Research

Hi all, I decided to pull in some references that prove that Graphic Organizers are great (as if anyone needs more proof!)

According to NICHY.com

Findings

1. Semantic organizers, cognitive maps with a mnemonic and framed outlines were all found to be highly effective in improving reading comprehension. Cognitive maps without a mnemonic were found to be moderately effective.
2. Graphic organizers were effective regardless of whether they were implemented by teachers or researchers.
3. Students using graphic organizers significantly outperformed their peers who did not use graphic organizers regardless of whether they developed their own graphic organizers or used teacher- or researcher-generated ones.
4. Students ranging in age from elementary to high school all benefited significantly from using graphic organizers.

Institute for the Advancement of Research in Education, July 2003 

Graphic Organizers increase learning. 

As a tool to support students’ thinking and learning processes, the 29 

research studies have shown that graphic organizers help students: 

• brainstorm ideas. 

• develop, organize, and communicate ideas. 

• see connections, patterns, and relationships. 

• assess and share prior knowledge. 

• develop vocabulary. 

• highlight important ideas. 

• classify or categorize concepts, ideas, and information. 

• improve social interaction between students, and facilitate group work and 

 collaboration. 

• guide review and study. 

Graphic organizers have been found to improve students’ reading 

comprehension at all levels, first grade through high school. …NRP (National 

Reading Panel) cited graphic and semantic organizers (including story maps) 

as one of seven categories of instruction that is the most effective in 

improving reading comprehension. 

Mentoring Minds.com says

Research shows that graphic organizers are key to assisting students to improve 
academic performance. In creating an organizer, pertinent aspects of a concept 
or topic are arranged into a pattern using labels. This process is one that 
research suggests aids comprehension for several reasons: 
• Graphic organizers match the mind. As researcher David P. Ausubel has 
shown, the mind arranges and stores information in an orderly fashion. 
New information about a concept is filed into an existing framework of 
categories called a schema. A schema already contains preexisting 
knowledge about that concept. Graphic organizers arrange information in 
a visual pattern that complements this framework, making information 
easier to understand and learn. 
• Organizers demonstrate how concepts are linked to prior knowledge to aid 
in comprehension. 
• Organizers aid the memory as opposed to recalling key points from an 
extended text. 
• Organizers help retain information readily when higher thought processes 
are involved. 
• Organizers engage the learner with a combination of the spoken word with 
printed text and diagrams. 

Tata for now! 

Tess