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Learning is a very personal thing – for some people it comes very easily and they can learn using traditional methods. Others can struggle or find that they need to use different techniques to be able to learn effectively. With this in mind, teachers and other learning professionals have developed various learning methods and techniques to enhance the learning experience of both young and old alike. One of these methods is the use of graphic organizers.

Graphic organizers are a visual way of representing concepts, ideas and areas of knowledge and can take a variety of different forms from more simple classification organizers, relational organizers and sequence organizers to more complex graphic organizers such as concept development organizers and options and control device organizers. Studies have shown that using graphic organizers can help learners to improve their recall skills, cut down on boredom when learning, create an interest in topics, help to organize thoughts and enhance understanding. This can make all the difference to a child or adult who finds learning new concepts quite trying and difficult to grasp.

Storyboards, which are used to develop film and story plots (and are used in comics) are one of the types of graphic organizers that fall into the relational organizers category and they are widely used in schools. Charts also fall into this category and these can be highly beneficial to help learners understand what percentages look like – when used as a pie chart for instance. Using visual representations of knowledge can help to break down many of the barriers that some learners will come across during their education. Graphic organizers, when used in this way can be a huge help to anyone who finds abstract thoughts challenging.

Another type of graphic organizers that are commonly used in educational establishments and in the workplace are mind maps. These are diagrams which represent a chain of thoughts and ideas all stemming from a central theme. They can be massively helpful when a group of people are discussing new concepts and want to get as many opinions on it as possible. When viewed these types of graphic organizers can look a little unstructured, but as you then follow the map you can see the logic within it.

Flow charts are very useful graphic organizers which can be used to help people to understand a process and they can be as simple or as complex as the process requires. These are often used to help children with autism who need to have a structured timetable for each day at school and at home that they can refer to. Graphic organizers when used in this way can provide a solid foundation for autistic children to work with and use in order to cope with each day and feel secure.
As shown graphic organizers can help people in a multitude of ways and they can range from the very simple to the extremely complex – but they all have one thing in common – they help people to understand concepts.

Graphic organizers, \concept mapping, and mind mapping examples and explanations.