​Ok, so the big idea is this -- Blending text and visuals together has been proven to boost the brain’s ability to convert learned information into long-term memory.
 
This is so important to truly understand and apply, but we tend to greatly underestimate this proven research and its impact on learning.  Most teachers probably feel this intuitively, deep down.  But do we REALLY do our best to blend these two teaching strategies seamlessly in each and every lesson?  Not always.  We fall into our normal notes-and-lecture routine, then review with practice problems or questions, and once in a while try to incorporate a visual when we can.
 
But this idea is so critical to student learning and memory.

​If your kids tend to forget when it comes to test time, or not quite see the connections between ideas, you may need to up your graphic / linguistic blending efforts!  This is the key to students’ ability to move that new information out of working memory and into long-term memory to actually retain it.
 
My biggest goal lately has been to set students up for success in making those mental connections.  I’ve been all about the cooperation of visual and linguistic brain pathways.  In an effort to help kids focus and remember their lesson content, I have developed doodle notes, dug into brain research on how kids learn, and explored new ways to help them process information in more effective ways.  I’ve recently made what I feel has become one of the most useful teaching resources to work toward that goal: Graphic Organizer Review Cards.  It’s essentially a HUGE deck of bite-sized doodle note templates.  

​The graphic organizers are designed to give students options for how to organize different types of information, get them thinking about connections, and help them study and remember.  In the classroom, these cards become templates where kids can easily review and process information by creating visual study guides.
 
I wanted to share some inside information on how these cards work and offer some inspiration to implement them, so you can maximize all of the incredible benefits!

​But First, What Are Graphic Organizers?
 
Graphic Organizers are tools used to visually organize information.  They’re extremely powerful in the classroom.  We use graphic organizers (think Venn Diagram, flow chart, web...)  to help kids build a mental connection between related ideas.  Different concepts fit into different organizer layouts that are visually memorable.
 
 
Why We Use Graphic Organizers
 
As teachers, we frequently have our students use graphic organizers, because visually representing the material improves understanding of the content, which leads to better retention.
 
A graphic layout is key to effective note-taking.  The typical list form (or outline) note method does not trigger memory as well.  In order for students to convert new info into long-term memory more effectively, they need to incorporate pictorial representations.
 
According to Teach Hub, “Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences posits that students are better able to learn and internalize information when more than one learning modality is employed in an instructional strategy. Since graphic organizers present material through the visual and spatial modalities (and reinforce what is taught in the classroom), the use of graphic organizers helps students internalize what they are learning.  They also of course incorporate text and language input.
 
Graphic organizers also incorporate dual-coding theory, leading to an increased understanding of the material and a stronger memory of it.
 

​How They Help Students Make Connections
 
A key part of learning is seeing connections and understanding relationships between ideas.  Memorizing facts separately is not nearly as effective as seeing the big picture along with the details.
 
It’s important for students to ask, how do the concepts interact and relate to one another?  Sometimes one idea leads to another and can be represented with an arrow or flowchart.  Sometimes, we have a hierarchy of information, which can fit into a pyramid shape or a funnel, depending on the content.  Often, we have a web of interconnected ideas that all link back to one big concept.
 
Students can use visual representations of the ideas to build a mind map of the connections and relationships.  By choosing an effective layout for a graphic organizer, they think critically about the type of information and how to best present it.  They can create a visual study guide that reflects all the ideas they are learning and how they work together.
 
If you would like to read more about how graphic organizers improve the development of mental connections, read this recent blog post.
 

​Old Graphic Organizers vs. New Doodle-friendly Graphic Organizers
 
I remember sitting in middle school and filling in a Venn Diagram, copying the teachers’ exact words on the board with nothing but a simple number 2 pencil.  We had to just copy the points from each circle on the board into the corresponding area on our own page.  This was only one of many graphic organizers that our teachers used to help us visualize the given knowledge in my school years.
 
The problem was not the Venn Diagram, itself; there is nothing wrong with these! The problem lies in the assignment.  There is no active-learning going on, no connections being made.
 
So, how do you make learning more active?  How do you allow students to make connections?
 
The answer is actually very simple!  Use these Graphic Organizer Cards when reviewing a lesson or for tests and quizzes as manageable, visual study guides.    
 
