Supporting all students

Here are some ideas you might consider:

• With younger students, and students who need support, you could put together a very simple concept map as a class or small group. You can use images instead of words or get your students to stick these onto the map themselves (Figure 3).
• If you are teaching older students, you can encourage them to revisit their concept maps and add ideas as their learning progresses through a topic. Using a different-coloured pen each time will allow you to track the students’ additions.
• Older students should also be encouraged to use maps to plan, track and develop their ideas independently. They should be given opportunities to identify how their ideas have developed while studying a particular topic. They can also use concept maps to help them identify areas of weakness in their knowledge and consider what to focus on next.