Simple Visuals for Deep Thinking
Deep Thinking
Teachers regularly ask students to do complex thinking: infer what this character is experiencing; synthesize what you’ve learned from these various sources; provide relevant evidence for your claim.
We may take for granted that students have a clear understanding of these higher-order concepts. For autistic students in particular, we may need to make these potentially abstract concepts more concrete. Visual supports are a terrific way to do this.
Visual Supports for Deep Thinking
According to educator and author Oliver Caviglioli, visuals help to:
minimize cognitive load, allowing students to hold on to more information while they apply their learning
build mental models, creating stronger links in long-term memory
support transfer of learning, making new information easier to retrieve and apply in other contexts
And researcher Richard Mayer states, “People learn better from graphics and words than from words alone… You can help people learn better if you include appropriately designed graphics in instructional presentations.”
Here’s one way to do that:
Identify the “big thinking” skill
Find (or create) a visual that represents that skill
Incorporate the visual into lessons and materials
How to Create Visuals for Big Thinking
1. Identify the “big thinking” skill
When asking students to do higher-order thinking, be clear about what vocabulary you’re using, and what the skill entails.
As an example, let’s look at the idea of claims and evidence, something that is expected across grades as a part of the Common Core State Standards. It can be a complex concept for students to grasp, particularly the connection between the claim and relevant evidence that supports the claim.
2. Create a visual that represents that skill
Here’s one that I created that highlights the connection between claim and evidence:
The idea is that a claim is something that is being stated, so the speech bubble represents that statement being “said.” Evidence forms the foundation for that claim, so the bricks symbolize the support for the claim.
There are many ways to create a visual like this one:
Google Slides is a good platform to create simple drawings using pre-made shapes and text boxes
AutoDraw is a great tool from Google that lets you sketch a rough picture and then select one of their polished drawings based on your sketch. Check this out:
Like magic, a squiggly sketch becomes a clean icon you can download and print or use in lessons.
You can, of course, also create a visual using free and available online images:
iconmonstr.com is a great resource for free, clear icons
Google’s material icons – all those little images you see in Gmail and Google Docs – are all available for free to use
Did you see the “synthesis” icon at the top? That was made from icons from Google’s material icons!
Skip Google Images! For one, it can be a time suck. How many hours have you wasted scrolling through looking for the perfect clip art of raised hands? Also, it’s important not to take designers’ work without citing it or paying for it.
Feel free to download this, and use it freely!
And if you want a good hand-raising icon, you can use mine for free!
3. Incorporate the visual in lessons and materials
Incorporating the visual communicates to students, “This is another one of those times when we’re going to be thinking about this big idea.” With a more concrete understanding of the concept through the visual model, students may be better able to transfer learning from one context to another, supporting transfer of learning.
Complex abstract concepts like claims and evidence are used in a variety of subjects, from ELA to history to math and science. Teachers can incorporate the visual in multiple ways:
Put the visual on student worksheets
Paste the visual into PowerPoint or Google Slides lessons
Hang the visual up on the wall with a brief explanation, while it’s a focus of a unit
Sketch (or print!) the visual onto sticky notes and stick them strategically in students’ books
Use the visuals repeatedly across subjects, throughout the year, whenever a student is expected to apply this concept
Make a simple graphic organizer version for students to write into:
Visuals for all—but especially those who rely on them
A visual can support recall of complex ideas better than verbal or written language alone. This is true for most learners, but it may be particularly helpful for autistic individuals. Autistic author, presenter, and blogger, Judy Endow, explains:
“Using visual supports are powerful in establishing a working external organization”
Calling all New York City area teachers!
Interested in learning more? Want to create your own visuals to make the skills you teach more concrete for your students?
Join me at my Visual Supports workshop!
Visual Supports January 25, 2024
Learn the why, when, and how of using powerful visual supports!
Join me in Downtown Brooklyn for a full-day interactive and hands-on workshop
Based on post by Aaron at The ASD Nest Egg blog, 2017
