What to say about graphic organizers? Apparently Fisher and Frey have lots to say about them.
Until recently, I was unfamiliar with what graphic organizers were. I am not a “graphy” person or a “Chartsey” person so I am not one to really use them. I did, however, find out some new interesting things about graphic organizers that I had never really thought about. Using them in the classroom can be very beneficial to the students though. I never would have thought about them helping students with disabilities but it makes sense after reading what the book said. The book mentions that they help scaffold information for the students by breaking them down or highlighting certain aspects of the lesson being taught, and it also can help them to see how it is all related. I also realized the using a graphic organizer can help to stay organized with thoughts. I also never thought about using them across the spectrum like in math and social studies until after reading. This chapter really helped me to better understand graphic organizers, as well as, how and when to use them. “Like all good teaching strategies, graphic organizers must be introduced carefully to students. On the surface, they are such a simple tool that there is a temptation to merely distribute them and ask students to fill them.” This is so true! I know that I will be able to use them in my classroom but I will have to make sure to make them user friendly.
I know that I have a different style of learning than some people (as do all people) and I am worried that in my classroom, I will not be able to differentiate for all students. My question I guess is when it comes to differentiation, will graphic organizers benefit auditory learners as well as the visual learners? Also, What good is a graphic organizer (which is mostly visible) for students with visual impairments?
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