How can you make the best of your knowledge organisers?
Knowledge Organiser 12 Top Tips
Source: @ JulesDaulby
The following tips are relevant to producing knowledge organisers especially with your SEN learners in mind, although the following tips will aid the effectiveness of the knowledge organisers for all learners.
Tip 1 - Visual visual visual
Use dual coding (matching text with appropriate images or symbols) where possible, but also keep those images and symbols consistent. For example, if your symbol for royalty is 👑 keep the same symbol whenever you refer to this term.
Tip 2 - Distraction free
Keep it simple
Keep it clear
Make space
Tip 3 - Chunk chunk chunk
Chunking is not just for oral language and instructions. Learners can become overwhelmed really quickly and need to be guided by the metaphorical hand through your KOs. What do they need to do first? Can there be tick boxes?
Tip 4 - Framing
Put a frame around some of your information. Doing this draws attention and then students can ignore other bits. Framing focuses attention and prevents headspin until they become so wound up they don't know where to go or what to do. When framing, however, make the frame light in colour, perhaps grey. This is because a heavy frame is just as distracting as having no frame at all.
Tip 5 - Command language
Including command language is good, but be consistent, or at least make sure they are taught the words. Your KOs are for words and information on the subject (tier 3) but do your students understand the commands used in tests and examinations? Have you included those?
Tip 6 - Subject Specific language
Include the subject-specific keywords that you need your students to know and therefore use in their lessons in your subject. Their knowledge quiz could either include the keywords, which students must define, or the definitions, which students must match with the keywords.
Tip 7 - Underlining bad; bolding good
For those with reading difficulties, putting a line underneath letters just makes it even harder to distinguish the letters; you've just added more confusion. Bold text is much easier to read and has the same effect.
Tip 8 - Break up text - paragraphs bad, bullet points good Read your paragraph and work out how it can be reduced to a few sentences with bullet points. For struggling readers especially, this is easier to read and less overwhelming.
Tip 9 - Simple and consistent symbols/codifying
Punctuate your KOs with consistent symbols; it allows for pauses and a journey with rest breaks.
Tip 10 - Clarity & simplicity
Unlike life, a KO should be calm and purposeful, well thought out, zen-like. The following features aid this calm experience:
Frames
Symbols
Prompts
Visual (images, illustrations)
Clear, crisp, familiar & consistent font size and type
Tip 11 - Focus
When setting students revision homework for a knowledge quiz, focus their attention on the exact section of the KO that the upcoming quiz will cover.
Tip 12 - Share the KO!
This may sound like a bizarre tip, but if you do not give the students a copy of the knowledge organiser to study and revise from in preparation for their knowledge quiz, then the quiz will be made that much more difficult; this is especially true for SEN learners.