2. What is a Graphic Organizer?
Graphic organizers guide learners’ thinking as they fill in and build upon a visual map or diagram. Graphic
organizers are some of the most effective visual learning strategies for students and are applied across the
curriculum to enhance learning and understanding of subject matter content. In a variety of formats
dependent upon the task, graphic organizers facilitate students’ learning by helping them identify areas of
focus within a broad topic, such as a novel or article. Because they help the learner make connections and
structure thinking, students often turn to graphic organizers for writing projects.
In addition to helping students organize their thinking and writing process, graphic organizers can act as
instructional tools. Teachers can use graphic organizers to illustrate a student’s knowledge about a topic or
section of text showing areas for improvement.
Information obtained from: http://www.inspiration.com/visual-learning/graphic-organizers
3. How to use a
graphic
organizer in
the classroom
Help students
organize
writing
projects
Easy way
to
brainstorm
ideas
To classify
ideas
To demonstrate
students
thinking process
To encourage
students
decision making
process
Allows
students to
examine
relationships
Instruct students to
compare and contrast using
a venn diagram!
Instruct students to make a web
to show different categories!
4. Pros and Cons of
Graphic Organizers
Pros
Organizes
thoughts
Keeps
students on
track
Visual
appearance
Provides a
scaffold
A good place
to start
Develops
vocabulary
Cons
Seen as an
additional
task
Too
constricting
Time
consuming
Can be
Stressful
Can be used
incorrectly
Can become
messy
Information obtained from: http://genrestudy.wikifoundry.com/page/Discussion+%233%3A++Pros+and+Cons+of+Graphic+Organizers
