image doesn’t actually help students make an association between the printed word and the symbol. A strategy to use instead is to present the text without an added picture. The text itself is the symbol.