Graphic Organizers

Graphic organizers for writing can be very helpful for students with dyslexia. Many students need support with prewriting activities. This includes planning and organizing their ideas for writing. Graphic organizers make the writing process more structured, visual, and manageable. They can turn the writing task into a clear visual map, making it easier to follow. In their study, Boon, Barbetta & Paal (2018) found that graphic organizers were very effective in improving the narrative and expository essay skills of students with learning disabilities. Types of graphic organizers can include mind maps, story maps, flow-charts, Venn diagrams, KWL charts, and many more. There are many websites with free graphic organizers for students and teachers.

 HMH Graphic organizers This site has dozens of free printable graphic organizers for students to use in for prewriting activities including sequence charts, flow charts, story maps, essay outlines and more.

Canva Digital Graphic Organizers  has a huge library of digital graphic organizers. Canva’s digital graphic organizers are flexible, visually engaging, and easy to customize, making them great for teachers, students with disabilities, and classrooms using devices. Canva is very user-friendly and perfect for beginners. The free version provides access to a large amount of content and tools. Students can use their mind maps and a whiteboard to organize their thoughts and create a plan for writing. It also provides free printable graphic organizers. There is a paid version, Canva Pro, that includes even more designs and features. Canva Pro costs $14.99 a month. Teachers can use Canva Pro for free.

Popplet Lite is a free, easy-to-use app that also allows users to organize their ideas before writing. It is good for brainstorming, mind maps, organization, research, and planning projects. The free version does have limited features and only allows users to make one popplet (graphic organizer) at a time. The paid version, Popplet, has more features, including the ability to work on an unlimited number of maps at a time and share boards for collaboration. The price is $30 a year.

Inspiration  combines mind-mapping, concept-mapping, outlines, graphic organizers, and presentation features. It is a one-stop tool for brainstorming, planning, writing, or structuring ideas. You can build a diagram or mind-map visually and then instantly convert it into an outline or structured text. It has lots of features for organization including symbols, checklists, and color-coding. There are versions available for Windows, MacOS and Chromebooks. The price is around $150 for an annual subscription.

Reference

Boon, R. T., Barbetta, P. M., & Paal, M. (2018). The efficacy of graphic organizers on the writing outcomes of students with learning disabilities: A research synthesis of single-case studies. Learning Disabilities: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 23(2), 18–33. https://doi.org/10.18666/ldmj-2018-v23-i2-9042