It is also found that graphic organizers prompted students to reread text passages in order to clarify understanding, Alvermann & Van Arnam(1984).
Fountas and Pinnell (2001) cite that when content is illustrated with
diagrams, the information can be maintained by the student over a period
of time.
Graphic organizers go back to the work of Ausubel 1960. They are used as a prereading strategy to assist students in organizing the information through schema building.
Graphic organizers match the mind (Ausbel 1060). The mind arranges and stores information in an orderly fashion.
New information about a concept is filed into an existing framework of categories called a schema.
A schema already contains preexisting knowledge about a concept.
Graphic organizers arrange information in a visual pattern that compliments this framework making it easier to understand and learn.