This rather startling and unique idea, of presenting all lesson material in chunks, accommodates the traditional Chalk and Talk blackboard introduction/lecture method of instruction.  Teachers can begin their presentation with a blank graphic organizer drawn on the blackboard.

 

As the key words are appropriately placed in the graphic on the blackboard, the explanations and concepts can be sketched into the space as additional aids to remembering the ideas.  As each Key Word is added to the Blackboard graphic, teachers will have the opportunity to observe the student activity. They have been directed to write exactly what is to be noted, and where in their note book that information is to be written.  This feedback to the observant teacher, in regard to the students' attention to the lesson, has behavioral modification aspects to it which are very important.  It is also often useful to grade the student notebooks as an incentive for neatness and a check that they have been following along.

This Directed Writing Assignment will assure a chance to "catch up" since other students will have the exact notes missed due to absences.

 

Photocopied blank graphic organizers can be handed out if so desired.  But students will benefit from learning to draw the graphics since they will come to expect the information coming to them in these repetitious chunks.  It is reinforcing to prepare the blank graphics before each lesson since the graphics and the Key words placed in them tend to become associated with one another in memory.  There are advantages, also, to using a pre-printed blank graphic organizer, too.  And this is also useful for tests where the assignment is merely to replicate from memory the key word associations from one particular lecture or another.  Teachers can test the student retention further by asking for definitions, explanations, or descriptions of some of the key words on the graphic.