This project and its actions were made possible due to co-financing by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals
EAL Nexus resource
Graphic organisers
Subject(s):
Any subject
Age group(s):
8–11, 12–14, 15–16
Topic:
Key visuals
Licence information | This resource is free to use for educational purposes. ©British Council 2015
Source | This resource was originally developed by Nerissa Lea and has been adapted by EAL Nexus.
Why do we use key visuals?
Visual diagrams can help us to:
- understand information
- structure writing.
© British Council 2015
Sequencing
These are charts that can be used
to arrange events in a
chronological (time) order.
© British Council 2015
© British Council 2015
ThisWhat
is for
a isflow
chart
this?
Plan
writing
Next,
Finally,
Then, First
Example
Plan
for writing
_____,
useananorganiser
organisertotogather
gatherideas.
ideas.
First, use
First, use an organiser
A flow chart can
to gather
ideas.
_____,
arrange
themininorder.
order. be used ...
Next,
arrange
them
Then, arrange them in
... to describe a
_____,
putthe
theideas
ideasinto
intoparagraphs.
paragraphs.
Then,
put
an order
chronological
process
_____,
proof-read
beforehanding
handing
in.
Next,
put the ideas
Finally,
proofread
before
ititin.
into paragraphs.
Your next task:
Writing practice
Finally, proof-read Check your work
before handing it in.
© British Council 2015
© British Council 2015
The life cycle of a butterfly
What
This
isis
a this?
The life
cycle
of
acycle
butterfly
The cycle ______ with the _______ laying an ____.
Example
lifebegins
cycle with
of a butterfly
(a shortened
TheThe
cycle
the
butterfly
laying an version)
egg.
______this, the ____ hatches and becomes a
A cycle is used ...
After
_____.
this, the egg hatches the
and
Thelaying
becomes
story
a larva.
ofbegins
an egg.
... to describe a
The
The
larva
______
then
______
developsdevelops
into awith
pupa.
into
... a _______.
cyclical
process
Writing
the
pupa
the egg
The
lifecycle
The
_____
stage:
the
_____
turns
into
a
________.
The
last
stage:
the
pupa
turns
into
a
butterfly.
The last
After this
practice becomes a of a butterfly hatches and
stage: ...
...
...
becomes
a ...
(simplified)
Words
to help
Your
next
task:you: then, begins, last, after
The (x2)
larva
pupa, butterfly (x2), larva,develops
egg
intothen
a ... ...
Check your work
© British Council 2015
© British Council 2015
What
is
this?
This
is
an
action
Instructions: How to boil strip
an egg
Instructions:
How to boil an egg
• Boil some
water in a Example
pan.
• ______ some water in a pan.
action
•An
Leave
thestrip
egg in for 3 minutes.
be used
•can
______
the ...
egg in for 3 minutes.
•...Enjoy!
to give a set of
•instructions
______ !
Boil some Leave
where
a verb
is
water in the egg
Enjoy!
Your next
task:
used at beginning a pan.
in for 3
Leave
Enjoyminutes.
Boil
of each sentence.
Check your work
Writing practice
© British Council 2015
© British Council 2015
What
is
this?
This
is
a
timeline
Evolution of Man (The March of Progress)
Evolution of Man Example
(The March of Progress)
Human evolution did
___not
nothappen
happeninina alinear
linearway.
way.The
The
22- 137003005040000picture often misled
_____ readers
readersbecause
becausethe
thefigures
figures
12m 8m 400000 200000 30000 present
____ as
looked
asififthey
they_____
were marching
marchinginina aparade
paradethrough
through
yearsago
agoto to
time; from 22 million...years
time,
____
the
the
present
present
day.
day.
Your nextago
task:
did
looked misled were
A timeline is used ...
Writing practice
... to recount events that occurred
Checkover
youra work
period time
© British Council 2015
The
The King's
King's Speech
Speech
What
this?
This
is aistimeline
King's
Example
Speech1936,
When King
_____
KingGeorge
GeorgeThe
VVdied
died
ininJanuary
January
1936,his
hiseldest
eldest
son Edward
ascended the
May 1910Janthrone.
