A graphic organizer is a visual tool, such as a chart, map or diagram, that helps students organize information and see how ideas relate to each other. Instead of holding everything in their head or in long paragraphs, students put key facts, concepts and details into boxes, circles and arrows. Common examples include Venn diagrams, concept maps, sequence charts, T-charts and KWL charts. Graphic organizers are used in every subject and grade level, and they are an especially helpful support for students with learning disabilities and executive function challenges.
What is a graphic organizer?
A graphic organizer turns abstract thinking into something students can see. It gives a structure for reading, writing, note-taking, brainstorming and studying. Each type of organizer is built around one kind of thinking: comparing, sequencing, classifying, finding main ideas, or showing cause and effect.
Teachers may hand out a printed template, draw one on the board, or have students build their own. They can be used before a lesson to activate prior knowledge, during a lesson to take notes, and after a lesson to review and summarize. Graphic organizers are sometimes called visual organizers, knowledge maps, concept maps or story maps.
Types of graphic organizers and when to use them
There are many types of graphic organizers. These are some of the most common graphic organizer examples you will see in classrooms.
Venn diagram
A Venn diagram uses two or more overlapping circles to compare and contrast. Differences go in the outer parts of each circle, and similarities go in the middle where the circles overlap. Example: comparing two characters in a story, or frogs and toads in science.
Concept map and mind map
A concept map (or web) puts a main idea in the center and connects related ideas, details and examples with lines. A mind map works the same way and is often used for brainstorming. These are useful for vocabulary, research topics and planning an essay.
Sequence chart or flowchart
A sequence chart shows steps or events in order using boxes and arrows. Students use it to retell a story, list the steps of a science experiment, show a timeline in history, or break down a multi-step math problem.
T-chart
A T-chart divides a page into two columns. It is used for pros and cons, facts and opinions, before and after, or any two-part comparison. It is one of the simplest organizers and a good starting point for young students.
KWL chart
A KWL chart has three columns: what I Know, what I Want to know, and what I Learned. It helps students connect a new topic to prior knowledge, set a purpose for reading, and reflect on what they learned.
Story map
A story map breaks a story into its parts: characters, setting, problem, main events and solution. It supports reading comprehension and helps students plan their own narrative writing.
Cause and effect chart
A cause and effect organizer links an event to its causes or results with arrows. It works well in science, social studies and literature, for example to show why a war started or what happens when a habitat changes.
Main idea and details chart
This organizer puts the main idea at the top (or in the center, like the top of a table) and supporting details underneath. It helps students find the main idea of a paragraph and plan paragraphs in their own writing.
Why graphic organizers help students with learning disabilities
Many students with a specific learning disability, ADHD or other challenges struggle to organize their thoughts, remember information or see the "big picture." Graphic organizers help in several ways:
- They reduce the load on working memory. Students do not have to hold every idea in their head at once. The page holds the information for them. This helps kids with weak working memory.
- They support executive functioning. Planning, organizing and sequencing are executive functioning skills. An organizer gives students a ready-made structure, so they can focus on the content.
- They make writing less overwhelming. Students with dysgraphia or dyslexia can plan ideas in short phrases before they write full sentences.
- They improve reading comprehension. Mapping out a text helps students notice main ideas, key details and how parts of a text connect.
- They are visual. Many learners understand information better when they can see it laid out, especially students with language-based disabilities.
Graphic organizers work best when the teacher models how to fill one out first, then guides students through it, and finally lets them use it on their own. Over time, many students learn to make their own organizers.
Graphic organizers as an accommodation
A graphic organizer is often listed as an accommodation in an IEP or 504 plan. Typical wording includes "provide graphic organizers for writing assignments," "provide a partially completed organizer for note-taking," or "allow use of a graphic organizer on tests." Because an organizer changes how a student gets or shows information, not what they are expected to learn, it is usually an accommodation rather than a modification. See accommodations vs. modifications for the difference.
A student's present levels can explain why the organizer is needed, for example "has difficulty organizing ideas into paragraphs." IEP goals can also target the skill directly, such as learning to complete a story map on their own. Graphic organizers also fit well with Universal Design for Learning and differentiated instruction, because teachers can offer them to the whole class.
Printable and digital graphic organizers
Many teachers use printable graphic organizer worksheets: a one-page template with blank boxes that students fill in during a lesson or while they plan a response to a writing prompt. But graphic organizers do not have to be on paper. Many schools use digital tools such as mind-mapping apps, templates in word processors and presentation software, and interactive whiteboard programs. Digital organizers let students drag and drop ideas, add pictures, and use text-to-speech or speech-to-text. For some students, these features are part of their assistive technology. Whether paper or digital, the best graphic organizer is the one that fits the task and that the student knows how to use.
Frequently asked questions about graphic organizers
What are the 5 main types of graphic organizers?
Lists vary, but five common types are Venn diagrams (compare and contrast), concept maps (main idea and details), sequence charts (order of events), cause and effect charts, and KWL charts. T-charts and story maps are also widely used.
What is an example of a graphic organizer?
A Venn diagram is one of the best-known examples. A student comparing two animals writes what is unique to each in the outer circles and what they share in the overlapping middle.
Why are graphic organizers important?
They help students organize ideas, see relationships, remember information and plan writing. They are especially useful for students with learning disabilities, attention challenges or weak executive function.
Where can I find graphic organizer templates?
Many education websites, publishers and school districts offer free printable templates. Teachers can also make their own in a word processor or slide program, or simply draw one on a blank page.
Can a graphic organizer be used on a test?
Yes, if it is allowed by the teacher or listed as an accommodation in the student's IEP or 504 plan. State tests have their own rules about which accommodations are allowed.
