Organisational

Let's Play. Click on your game of choice and follow the instruction to play the game.

This technique utilises visual representation to improve the processing of material. 

Begin with a horizontal line that represents the continuum of time. Important events are inserted relative to each other, creating points on the line.

Each point that denotes an event should be marked with the date, a brief description of the event, and significant person(s) involved.

Chunking related terms into meaningful groups can be more helpful then drilling students on exact definitions. 

Compose a list of key terms from the lecture ranging in levels of specificity. Scramble the terms and then encourage pairs of students to organise the terms into several categories that are meaningful to them. Then have them define or give an example of terms where appropriate. 

Finally, have each pair discuss their categories with the entire group. Get the students to check the spelling!

Information presented during lectures and the text are usually related to other topics. 

A matrix is an excellent way for students to see the relationships between different topics throughout the course. Reference your leader’s manual for an example and exact directions for constructing a matrix. 

The PASS leader can initially provide the framework and a few clues for completing the matrix, but eventually the students should be responsible for designing the framework and complete the entire matrix.

Construct a very general time line of events pertaining to the same time as the dates presented in the lecture. 

Present this general time line to the group and have them construct a duplicate time line pertaining to the lecture material directly below the one you have previously constructed.

Don’t forget the importance of using visual study aids to emphasis important points.

 Visuals should be used to help students grasp the “big picture.” The key idea is to visualise the information and use as few words as possible

A Venn Diagram can be used to compare the similarities and differences between two concepts, systems or theories. 

Two overlapping circles are drawn on the board with each circle labelled as one of the two concepts. Students will then write the similarities in the overlapping portion and then differences in the outer portion of the circles. 

This is a good visual technique for reviewing similar yet contrasting concepts.

Helps students to activate prior knowledge and link to new information to make connections with what is already known.

Title 3 columns: What I Know; What I Want to know and What I Learned. Can be used to help focus the session on particular concepts that students are having difficulties with.

Towards the end of the session go back to chart and have students go back to the K column to see if any information needs to be corrected, then see if there are any questions left unanswered and then complete the L column.

Ogle, 1986.

This strategy will look like a big spider web on the board when you are finished. Have the students break into small groups and encourage them to identify the central word, concept, or question around which to build the map. 

Start with a circle in the middle of the board and include the main idea within. Extend branches out from the central circle that includes all the subtopics from the main idea.

 Continue to add additional branches with related topics and circle groups of branches that are linked. 

This mapping encourages students to see the overall picture and helps bring focus away from minute details and back to the main ideas. End with an overall discussion of the topic.