Concept Maps for Vocbulary

Often, when teachers use iPods for vocabulary, they think of words in linear terms.  However, the human mind processes words, not through a linear list, but through a series of relationships.  The more synapses that connect, the stronger the likelihood that a student will internalize the full concept of a word.

One way that students can see these concepts is to visit the Thinkmap Visual Thesauraus. In my experience, I've found that many second language learners used this site to find synonyms and Latin-based cognates.

It becomes even more powerful when students create concept maps (also called mind maps) on their own.   Here are a few benefits of using concept maps for vocabulary:

• Students can develop their own organizational structure through the use of shapes (for example, each shape represents a type of speech) or colors (colors represent synonyms and antonyms)
• Students can easily manipulate the space with their hands, allowing them to organize the words spatially
• It is easy to zoom in and out to get a visual sense of how words are organized.

Here are a few of the potential drawbacks:

• It can take awhile at first.  Programs like IdeaSketch can be very touchy, because there is very little double-clicking. 
• The screen size is limited. 
• Features like color-coding can be difficult at first