1936Dec1936Jan 1936
Dec1936
Feb 1952
_________,
Shortly
after,King
KingEdward
EdwardVIII
VIIIabdicated
abdicatedbecause
because......
King
Georgebecame
V Kingking.
Edward VIII King George VI
so his
brother
For many years,
________,
King King
George
George
VI tried
VI tried
to overcome
to overcome
his his
stammer.
This film showed how he succeeded in
________with
the end with
timeline
used
... speech
theAhelp
from
of
an is
an
Australian
Australian
speech
therapist.
therapist.
Writing practice
... to recount events that
Your next task:
foroccurred
many years,
the end,
over ainperiod
time Check your work
© British Council 2015
shortly after, when
© British Council 2015
The dayWhat
aliens is
landed
on Earth
this?
This is a storyline
I
_______
up
by
an earth shattering
thud
...
I ____
was woken
up
by
an
earth-shattering
thud
...
Example
The day aliens
landed on Earth
I
quicklyand
andran
_____to
the crash
Beginning
Middle/Develop
Endto
I _______
dressed
quickly
to the crash
site site
to
investigate.
Alot
lotof
ofpeople
peoplewere
_____
already
at
the
investigate.
A
already
at
the
I was woken everybody we
... it was
scene
...
scene
up by...an
ran to the managed
time ... We
earth
crash site to ...
waved ...
Eventually,
we
________
to
free
the
aliens
...
Eventually,
we
managed
to
free
the
aliens
...
shattering
....
thud
...
Development
Dilemma
Resolution
We
____
not
want
to
say
goodbye
but
____
We did not want to say goodbye but it it
was
timetime
for
for
to leave.
We
_____
A them
storyline
can
used
them
to leave.
Webe
waved
... ...
...
Check
your
Writing
practice
… to retell stories or
managed/did/dressed/ran/was/
Your next task:
work
recount
(past)
events.
was/were/woken/waved
© British Council 2015
Reasoning
These are diagrams that can be
used to explain cause and effect.
© British Council 2015
© British Council 2015
What
is this organiser
called?
ThisWhat
is
a
Fishbone
(Ishikawa)
chart
What is
is happening
happening to
to the
the wild
wild flowers?
flowers?
What is happening
Example
to the wild flowers?
There
There are
are _________
a number of reasons
why there
why
are
there
not as
aremany
not as
More
Cause 3
Less
Cause
1 before.
Cause
2 Chemicals
wild
manyflowers
wild
flowers
as
as before.
Fewer
houses land
species
of
_______
One reason
is the
is the
demand
demand
forfor
houses.
houses.
AsAs
more
more
houses
Effect
wildavailable
flowers
are
houses
builtare
on built
wasteonland,
waste
less
land,
becomes
less becomes
available
for
Fewer
Cause
Pollution
flowers
for flowers
to grow.
to4 grow.
__________
Another
reason
could
could
that
be that
Cause
5 Less
Cause
6 be
plants__________
wildlife
chemicals
chemicals and
and pollution
pollution
result
in less wildlife
less wildlife
and and
fewer
fewer insects
insects that
that the
the plants
plants rely
rely on
on so
so much
much to
to
A Fishbone … to describe causes and effects:
pollinate.
pollinate.
chart can
explain, predict and draw conclusions
a number of reasons,
be
used
...task:
Your
next
another reason,
Check
Writing
your
practice
work
one reason, result in © British Council 2015
Classifying
These are charts that can be
used to sort information.
© British Council 2015
© British Council 2015
This
ischemical
table
What
isa this?
A physical
or
change?
A physical
or
Example
chemical
change?
The car skidded
________
because
thethe
road
road
waswas
icy.icy.
What / how
Cause
__________,
As
a result, thethe
carcar
was
was
dented.
dented.
questions
Effect
The
car
was
Theiscar
This
a physical change
________
because
only
only
the
the
shape
shape
of
The road
dented. This
ofskidded.
the
the
carcar
hashas
changed.
changed.
was icy.
is a ... change
because ...