This huge deck of cards includes 100 of what I like to call “bite-sized doodle notes”.  They get students really interacting with and processing the content.
 
If you’re unfamiliar, doodle notes take advantage of biological brain processing to increase student focus and boost retention!  If you’re not already familiar with the brain benefits, visit doodlenotes.org for more information!

Tips on Using the Graphic Organizer Cards
 
This deck for purchase has SUCH a wide variety of layouts for any type of possible lesson content.  They have 2, 3, 4, subcategory possibilities, layered/ hierarchy possibilities, flowchart style possibilities, webs, and more! (This pack can be used for ANY subject, and ANY grade level. – I just got a sneak peek at how a Kindergarten teacher used them for 5-year old students last week!)
 
Since this deck of cards is extremely versatile, figuring out where to begin can be a little daunting.  Here are some ideas I recommend:
 
1.   After a lesson is complete, allow your students to select a card from the deck themselves to review the content.  Be sure to have plenty of copies of various cards!  This allows them to mentally process the new information and get it down on paper, which will greatly improve retention. 

2.   Pre-select a card that you feel best fits the lesson material from yesterday and have students complete it as a bell-ringer/ warm-up.  Ask students to sum of the content and organize the key ideas from the previous day’s lesson.​​

3.   Laminate them and use in centers or stations with whiteboard markers.  This will be a temporary version, but much more printer-friendly and save tons of paper.

​4.   Always have a giant collection of blank cards on hand, so they are ready at all times.  Allow your students to choose one layout that goes with the content. This ensures they are processing the information to determine the best structure.

5.   To simplify and save time, pre-select a handful of 5 cards that make sense for the lesson.  Students will have SOME choice, but only out of the layouts you feel will best help them understand the relationship between the ideas in this particular lesson. 

6.   To keep everything organized, sort your decks by type of organizer.  Label baskets by the type of layout (hierarchy, linear, compare/contrast, cause/effect, etc.)  or by number of sub-topics or categories (2, 3, 4, 5 segments).  This will make it more straight-forward to choose a card. 

7.   In the file, there are some blank cards on which you can create your own layouts before making copies!  You can customize the design to your own lessons. 

8.   Allow students to use the blank cards at the end to design their own custom layouts. 

9.   Have students color in each border in coordinating colors to show each different chapter or unit of study.  Use a different color for each unit and post the color code on the board, so everyone can sort and organize their cards.  Leave room to add to the color code throughout the year. 

10.   Allow students to create a mini-deck during a review day.  They can identify the 5 major concepts from the unit.  They can begin creating during class and finish at home as part of the study process. 

​11.   Print on sticker paper, or offer glue sticks.  Students can stick these right inside their notebooks! 

Additionally, in the file, you will receive many pictures, samples, and ideas for inspiration and awesome storage tips!

By the end of the year, your kids will each have a deck of study guides covering the whole year's worth of content.  They can use them to review and carry them on to the next school year.

​If you think your class needs an introduction to graphic organizers, or just some more practice or exposure before diving into Graphic Organizer Cards, then check out this post, Organizing Information with a FREE download!
 
Want to take a closer look at the possibility of using this card deck to make it all happen for your class?  Watch the video preview here:

​Click the image below to purchase the full deck of 100 graphic cards.

Uncovering Learning Myths
 
When hard work doesn’t show on the test, test anxiety is sometimes the explanation.   However, more commonly (and dangerously), students are taught to believe they aren’t smart, because they “just aren’t getting it.”  

Students start internalizing this belief and it turns into a vicious cycle of poor test results and little confidence.  Here’s how to break that cycle, or better yet, not allow your students to even begin to think like this!

We have to be careful to not always assume that anxiety is the issue.  For students who indeed have anxiety in math class, here arethe details and how to help.  But for students who simply are not retaining the information, we need to look to ways that they can more effectively store the new information in long-term memory.

Neuroscience has helped us make discoveries about how the brain learns.  If we tweak some of our methods, we can teach in a way that allows information to convert from working memory into long- term memory more smoothly.
 
The key is to use learning strategies that are proven to help convert information from working memory over into long-term memory.
 
