Case Study

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STAR SHEET Comprehension & Vocabulary: Grades 3–5

Graphic Organizers

About the Strategy Graphic organizers are visual displays that help students to organize their understanding of words or written passages . There are several types of graphic organizers including word webs and story maps .

What the Research and Resources Say • The purpose of teaching students to use graphic organizers is to provide students with

metacognitive tools that they can use on their own (Swanson & De La Paz, 1998) . • It is estimated that adults use some 10,000 words in their everyday conversations . Students

understand and comprehend between 20,000 and 24,000 at age 6 and more than 50,000 by age 12 (Owens, 2001) .

• The use of word mapping has been proven to increase a student’s vocabulary (Bos & Anders, 1990) .

• Teaching students to attend to story elements has been shown to enhance reading comprehension skills (Idol, 1987; Mathes, Fuchs, & Fuchs, 1997) .

• The visual framework of a graphic organizer provides an organizational format for reading text that has been shown to help children with learning disabilities increase comprehension skills (Babyak, Koorland, & Mathes, 2000; Idol, 1987) .

• Strategic readers connect what they know to what they are reading . Children at-risk for or with learning disabilities need direct instruction on attending to story details (Babyak, Koorland, & Mathes, 2000; Idol, 1987; Mathes, Fuchs, & Fuchs, 1997) .

Types of Graphic Organizers Word Webs Word webs are visual diagrams used to assist students in defining and recalling important vocabulary words . There are several types of word webs . One example uses synonyms and antonyms . The teacher presents the new vocabulary word in the center of the map and provides links for students to write in synonyms and antonyms . See example to the right . Another type of word map or word web uses descriptions . To create this type of word web, a teacher would provide students with a new vocabulary word and ask them to describe the word . For example, you might place the word “castle” in the center and ask students questions such as “What is it?”; “What does it look like?”; “Where do we find them?”; “Who lives in them?” and link the new word with students’ responses .

satisfactory

okay

standard

usual

normal

SynonymsAntonyms

unacceptable

annoying

improper

horrible

awful

acceptable Word

acceptable

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Story Maps Story maps are simple visual diagrams used to assist students in organizing and recalling important story elements . Story maps help students to think about what they are reading in order to increase their reading comprehension . To complete a story map, students fill in the corresponding information requested as or after they read . See example below . Story map shapes and structures can be adapted to fit the story context or can be designed to resemble the word web (on page 8) . Story maps are often used with picture books or single chapters of chapter books .

Setting

Outcome

Characters

Problem

Action

Prediction

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Story Matrix When reading chapter books, students can increase their comprehension by using a story matrix to connect the story maps of each chapter . Students complete a grid to outline the main elements of the book as they read or after reading each chapter . See example below . Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3… Chapter Title Grandfather Characters (Who?) • Grandfather

• Willy • Searchlight • Doc Smith • Rex

Setting (Where? When?) • Potato farm in

Wyoming • Morning

Main events (What? Why?) • Grandfather

doesn’t get out of bed • Willy goes to get Doc Smith to check on him • Grandfather has lost his will to live

Prediction (What’s next?) Willy finds out why

Grandfather has given up

Types of Activities to Implement Model-Lead-Test

This process can be used with any of the graphic organizers described in this section . • Model Phase: teacher reads a passage aloud and stops reading when they come to one

of the key elements (e .g ., character, setting, outcome) . She or he asks the students to identify the key element . The teacher then models writing the information on the (group) story map . Once the students understand the process, the teacher asks the students to continue reading and to complete their own maps .

• Lead Phase: students read the passage and complete their maps independently . Teacher reviews the completed maps with students and adds any missed information .

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• Test Phase: students read the passage and complete their story maps independently . Teacher then asks the following questions: “Who were the main characters?” “Where did the story take place?” “What was the main idea of the story?” “What was the problem in the story?” “How was the problem solved?” Other appropriate questions should be asked .

Keep in Mind: • Graphic organizers can be used as independent activities or as group activities in peer

tutoring or cooperative learning groups . • Teachers must model how to complete graphic organizers several times before students are

expected to complete them independently . • With story maps, make sure the story elements are easy to identify . Fade the use of story

maps as students are able to independently identify elements . • Some students will require completed story maps during the test portion of the Model-Lead-Test

activity .

Resources Babyak, A . E ., Koorland, M ., & Mathes, P . G . (2000) . The effects of story mapping instruction

on reading comprehension of students with behavioral disorders . Behavioral Disorders, 25(3), 239–258 .

Bos, C ., & Anders, P . L . (1990) . Using interactive teaching and learning strategies to promote text comprehension and content learning for students with learning disabilties . International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 39(3), 225–238 .

Idol, L . (1987) . Group story mapping: A comprehension strategy for both skilled and unskilled readers . Journal of Learning Disabilities, 20(4), 196–205 .

Mathes, P . G ., Fuchs, D ., & Fuchs, L . S . (1997) . Cooperative story mapping . Remedial and Special Education, 18(1), 20–27 .

Owens, Jr ., R . E . (2001) . Language disorders: A functional approach to assessment and intervention (5th ed .) . Columbus, OH: Merrill .

Swanson, P . N ., & De La Paz, S . (1998) . Teaching effective comprehension strategies to students with learning and reading disabilities . Intervention in School and Clinic, 33, 209–218 .