ERIC Number: EJ1086183
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2332-3205
EISSN: N/A
Thinking Maps in Writing Project in English for Taiwanese Elementary School Students
Fan, Yu Shu
Universal Journal of Educational Research, v4 n1 p36-57 2016
Thinking Maps is a language of eight visual patterns, each based on a fundamental thought process, designed by Dr. David N. Hyerle. The visual patterns are based on cognitive skills and applied in all content areas. Not only are they used in different combinations for depth and complexity, but are also used by all members in the school community. Mt. Airy Elementary School, Maryland in the USA has achieved outstanding results after using Thinking Maps for years. Students in Taiwan are afraid of writing English essays, in which it becomes an island wide problem in all the schools. Using Thinking Maps while writing English essays helps the students in the elementary schools in Taiwan to start their English essay writing and build their structures in thinking and mapping their thoughts. Centre of College Entrance Examination in Taiwan declared in 2009 that more than 15 percentage of students had gotten a zero on their English writing. Only fewer researches are relevant to English writing during the past twenty years. The purpose of this teaching project tried to use Thinking Maps to build up the skills of English writing. Moreover, the researcher designed games in teaching. No matter the beginners or skill students enjoy English writing instead of fear. This writing project finds out that Thinking Maps help most of the students in developing good structure, providing more and more ideas for them to use in their own essay writing no matter if they have experience in writing or not. As a result, the students are confident in English writing, therefore, Thinking Maps is a new teaching method to be considered for all the teachers in Taiwan.
Descriptors: Maps, Visual Stimuli, Elementary School Students, Writing Instruction, Essays, English (Second Language), Foreign Countries, Learning Processes, Thinking Skills, Cognitive Processes, Teaching Methods, Writing Assignments, Interviews, Grading, Language Usage
Horizon Research Publishing. 506 North Garfield Avenue #210, Alhambra, CA 91801. e-mail: editor@hrpub.org; Web site: http://www.hrpub.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Taiwan
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A