 
Learning Strategies Backed by Neuroscience
 
Fortunately, we have access to knowledge and research that can help form the best teaching practices!  Here are a few brain-based concepts to incorporate into your daily teaching practices.
 
1.  Mental Links 

In cognitive psychology, "chunking" means forming mental patterns.  These mental patterns are keys to becoming knowledgeable in a concept.  Learning is all about developing strong mental patterns that lead to automaticity.
 
Barbara Oakley, a professor of Engineering, likes to think of these mental patterns as “chains.”  In her TED Talk, she says, “Any type of mastery involves the development of chains of procedural fluency. Then you can get into more complex areas of fluency.”
 
So, if we teach our students these analogies, it could change the way they think about learning and have immense benefits.  Work on developing mental links between ideas or steps.  Students will automatically connect it all in their minds and flow naturally from one to the next with practice.
 
Try this free resource for organizing mental links of all different types into visual notes.
 

2.  Dual- Coding Theory 

In essence, as new input enters the brain it's stored in short term memory in two distinct categories.  Graphic information, images, and other sensory input are processed in the VISUAL center while auditory input, words, and text are processed in the LINGUISTIC center of the brain.
 
This is a great way for our brain to take in both types of information, and the system works very well.  However, in order to convert the new information into true learning, we need it to be saved and stored in long term memory.
 
To do this, we need referential connections between the two zones.  We have to connect the information in the visual area with the information in the linguistic area.

Dual- Coding theory tells us that when we are able to blend the text/auditory input together with the images, we boost the potential for retaining the information!
 
This means that not only are the individual words and ideas committed to long term memory more effectively, but the associations between them are retained as well.  Our students can understand the big ideas and concepts AND remember the vocabulary and details more consistently. 
 
To read more about dual-coding theory, click here.  And to actively incorporate dual-coding theory in your lessons, check out doodle notes!
 
 
 
3.  Diffused Thinking 

According to an article from KQED, we need to teach our students the difference between focused thinking and diffused thinking.
 
“Diffused thinking occurs when you allow your mind to wander, to imagine and to daydream. In this mode, the brain is still working -- consolidating information and making sense of what you are trying to learn.” 
 
We use diffused thinking when we do things like go for a walk, ponder things in the shower, or doodle absentmindedly in a notebook.
 
When we are learning a new skill that takes more consideration, we might need to “toggle” from focused thinking to diffused thinking.  Learning may take more time, and that is OK.
 
For example, if you’re introducing a new concept in your class and sense your students haven’t completely grasped it, try spending some time incorporating diffused thinking.  This way, your students’ brains have the time and space to think and process.

4.  Analogies  

Using metaphors and analogies can have amazing benefits to the learning process.  Many teachers already use this in their teaching. 
 
“________ is kind of like_________.” 
 
This creates mental connections that are based on schemas that students already have built.  A simile, metaphor, or analogy can help intertwine ideas in a student’s brain.
 
But, it’s even more powerful is when students have the opportunity to create their own metaphor.  This provides a way for your students (and you) to assess their understanding.  If you can incorporate visual analogies as well, they will work even better toward converting information into long term memory!


​5.  Elaboration  

According to Cult of Pedagogy, learning is enhanced when students are given the challenge to explain and give details of the content.
 
 “This method asks students to go beyond simple recall of information and start making connections within the content. Students should ask themselves open-ended questions about the material, answer in as much detail as possible, then check the materials to make sure their understanding is correct.”
 
 
To really make the most of these learning strategies, try combining two or more! (An easy way to do this is use doodle notes!)
 
So, my question for you is- do you already use any of these strategies and find them effective?  Or is there one you are planning to try this week?  Choose one, dive in, and give it a whirl!  Leave a reply below to share your experience.

They also may need a set of 5 different study strategies to use when preparing for tests and quizzes.  They can use one method for reviewing vocabulary, another for going over key concepts, and a completely different method when memorizing specific details.   The ideal study strategy for Math class is very different from a study strategy that works well in Geography.

By taking time to teach kids how to take good notes and study, we set them up for success.

And, (BONUS) -- we can get that class time back in the future with all the time saved when they know how to do this.  We will cut back on re-teaching time, in class review, etc.!  So it is absolutely not the "waste of time" I was worried it would be in the beginning.  These skills are worth prioritizing!

