It is important to integrate concept maps into lessons when they fully benefit students, rather than force a lesson into a concept map. Criteria that I'd look for in a lesson are deep discussions, complex concepts, or relevant concepts. Lessons revolving around these qualities would benefit incredibly from a concept map.
One way that concept mapping could be beneficial in an English/Language Arts class would be to map out a theme in a novel or short story. Since themes are often times complex recurrent ideas, students would reach further understanding on what the theme means and why it is present. Other literary devices could be mapped out as well. For example, characters can be placed as the main focus of a concept map, and as we read a novel, the characters can even be connected by more than one map.
Concept maps can go beyond reading and analysis in the classroom—prewriting and brainstorming discussions can revolve around concept maps for all sorts of writing assignments. Persuasive essay topics can be analyzed on a map, thus forcing students to think of all sides of an argument. Concept maps can also be used to keep organized while working on an extensive research assignment. Since it is easy to break off on tangents while researching broad and complicated subjects, creating a concept map can help narrow down a topic, creating a cleaner focus for the paper.
Concept maps are great for keeping organized, thoroughly thinking through a topic, and for initiating discussions. Working as a group helps build on everyone’s knowledge, in turn allowing for successful group learning.
I liked this post very much as it has helped me a lot in my research and is quite interesting as well. Thank you for sharing this information with us.
ReplyDeleteBuy Persuasive Essays Writing