Englishwaterspell: Using Graphic organizers

www.edhelper.com/teachers/graphic_organizers.htm

www.worldhistoryteacher.org/student_forum/learning_tools.htm

http://pact.natomascharter.org/pact_files/user198/Graphic%20Organizers%20Presentation-%20Laur%20Bariel.pdf

Graphic organizers can be used in the FL classroom in many different ways: to brainstorm, review a topic (if done in class, it allows children to be involved and to participate), plan a project (a working paper where pupils will add all they know about the topic), make a concept map, infer solutions to problems, …

Graphic organizers meet the need of the brain to find patterns and complete things. According to Tony Buzan (one of the leading psychologists worldwide on human brain function), it is important to use the information in a relevant and interesting way, linking the action of our senses with the power of association. Neurolinguistic Programming states that each person processes and stores information differently, we each have a primary representational system, the one which we use more often. Learning will be more effective if it involves the entire brain (through both hemispheres). Graphic organizers help pupils retain concepts. They cater for diversity, because it takes into account different learning styles.

Graphic Organizers can be used to promote Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Bloom's Level	Purpose	Type of Graphic Organizer
Understanding and Remembering	*Interpreting Exemplifying Summarising Inferring Paraphrasing Classifying Comparing Explaining* Recognising Listing Describing Identifying Retrieving Naming Locating/Finding	Spider Maps: to describe item. Linear String: to describe a sequence of events, continuum, storyboard, cycle. Simple Flowchart: This is a simple concept linking to next concept. Simple Concept map: to describe item. Hierarchy Diagram: to classify items. Desktop Folder System: to organize collection and distribution of information.
Applying and Analysing	*Comparing Organising Deconstructing Attributing Outlining Structuring Integrating Implementing Carrying out Using Executing Doing*	Venn Diagram: to compare/contrast 2 or more concepts. Comparison Matrix: to compare/contrast 2 or more items. 6 Focusing questions: a simple map that is designed to ask 6 key questions: What, When, Where, Who, Why and How. The topic or concept is crucial.
Evaluating and Creating	*Checking Hypothesising Critiquing Experimenting Judging Testing Detecting Monitoring* Designing Constructing Planning Producing Inventing Devising Making Building	Thinking grids: to make decisions Fishbone Map: to analyse and evaluate cause and effect. Simple cause and effect Table Programming Flowchart IPO or Input-Processing-Output Diagram: to look at input into a system, the processing that occurs on that input and what the outputs from this processing are.

Graphic organizers are available and useful for all ages and all purposes (from very complex to very simple things). I think graphic organizers represent a powerful visual and spatial communication. We all know the power of symbols: the user can quickly interpret them. The graphic organizers assist pupils in arranging the “big picture” information, in order to increase their achievements. You can save a lot of information in one graphic organizer. It designs allows the addition of things at different moments and by many people, which fosters a cooperative learning.

It can be a tool for children who have difficulty with the traditional way of learning. e.g. Using concept maps can brainstorm new ideas and concepts and develop them in a fast and fun way.

Teachers and students can use graphic organizers to enhance the learning process in all subject areas, not just learning English as a FL. They can even use them in their daily life, being a tool that allows learning how to learn.

Another good aspect of graphic organizers is that they support Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences: visual pupils, pupils with spatial intelligence, logical-mathematical intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence, linguistic intelligence.

Some examples: