Mind map as a tool for organizing ideas in the English classroom

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Mind map as a tool for organizing ideas in the English classroom

Idrissova Zhazira Muratovna

Аннотация: В связи с возрастающей популярностью когнитивных исследований разрабатываются и внедряются новые методы в обучении. Соответственно, ментальные карты могут внедряться для организации идей и развития языковых и речевых навыков студентов на занятиях английского языка в вузе. Цель данной статьи -- исследовать, как данная техника может применяться в обучении студентов-дизайнеров 1 курса английскому языку. Статья описывает применение данной техники на занятии английского языка и ее эффективность. Предполагается, что студенты наиболее мотивированы в выполнении креативных заданий, тем самым их мотивация к изучению иностранных языков увеличивается, а также улучшаются навыки аудирования и говорения.

Ключевые слова: ментальные карты, обучение английскому языку, студенты-дизайнеры 1 курса, организация идей, языковые навыки, креативные методы в преподавании языков

mind maps method teaching english

Abstract: Due to the growing popularity of cognitive studies the appropriate methods in teaching are being elaborated. Therefore, mind maps are considered to be implemented in the English classroom as a tool for students to organize ideas and develop language skills. The aim of the paper is to examine how this technique can be applied in teaching English junior design students. The paper describes the implementation of mind maps in the English classroom and its efficiency. Supposedly, students support doing creative tasks and become motivated in studying languages so that they could improve their speaking and listening skills.

Keywords: mind maps, teaching English, junior design students, organizing ideas, language skills, creative methods of teaching languages

Nowadays cognitive studies is a popular direction in science and the new approaches to learn more about how the brain works are being elaborated. Moreover, due to the growing number of information sources the human brain is literally stuffed with information. We have to learn more to become effective, therefore, we have to filter what we receive. To consume only the relevant and congruent information come up with useful strategies and life hacks. This is relevant not only for the world of jobs yet it is of high importance in education, as students are the people highly recommended to thoroughly memorize the information for their studies. On the other hand, students are assumed to be stressed because they are overloaded with enormous amounts of random pieces of information they have to keep in mind. Sometimes, students fail with remembering as the information is presented in a tedious way. Therefore, the following paper describes the attractive and useful technique for organizing ideas leading to better memorization and how it can be used in English classroom for junior design students.

According to Tony Buzan, a mind map is a creative and effective means of note-taking that literally `maps out' one's thoughts. A mind map can help gathering all the ideas in one place. Besides, they are organized in a neat and creative way so that it is enjoyable to look at which makes it easy to memorize. It can also encourage better remembering and recalling information involving visual memory [3, p.15].

The centre of the map is the key idea to elaborate, for instance, the topic of the lesson or the issue the teacher wants students to think about. Then, the main roads leading from the centre represent the main thoughts whereas secondary roads illustrate the secondary ones.

How to do the mind map?

1. Put the central idea in the centre of the blank page so that the brain has freedom to brainstorm in all the directions. It is recommended to use images for the ideas to keep focused and to have all the necessary information visualized. Using colors is a good tool to boost critical and creative thinking.

2. Connect your main branches to the central idea and then second- and third-level ideas with that of the first and second levels, etc. As the brain needs to link things together, mind map helps to provide association chains which leads to a long-term memory development. It is also advised to make the lines curved rather that straight so that it reminds of a tree and the way it connects the branches and that everything radiates from the central trunk.

3. Write one key word for each idea. By doing this, the brain learns to identify the essence, it leads to a better ideas production and it is a great way to learn the vocabulary of the topic [3, p. 25].

This is an example of how a mind map can look like (Image 1) [5]:

Image 1. Mind maps

According to Morozova M., it can also be implemented in classroom as a speaking activity that also fosters writing skills and team work skills. It can also be added that creative approach in teaching designers is of high importance to ignite the interest to the subject and to keep the students motivated to study in a way they are used to think.

The following paper illustrates how mind maps can be implemented in teaching English for junior design students of KazGASA. The level of English knowledge of the group is intermediate, the topic is Mass media.

The aim of the lesson:

- to develop 4 language skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing);

- to motivate students to study by discussing media;

- to develop critical thinking and to teach students to organize the ideas;

- to test whether it is useful to apply mind maps in class.

The outcome of the lesson: students are able to speak and write their ideas on the topic by means of mind maps. The material is the textbook complied by the English professors of KazGASA and handouts with listening activities.

The lesson starts with reading activities including pre-reading, while-reading and post-reading tasks.

Pre-reading.

Warm-up. What is mass media? Which means of communication dies it include? Which of them do you use in daily life?

Exercise 2. Read the following sentences. Are they TRUE or FALSE?

1) You will hardly find a newspaper, which suits your interests. T/F

2)TV is the window on the world which gives us an opportunity to `travel' all over the world.T/F

3) Television helps us to relax after a hard day's work and to escape from reality. T/F

4) People don't prefer getting information from the radio. T/F

5) People blame the Internet in their problems. T/F

While reading.

