Advantages of Using Graphic Organizer

Advantages of Using Graphic Organizer

In 250 words, please respond to the following questions with your perspective based on what you learned this week based on the assigned readings.

1) What are the advantages when a student uses a graphic organizer? Include an example of a student using a graphic organizer.

Peer Response 1

Chris

What are the advantages when a student uses a graphic organizer?>

For me the main advantage for using graphic organizers is that it puts framework on student learning and clear communication is achieved. They aid the visual learners and allows for the student to have a clearer understanding of what is to be the main focus of the lesson. I try to provide all students with graphic organizers and not just the students that have an IEP. As teachers, we have the ability to alter and adjust how much of the graphic organizer we would like to provide. In other words, we can start by providing a large chunk of information and gradually reduce the amount that we provide and have the students learn to figure it out for themselves. Many goals for high school students is to graduate and attend college. While in college they will need to learn to figure things out and ask questions.

Include an example of a student using a graphic organizer.

They also need to learn to communicate. I always tell people that the biggest thing that I learned in college is time management and how to take responsibility for my own learning. One of my students, let’s call her Amy, asks me to provide graphic organizers the day before class so she can review it and know what she needs to focus on during my lecture. By doing this, she knows what to focus on in class and can have questions ready for clarification. Since Amy requested this, I began providing students with graphic organizers the day before class. That way, they can have a starting point for their learning. This experiment has yielded excellent results. Another advantage of conducting class in this format is that you don’t have to plan special assignments for the students that may have this component in their IEP.

Peer Response 2

Mary

Graphic organizers are visual learning strategies that show related information in an organized way. As presented in the powerpoint, graphic organizers connect content in a meaningful way to help students gain a clearer understanding of the material (Fountas & Pinnell, 2001, as cited in Baxendrall, 2003). The information students are learning can be presented as a chart, grid, outline, map, hierarchy or Venn diagram for example. When information is presented in an organized and visual way it is easier for some students to learn and remember new information. These visual aids help students see patterns and connections between the information. Graphic organizers are also useful for taking notes and creating a study guide.

An example of a student using a graphic organizer would be the use of a grid with columns to show the relationship between 10 different countries in Europe. The grid could be comprised of 10 boxes down and 4 boxes across. The first column could list 10 of the largest countries in Europe. The second column could include the total population of each country. The third column could list the predominately spoken language and the fourth column could tell the most abundant natural resource. When the information is presented in this way, it is easier to compare and contrast the information about each country. Another example of a student using a graphic organizer is hierarchical diagramming. Hierarchical diagrams are useful for showing superordinate and subordinate information such as a corporate chain of command. The president would be at the top, and under the president would be separate lanes for each department and the ranking of subordinates.