The note-taking and study strategy I am sharing today is centered around visual representations.

It has been proven that student brains learn new information best with a BLEND of visual and linguistic input.  I've blogged before about visual note taking methods.  Visual notes are an important part of student study skill toolboxes.

​Visual note-taking is the process of taking notes using hand drawn images mixed with words.  It helps us to synthesize ideas and information non-linguistically, and organize everything in a visual way. 
 
It turns out that sketching or doodling while taking notes takes just enough brainpower to keep you from zoning out or daydreaming, but not enough to be a distraction.
​
This means that doodling (or sketching) actually INCREASES your focus and attention while you listen or learn.
 
Whether they like it or not, your students are going to be taking notes for quite some time!  So, teaching them how to visually take notes, now, is a skill that will have important benefits in not only your class, but in years to come.
 
But That’s Not All...
 
Visual note taking doesn’t just improve your students’ focus and attention; it is actually proven to greatly improve retention and memory!
 
When you incorporate sketching and doodling with words, you use both hemispheres of the brain.  Whenever you achieve a crossover between the left side (logical) and right side (artsy) of the brain, learning is enhanced.

A great use of visual notes that has been around for quite a while is the "graphic organizer."  We use graphic organizers (think Venn Diagram, web, chart...)  to help kids build a mental connection between related ideas.  Different concepts fit into different organizer layouts that are visually memorable.

A graphic layout is key to effective note-taking.  The typical list form (or outline) note method does not trigger memory as well.  In order for students to convert new info into long-term memory more effectively, they need to incorporate pictoral representations.

A theory, called the "Picture Superiority Effect" is supported by studies that show that blending images with text offers a stronger learning experience than using text alone. It turns out that this boosts both the memory of the individual terms and ideas as well as the associations and connections between the concepts.  According to Education Week Teacher, “if students read text alone, three days later they only remember 10 percent of the information—but adding a picture to the text increases recall to 65 percent.”

Dual Coding Theory is another explanation of brain processing that goes hand in hand with Picture Superiority Effect.  ​This theory tells us how to make the most of learning.  In essence, as new input enters the brain, it's stored in short term memory in two distinct categories. 
 
Graphic information, images, and other sensory input are processed in the VISUAL center while auditory input, words, and text are processed in the LINGUISTIC center of the brain.  In order to convert the new information into true learning, we need it to be saved and stored in long term memory.
 
When we are able to blend the text/auditory input together with the images, we boost the potential for retaining the information!
 

A key part of learning is seeing connections and understanding relationships between ideas.  Memorizing facts separately is not nearly as effective as seeing the big picture along with the details.

How do the concepts interact and relate to one another?  Sometimes one idea leads to another.  Sometimes we have a heirarchy of information.  Often, we have a web of interconnected ideas that all link back to one big concept.

Students can use visual representations of the ideas to build a mind map of the connections and relationships.  By choosing an effective layout for a graphic organizer, they think critically about the type of information and how to best present it.  They can create a visual study guide that reflects all the ideas they are learning and how they work together.

By incorporating all of these features, graphic organizers as bite-sized doodle notes offer plenty of brain benefits.  They allow students to learn, take notes, and study.  Then, they become a reference to keep and come back to later.

How to use this file:

​To help your students build their knowledge on taking graphic notes, I’m sharing this FREE sheet on the ways to visually organize information.  This will help them get started and explore ways they can build sketch/ doodle style study guides.
 
There are a few different ways to use this free resource:

1. Have your students draw a visual to go with the words. You can do it all at once, or have students add to it over the course of the class.
2. Discuss and let students fill in the totally blank copy.  This option (included) allows them to add their own words AND picture so they come up with their own types of graphic layouts.
3. Or simply let your students use the completed copy (included) as a reference!

Click here to download the free resource.

​Encourage students to incorporate color, doodles, and sketches.  It will help them to build "visual memory triggers" that allow them to retain the lesson material. 

​Adding sketches and doodles also activates the brain pathways that lead to increased focus and memory.

The goal is to help students learn the best ways to visually represent relationships in a lesson, based on the type of content.  Students will love this guide to help them review and study!

Want to use more graphic organizers in your classroom?  This GIANT DECK has 100 different visual organizers!