A graphic organizer is a diagram or illustration of a written or oral statement. Examples include matrices, hierarchies, and continua. The goal in using graphic organizers is to organize ideas and examine relationships. In doing so, people engage more of their core thinking skills and process information more intensely, improving long term recall.
Graphic organizers are especially helpful to average, under-achieving, and struggling learners.
The process of reviewing information and organizing it appears to help learners arrange the material in their minds. Although there are many different graphic organizers, they can be grouped into three main types. Graphic organizers may be grouped or classified as representing sequential information, a single main concept, or multiple concepts. Different types within each classification can be used to represent simple or more complex information. Figure 1 is a matrix graphic organizer depicting classes and types of graphic organizers.