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Mind mapping does not suit everyone and should never be forced upon a student who doesn't like this method of working; however for visual learners it can prove a valuable tool.
It is widely recognised that mind mapping, also known as concept mapping, can save us time, improve our memory and help us become more creative thinkers, yet many of us still use this technique in a restricted way. Here are10 ways in which mind mapping could be used in school.
This is a useful exercise for the last 10 minutes of every lesson. It reinforces what has just been taught and the student is more likely to focus their mind during lesson if they know a mind map is expected.
Daily and weekly maps can help students organise their time better so that they don't forget important appointments such as lunchtime sports practice, after school revision club, or to bring in their Humanities project for the moderator, and remember to revise for Science test etc
As many dyslexics are global thinkers, it is extremely helpful to provide them with an overview of the lesson at the start of the session.
This keeps the whole knowledge picture in view at all times and gives the student an understanding of the subject in its entirety by illustrating all the topics & modules covered. Coursework deadlines with dates and times of assessments are in view at all times.
It becomes even more effective when attachments are inserted at appropriate sections, such as, photographic evidence of projects for Design & Technology, examples of good practice from previous students' work, past exam questions, marking criteria for different sections.
A more productive homework than "read chapter 7" would be "mind map chapter 7". This is an excellent focus for reading as the student is forced to think of appropriate imagery for illustrating the map thus visualising as they read. Perhaps the mind map could be made from the summary at end of chapter? Text books are neatly divided up into chapters and sub headings provide the framework for a mind map requiring the student to add the detail in terms of pictures, phrases, symbols and colour ... then they just have to commit it to memory!
The aim of revising is to ensure the student thoroughly understands the topic and can produce a detailed written account later. Mind mapping is a successful revision tool because it is active and multisensory. After 1 hour learning period and with regular reviews of your map, the information becomes part of their long term memory.
The multi-tasking element fundamental to essay writing (have an idea, express those ideas fluently and organise them logically whilst being aware of spelling and punctuation) can be very difficult for many dyslexics. Mind mapping software enables the student to quickly dump their ideas on the screen therefore freeing up their working memory to work on reorganising and developing them further. The mind map can then be dropped into a Word document thus providing a writing framework which is really helpful for those students who have difficulty structuring their work.
If the purpose of the exam is to test a student's knowledge & understanding as opposed to writing ability then consider introducing mind mapping as an exam tool. The teacher could develop a mark scheme for grading mind maps which incorporates marks for a range of concepts and theories covered, detail, own ideas etc.
This works in a similar fashion to a cloze procedure passage (where key words have been omitted) but the student has the option to write or draw in the blanks. Having the visual overview makes it easier to revisit and edit the original answers.
The radiant format of mind mapping triggers a chain of associations. This sparks creativity and hence leads to new ideas making it a powerful tool for assisting with descriptive writing.
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