Here is a method you will definitely want to include in your English language teaching toolkit:
MindMaps
What Are MindMaps?
A MindMap is a diagram showing related words and ideas linked around a central word of idea. By representing words in a radial fashion, the mind can quickly assimilate a number of words at once and see their relation to other words. Seeing a complete picture in this way is, under some circumstances, much more effective than representing the same information in a linear fashion.
Where Did MindMaps Come From?
Tony Buzan, an author and educational consultant, created them, coined the term and formally introduced the idea of MindMaps back in 1974.
How Can MindMaps Be Used In English Language Teaching?
A language teacher may wish to end a lesson by creating a MindMap on the board covering the main vocabulary for that lesson. This creates a repetition of things learned but not in a boring way. As the main theme is put on the board in the centre, students can be asked to call out the main keywords, creating a separate branch for each. Then students are encouraged to call out all the related words and phrases which are now included as sub-branches under each keyword. As the teacher develops the word MindMap, students can copy it into their own notebooks.
Alternatively, depending on the age of the students, they can be encouraged to create their own and add appropriate images and symbols. They can be encouraged to invest in a pack of colored crayons or pens, and use a great variety in each MindMap.
The Community Approach
Finally, students can be invited to exchange their MindMap with anyone near them. This can be timed so one minute is spent on each swap. Swap three times. Each student will then have been exposed to the same vocabulary a number of times, represented by multiple mind maps with different colors, symbols and pictures.
This has two advantages:
it impresses the vocabulary on their minds even more,
it can give them inspiration or ideas on how to develop their own mind maps to a higher level when they see what fellow students are doing.
Swapping MindMaps with other students draws from a community based approach so the combined input from a group can be utilized by an individual student.
In Conclusion
MindMaps have been used in an amazing variety of ways since their introduction in 1974. Families, schools, universities, and multinational companies have all found uses for MindMaps.
If you are involved with English language teaching, be sure to educate yourself about MindMaps. Simply type the word in your favorite search engine and find a wealth of information on the internet. Additionally, go to images dot google dot com and type in ‘MindMaps’ for numerous visual examples.
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Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?English-Language-Teaching—How-to-Use-MindMaps&id=4478303] English Language Teaching – How to Use MindMaps
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