Graphic organizers are important learning tools to use with students before, during and after lesson instruction. As a means of activating prior knowledge or as a means of building pre-requisite knowledge before lesson instruction, graphic organizers are an important tool for accelerating learning.
Understanding why information is organized in specific ways makes the content more meaningful and helps students move it from a visual representation to a mental model in their minds.
Additionally, students become more engaged when they are taught how to use the graphic organizer. It is important to make students believe in the relevance of using the graphic organizer for their benefit.
When students believe in the importance of the graphic organizer, they are committed to using it and transferring the use to other learning experiences.
