Jay McTighe suggested that when we teach students to use graphic organizers, we should do it a structured way. McTighe suggested that we first describe the concept of a graphic organizer. This must be discussed in the context of its importance in assisting to organize information, the benefits of using graphic organizers and the various ways that information can be organized through graphic organizers.

McTighe also proposed that we do a proper introduction to the students of the specific graphic organizer that we want the students to use. Graphic organizers can represent different thinking processes therefore we must make clear when we use a specific graphic organizer that the thinking process associated with it is explained. We need to explained to the students while the thinking process occurs in their minds, they can help to make it easier by putting it in a very visual form.

The next step is to explain and demonstrate the use of the selected graphic organizer. It is important that this is done with information that the students are already familiar with. In other words use the students’ prior knowledge. New information is used with the same graphic organizer only after they are comfortable using that specific graphic organizer with already familiar information. This bridging process is important to help the students move from what is already known to the new.