Nonlinguistic Representation

Enhance students' ability to represent and elaborate on knowledge using mental images.

Generalizations From Research

 * 1) A variety of activities produce nonlinguistic representations.
 * 2) Nonlinguistic representations should elaborate on knowledge.

IMPORTANT POINT –

Student-generated nonlinguistic representations can be more powerful than teacher-generated or clip-art because…
 * Students engage visual as well as verbal and written language
 * Students engage in hands-on, active learning

Example Activities

 * Visual Information -- graphs, graphics, diagrams, photos, drawings, maps, etc.
 * 3D models

Recommendations & Ideas

 * 1) Use graphic organizers to represent knowledge
 * 2) Have students generate physical models of the knowledge (math manipulatives, models, etc.)
 * 3) Have students generate mental pictures of the knowledge they are learning.
 * 4) Have students generate pictographs to represent the term (hook in the brain)
 * 5) Have students engage in kinesthetic activities representing the knowledge

Information presented above in the definition is from McREL, and generalizations from research, and recommendations & ideas is from Classroom Instruction that Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement (ASCD)(Robert J. Marzano, Debra J. Pickering, Jane E. Pollock).

Web 2.0 Connections
"Y" Under each category indicates that this tool can be used with this strategy.

"Free +" Indicates that the tool is free at the basic level, but that more advanced versions are available at a cost.

Category Key:

SD = Identifying Similarities and Differences CL = Cooperative Learning SNT = Summarizing and Note-Taking ER = Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition HP = Homework and Practice NR = Nonlinguistic Representation OF = Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback HYP = Generating and Testing Hypotheses QCO = Questions, Cues, and Advance Organizers 

Examples from teachers, students, classrooms, schools
Please click on the "edit" tab to share your examples here.

Contributor: Louise Maine Students have used flickr in an everyday motions project to show concepts of motion in objects they are familiar with (i.e. skateboarding, bicycle riding). Students have also used paint programs and other drawing software to show DNA replication, protein synthesis, etc. Students also use pictures and drawings to show elements of a laboratory activity that best demonstrated diffusion and osmosis to them. Additionally, pictures taken in class are used as an online portfolio on wikispaces to demonstrate understanding of laboratory concepts.