The purpose of a semantic map is to help students clarify relationships between concepts, plan action, organize writing, or generate and organize ideas. Similes and metaphors that may be familiar to students help them recognize relationships. The semantic map is an expansion of webbing and helps students relate objects or ideas in a systematic order. This organizational strategy allows the student to consider how the concepts are related. Using this graphic representation as a summary of the new information, students achieve a better understanding.
Mapping also works for whole class as well as small group discussion.
Using this method, students read the questions before they read the chapter then write a short paragraph to answer selected questions. This organizational method allows students to consider relevant information to expand understanding of a concept, comparison or explanation. Comparing student answers to the questions is excellent stimuli for whole class or small-group discussion. This strategy encourages students to identify new information that has personal relevance or significance. Students suggested this strategy after trying several of the others.