Your next task:
A table
… to describe cause and effect:
as
result, explain, predictCheck
canabe
and draw
yourconclusions
work
because,
used ... because
Writing practice
© British Council 2015
© British Council 2015
Types of transport
ThisWhat
is a concept
is this? map
An aeroplane and a helicopter are both
_____
types
types
of of
TypesExample
of transport
aircraft. The
_______________
main difference is
is one
one needs
needs aa
runway and the other
does
not.
Lorry
Car
Train Sub
Sub
By
A concept
By
topic
topic
rail
road
maptrams
can and
be
_________
Both
trams
trains
andneed
trains
to need
run on
totracks.
run on Trams
Bus
tracks.
tend
to be
Trams
a local
tend
transport
to be a local
whereas
transport
trains can be
Transport
Topic
used...
Helicopter
Yacht
_________ trains can be inter-cities.
inter-cities.
Sub
By
Sub
... to organise /
By
topic
air
sea
The
______
a boat and a yachttopic
are …
sortdifferences between
Boat
Plane
information;
to
Your nextboth,
task:both, the main difference,
between,
research or
Writing practice
whereas
plan for writing
Check your work
© British Council 2015
© British Council 2015
This is
Chinese New
New Year
Year
Chinese
What
is this?
an
information
chart
Chinese
Example
Newin
Year
A
may
begin
(when).
A Chinese
Chinese new
new year
year
may
begin
in
January or
This
is because
(who)
do
not
use the
(what)
Who?
Where?
When?
What?
Why?
February.
This
is
because
Chinese
people
dofor
not
use
Chinese
cultural
events.
WhereUsually
There
is events.
the Western
calendar
for Chinese
cultural
To bring
ever
during
dragon
luck
Whocelebration lasts for (how long). Theregood
The
are
therelasts January
dancing,
The celebration
for days. There
is usually
and
celebrate
usually
plenty
of
(what);
to
(why).
is a dragonordancing
Feb and
fireplenty of food,
firecrackers,
to
prosperity
Chinese
Chinese
on the tocrackers
bring good luck
and prosperity
a new year.
New Year? commu- Western and lots to a new
year.
nity.
calendar. of food.
Your
next task:... to ask wh- questions; to organise
An
informaCheck
your work
tion chart can information for
reporting,
recounting or describing events.
be used ...
© British Council 2015
Writing practice
© British Council 2015
To
To compare
compare objects
objects
is this?chart
ThisWhat
is a sorting
The
The similarity
similarity between
________
a gold
a gold
barbar
andand
a brick
a brick
is is
Example
To compare
objects
that
that they
they are
are both
_______
heavyheavy
objects.
objects.
Whereas
_______
gold is
Things have
heavy
that
Things
that
light
A sorting
worth
gold
isaworth
lot chart
of amoney,
lot of bricks
money,
bricks
more
have
practical
______
are ...
are ...
can be used
uses.
practical
uses....
... to classify,
Like
______
bricks,
bricks,
feathers
feathers
havehave
manymany
uses:uses:
to decorate
to
compare and
hats,
decorate
to fill
hats,
duvets,
to fill
etc.
duvets
However,
... etc.
feathers
_______,
are
soft
Things
that
Things
that
contrast
and
feathers
a lot lighter
are soft
than
andare
bricks.
a lot
... ____________
are ... bricks.
information
Your
next
task:however,
Writing
practice
between,
both,
hard
lighter than, like, more,
whereas
© British Council 2015
soft
Check your work
© British Council 2015
Methods
that
help
you
learn
What is this?
A star (cluster or idea) chart
There are many
waysthat
to help
Example
Methods
helpyou
youlearn.
learn
A
chart
can
If star
you
read
regularly,
you
will
learn
about
newnew
___
you
read
regularly,
you
___
learn
about
do
learn
by
be
usedYou
...will
speed.
things.
You
___also
alsoincrease
increaseyour
yourreading
reading
speed.
homework
heart
...
for
planning;
to notes; your notes will help when
You
can
also
take
____ also take notes; your notes ____ help
organise
or homework.
you
do
your
_____ you do your homework.
consolidate ideas
Ways to learn
If youyou
keep
revising
andand
learn
things
by by
heart,
you
____
keep
revising
learn
things
heart,
Writing
practice
are _____
unlikelyunlikely
to forget
you
to .forget .
takeyour
notes
Check
read
Your next task:
work
are, can, if (x2), when, will (x3)
© British Council 2015
Ranking
These are charts that can be
used to organise information in
a hierarchical order.
