What are TEFL/TESOL Thinking Maps?

Thinking Maps are eight visual-verbal learning tools, each based on a fundamental thinking process and used togeth- er as a set of tools for showing relationships.

Thinking Maps give you and your teachers a common language for meaningful learning.

The consistency and flexibility of each of the Thinking Maps® promotes:

✷ student-centered and cooperative learning

✷ concept development, reflective thinking

✷ creativity
✷ clarity of communication

✷ continuous cognitive development

You will construct knowledge, much like carpenters work- ing together using a common set of tools to build a new structure.

Thinking Maps can help you become independent, reflec- tive, life-long problem-solvers and learners.

On the next pages, the eight Thinking Maps are shown with the description of the thinking process involved, and examples of when each would be used.

                                 

TEFL/TESOL-Double Bubble

Use a Double Bubble map to compare and contrast the games of team handball and floor hockey. The Double Bubble examines similar and different qualities.

TEFL/TESOL-Tree Map

What if you wanted to examine and define the various types of measurements? The Tree Map can be used for classification.

TEFL/TESOL-Brace Map

The parts of a ‘monster’ in Spanish can be identified by using the Brace Map. A Brace Map is used to show the component parts of a physical whole.

TEFL/TESOL-Flow Map

The Flow Map is used to show sequencing. Any process that can be described by steps such as 1st, 2nd, & 3rd could bene- fit from this type of map. For example, a Flow Map could show the correct process for reading a textbook.

TEFL/TESOL-Flow Map

This is another example of a Flow Map which shows the steps and stages for planning a paper, a research project, a presentation, or Web site.

TEFL/TESOL-Multi-flow Map

A Multi-flow Map could be used to look at the causes and effects of conflicts between Europeans and North Americans.

TEFL/TESOL-Bridge Map

The Bridge Map illustrates analogies. The following map shows the major resources of various states.The analogies in this map would read as follows: Coal is to Illinois as oil is to Texas. Oil is to Texas as fertile soil is to Georgia. Can you “read” the rest of them?