Research on Nonlinguistic Representations:
- Using both linguistic and nonlinguistic (mental pictures, physical sensations, etc) modes of representation helps with better recall of knowledge
- A variety of activities produce nonlinguistic representations:
- creating graphic representations
- making physical models
- generating mental pictures
- drawing pictures
- engaging in kinesthetic activity
- Nonlinguistic reps should elaborate on knowledge
- power of elaboration can be enhanced by asking for explanations and justification
Classroom Practices:
- Graphic organizers:
- Descriptive graphic organizers: represent detailed facts about a topic
- Descriptive graphic organizer in graphic organizers
- Descriptive graphic pattern organizer in Nonlinguistic Representations Templates
- Time Sequence patterns: represent topics/facts related by time
- Time sequence pattern graphic organizer
- Time-sequence graphic pattern organizer in Nonlinguistic Representations Templates
- Process/Cause-Effect patterns: organize info in causal networks
- Cause and effect graphic organizer
- Slide 4 in Nonliguistic represesentations
- Process/Cause-Effect pattern organizer in Nonlinguistic Representations Templates
- Concept patterns: organize info around larger topics / bigger ideas
- Concept pattern organizer in Nonlinguistic Representations Templates
- Generalization/Principle pattern organizer: organizes ideas around bigger ideas
- Generalization/Principle pattern organizer in Nonlinguistic Representations Templates
- Descriptive graphic organizers: represent detailed facts about a topic
- Using other nonlinguistic representations:
- Making physical models: generating and manipulating concrete reps of knowledge
- Generating mental pictures: imagining visual/sensory reps of content
- Drawing pictures and pictographs: pictographs use symbols to represent content
- Engaging in kinesthetic activity: involve physical movement
One way to create high challenge / high support (challenge zone) classrooms is to scaffold high expectations (not lower expectations) using message abundancy, i.e. amplifying content by using multiple representations for the same content. Using both linguistic and nonlinguistic representations of content is a way to amplify content so that students have multiple opportunities to learn it.
Preparation Steps
- Analyze how upcoming content is organized
- Select the nonlinguistic representations that best connect to how content is organizer
- Gather resources / write prompts that help students organize content in graphic organizers (or other nonlinguistic representations) that explicitly illustrate how content is organized
Early Implementation Steps
- Use nonlinguistic organizers selected above as one of a variety of scaffolding methods for key content in projects
- Have students discuss / write about the key connections that are illustrated inside nonlinguistic representations of content
Advanced Implementation Steps
- Include an appendix in the back of students notebooks that contains commonly used graphic organizers and simple instructions that students can use to create their own graphic organizers
- Using the graphic organizer notebook resources, have students supplement notes by selecting the graphic organizers that best illustrate the connections among information.
- Scaffolding articles
- Rigor articles
- Writing to learn articles