© British Council 2015
© British Council 2015
ratings
This isWhat
a TV
Ladder
organiser
is this?
Example
ratings
'I’m a Celebrity Get TV
me
Out of Here' was top
_____
of
the
ratings
this
week
with
an
audience
of
10.3
A ladder organiser
1.
I’m
a
celebrity
10.3m
million.
This
was
_________
followed
by
'The
'The
X
X
Factor'
Factor'
at
at
can be used ..
7.79 million.
2.
TheXFactor
7.79m
... to rank choices
3. Countryfile
6.79m
or
evaluate;
At to
6.79
million to
'Countryfile'
was in
____________,
third position,
justify
ormore
express
and with
______________
than 5 million
54.million
viewers
viewers
fewer,
fewer,
'War
War
Horse
5.05m
opinions
'War Horse'
Horse'
came in
___________
at 5.05 million.
5.05 million.
5.
Writing practice
came in at, followed by,.
Your
next
task: top of,
in
third
position,
.
with more than
© British Council 2015
Check your work
© British Council 2015
Things
to
take
to
the
exam
hall
What
is
this?
This is a pyramid
Things
to take
Example
to you
the
exam
hall
It is best
_____
to to
prepare
prepare
what
what
you
may
may
need
need
to to
take
take
into the exam hall.
A pyramid chart
pens, pencils
can be used ...
The most
____ important
important things
things to
to take
take are
are pens
pens and
and
pencils.
It
Itisismore
____important
important
to
tohave
havethose
those
than a
... ... to rank
ruler,
water,
mints
ruler.
_____ aor
ruler.
choices
to
evaluate; to
paper tissues, ...
Refreshments
are not as crucial
_________
as theasother
the other
justify or express
things
but they can help you concentrate.
opinions
Writing
Your next
task:
best,
crucial,
practice
more, most, than
Check your
work
© British Council 2015
© British Council 2015
London
London
2012
Olympics
What
is Olympics
this?
This
is a
KWHL
chart
2012
Olympics
Example
London hosted
______London
the
the2012
2012
Summer
Summer
Olympics.
Olympics.ToTo
KWHL
prepare
the Games,
____
______
What IforWhat
I Howyoungsters
I What were
I Abrought
together
work
various projects.
As
________,
a result,
Know towant
toon am
have
chart
can
they learned
______
important
important
life
life
skills
such
suchas
ashow
howto
towork
know
going
toskills
learned
be used
work cooperatively
cooperatively
with other
with
other
people.
people.
find out
...
Go on the
The
The Games inspired
________
young
young
people
people
to pursue
to pursue
their
their
Internet.
The
... to
London
impact
interests in different
sports and
not just to dream
Contact
games
practise
hosted
of
the
about it.
the
inspire
research
the
games
on
as
a 2012
result,
brought,
hosted,
British young
Your
nextthe
task:
summer
next were
skills
inspired, learned,
Check
your
Olympic
people
Olympics generaWriting
Associa- to ... work
tion
© British Council 2015
practice
tion
Describing
These are charts that can be
used to present or analyse
information.
© British Council 2015
© British Council 2015
How
How learners
learners
get
to
to school
school
What isget
this?
This is a matrix (tick) chart
More
______
children
children
walked
walked
to
school
to
school
on Monday
on Monday
than
Example
How
learners
get
to
school
Friday.
_____IFriday.
think this
________
is because
this
they
is ________
have more they
energy
have
more
at the
energy
beginning
at the
ofbeginning
the week.of the week.
How/Days
M Tu W Th F
A seen
matrix
The
The
safe
safecycling
cyclingcourse
courseon
onTuesday
Tuesdayhas
has
seenan
bicycle
increase
______in
inthe
thenumber
numberof
ofriders
ridersfor
forthe
the
rest
restcan
of
ofthe
chart
bus
week.
the week.
be used ...
car
walk
AAlot
lotof
ofchildren
childrencame
cameon
onbuses,
buses but
but cars
cars were
were
undoubtedly
undoubtedlythe
themost
_____
preferred
preferred
choice
choice
of of
... to describe, compare, contrast, classify, locate
transport.
transport.