Read the text and summarize the gist.

Mass Media

There are newspapers for professionals, for businessmen, for children and teenagers. Some newspapers publish serious articles on politics, economy and finance, some aim to entertain their readers. You can always find a paper which suits your interests.

The main source of news for millions of people is television. With its help we can see everything with our own eyes. It is the window on the world which gives us an opportunity to `travel' all over the world. TV helps us to relax after a hard day's work and to escape from reality.

Many people prefer the radio. It is good to listen to it in the car, or in the open air, or when you do something about the house.

The Internet has recently become another important source of information. It is regarded as the latest addiction to trap thousands of people which has been blamed for broken relationships, job losses, financial ruin and even suicide. Psychologists now recognize Internet Addiction Syndrome (IAS) as a new illness that could cause serious problems and ruin many lives.

Post-reading.

Exercise 3. Answer the following questions.

- How many TV channels do you watch?

- Do you have a cable/satellite TV?

- What kind of programmes do you enjoy/hate?

- Do you think state TV is better or worse than the independent channels?

- Do you…

follow at least one soap opera?

have a favourite radio station?

change channels when the adverts come on ?

always watch the same news bulletin and weather forecast?

Writing

Exercise 5. Complete each sentence with the most appropriate word from the box.

We need to ………. people so that they understand the importance of a good, healthy diet.

You don't have to use your ………. while you're watching television.

He's a national ……….

There is too much brutality and ………. on TV these days.

Her son is ………. and she has to take care of him all the time.

Exercise 6. Put the words in correct word order to make sentences

- especially life nowadays newspapers them are important and can't our without we imagine

- newspapers beliefs political express certain opinion many and their people them according to own political choose

- the television news main source of for of people millions is

- some nowadays children are so TV addicted to anything that they interested in are else not

- has the Internet another recently become source important of information [1, p. 94-96].

Listening

Listen to the text and fill the words in the gaps.

Where _______________ without the media? How would we get information about the world? _______________ interested in the news. We all _______________ what's happening around the world. We switch the TV on just to watch the news. It _______________ every train passenger has a newspaper. The journalists who bring us the news do a very important job. Many _______________ bring us the news from the world's danger zones. Unfortunately, many reporters are killed while they are _______________. The media make us feel we are part of the world. We _______________ other countries and on the big news stories. The media also bring us many unforgettable images, such as a man walking on the moon. Really, the media show us history _______________.(would we be, all of us are, want to know, seems as though, risk their lives to, covering a war, become experts on, as it happens) [5].

Speaking.

Choose the topic for discussion in the group of 3-4 students. Brainstorm and then organize our ideas in the mind maps. Be ready to answer your groupmates' questions.

- Do we still need paper newspapers and magazines?

- Should we listen to bloggers and why are they so popular?

- Can emojis replace the words in text messages?

- Advertisement and how it affects our mind.

Each group presents their topic, teacher asks them questions. The other groups listen to their classmates and prepare them questions.

Despite the fact the topic of the lesson is Mass media, it was noticed that students do not watch TV, listen to the radio or buy newspapers and magazines - as the Internet became the main source of information and mostly replaced traditional mass media. Therefore, the topic of classroom discussion slightly changed to the Internet and its impact. Students selected several features on the Internet and expressed their opinion on the huge role of the Internet.

In order to summarize all the brilliant ideas expressed in class as well as to equally develop all language skills, students should write an essay at home. It is recommended to use their mind maps and any other notes.

Writing - write an essay on any of the topics discussed with the help of your notes.

- Do we still need paper newspapers and magazines?

- Should we listen to bloggers and why are they so popular

- Advertisement and how it affects our mind

- Internet - positive and negative effects.

Conclusion

The following paper describes mind map technique devised by Tony Buzan and how it can be applied in the communicative English class for junior design students of KazGASA. By developing teamwork skills mind maps designing enables an integrated development of all language skills, such as reading, writing, listening and speaking. It also fosters critical and creative thinking. Moreover, as the activity is new for the students it ignites their interest in the class topic and motivation to express their opinion so they are involved in the learning process. And the last thing to mention is that the students organize and structure the information they need to learn makes the process of memorization more effective.

Список литературы

1. Mangazina Zh.R., Tolynbekova G.A. English. Linguistic complex. 3rd level `Intermediate' . Second edition. - Almaty: KazGASA, 2017. -189 p.

2. Морозова М.А. Internet-based Teacher Training Guide - профессионально-базируемое пособие для 3-4 курсов педагогических факультетов, предназначенное для преподавания методики обучения иноязычному общению в школах и вузах / Морозова М.А. - Алматы, 2015 - 107 с.

3. Tony Buzan, The ultimate book of mind maps. - HarperCollins, UK, 2005. 218 pp.

4. http://www.mindmapart.com/portfolio/jane-genovese/ (Reference date 18.01.2019)

5. https://listenaminute.com/m/media.html (Reference date 18.01.2019)

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