Check your
information
an
increase, because, I think,
Your next task:
work
more, most, than © British Council 2015 Writing practice
A
(versus)
Q1: e.g., how many …
Q2: …
© British Council 2015
B
New Year
in China
and the UK
New
Year
What
is
this?
This New
is a Year
compare
Example
and and
contrast
in
China
the UKtable
China
UK
A
newAyear
begins1st
onday
the
first
day
of
the
first B
When
is
it?
of
the
1st
1st
January
(versus)
What do people Adults (married) Visit friends and
month in both China
and on
thethe
UK. The
Theevery
main
_______
month
many ...
do to celebrate Q1:
givee.g.,
red how
packets
family.year.
_________is
difference
is that
that
this
this calendar.
day
day is
is not
not 1st
1st January
January on
on the
the
Lunar
(the custom)? (lucky money) to
Chinese
Q2: ...
How longcalendar.
is the children.
3-4 days
1 day, usually.
public holiday?
New clothes.
New
clothes.
There
are
many
_____
other
differences
___________
but
also
but
many
many
Is there any
People do not
Regionalalso
foods.
Go to
parties.
___________
similarities
in the
inusually
the
way way
people
people
celebrate.
celebrate.
Ultimately,
special food?
eat
meat
Dragon dancing.
Ultimately,
it
is a joyousitoccasion
is aon
joyous
in 1st
both
occasion
countries.
in both
countries.
Fireworks.
the
day.
Firecrackers.
next and
task:contrast table can be used ...
AYour
compare
difference,
differences, main,
other,
similarities
... to compare
and contrast, describe and
Check
classify
your
information
© British Council 2015
work
Writing practice
© British Council 2015
A book and its movie version
What
is this?
This is
a Venn
diagram
The similarities
_________
between
between
abook
bookand
andits
itsmovie
movie
A book
andExample
itsamovie
version
version are that they tend to have the
_____
same
_____
plot
A
Venn
plot
and
characters,
and characters,
although
_________
sometimes
sometimes
the storyline
the
diagram
can
storylineslightly.
differs
_________ slightly.
be used ...
similarities
People
who like books will no doubt
enjoy reading
(common
... to compare,
about
it first but
_____
for for
those
those
who
who
likelike
watching
watching
features)
contrast,
films,
theand
movie will literally bring the words to
describe
life
through sound and vision.
Book
Movie
classify
information
Your nextbut,
task:
Check your
although,
differs, Writing practice
work
the, same, similarities
© British Council 2015
Reminders for writing
Who?
What?
Questions: Where?
When?
Why?
How?
© British Council 2015
Sequencing
The story begins when …
The next thing that happens is …
The problem is …
Then …
The story ends when …
In the morning …
In the afternoon …
Later …
Eventually …
© British Council 2015
First …
Next …
As a result …
Then ...
Finally, …
Cause and effect (Reasoning)
There are a number of reasons … why …
One reason is/was …
Another reason is/was …
One cause is/was …
The main cause is/was …
The effect is/was … so … because/as …
... it means/meant that ... so ... therefore …
The result is/was ...
© British Council 2015
Sorting
I think … was … because …
This is different from … because …
The differences between … and … are …
They both … but … whereas …
When: In, After, When
Why: because, as, to
What: but, and, though, as a result
© British Council 2015
Ranking (Expressing and justifying
an opinion)
The most important ... is/was …
The best things are/were …
I think ... the best way to ... is …
As a result ...
In my opinion ...
© British Council 2015
Describing, Compare and Contrast
Can you use any of these sentence
starters for your task?
It has ...
It is made up of …
There are more ... than ...
It contains …
The most important … The favourite ... is ...
This is how …
The … and … are both …
There are similar features ...
The … is different from … because …
… they are not the same because …
© British Council 2015
Extension task
Choose a computer program such as ClipArt,
SmartArt and/or Drawing to help you design a
visual organiser that you will use in a maths
lesson. Examples:
© British Council 2015