Lesson 13 Teaching Visual Symbols

"Visual symbols help mentors teach more effectively especially when they are used in their maximum usage"

                                                                                                                                                -Vince

          We have already talked about those useful experiences from the real-world setting. This time, we tackle about experiences from the world of symbols- the "visual symbols".

          In most instances, things are better be actually seen than just to be talked about or read, especially when it comes to tables or graphs. Like a picture, a graph and all other visual symbols, are worth a thousand words.

         There are several forms of visual symbols. The following are some of them:

1. Drawing- it may not be the real thing but better to have concrete visual aid than nothing.

2. Cartoons- a first rate cartoon tells its story metaphorically. A perfect cartoon needs no caption.

3. Strip Drawings- commonly called comic strips.

4. Diagram- any line drawing that shows arrangement and relations as of parts to the whole, relative values, origins and development, chronological fluctuations,distribution, etc.

Types of a diagram:

Affinity diagram- used to cluster complex apparently unrelated data into natural and meaningful groups.

Tree diagram- used to chart out, in increasing detail, the various tasks that must be accomplished to complete a project or achieve a specific objective.

Fish bone diagram- also called cause and effect diagram.

5. Charts- a diagrammatic representation of relationships among individuals within an organization.

Types of charts:

Time Chart- a tabular time chart that presents data in ordinal sequence.

Tree or Stream Chart- depicts development, growth and change by beginning with a single course which spreads out into many branches.

Flow Chart- a means of analyzing a process.

Organizational Chart- shows how one part of the organization relates to other parts of the organization.

Comparison and Contrast Chart- shows similarities and differences between two things.

Pareto Chart- a type of bar chart, prioritized in descending order of magnitude or importance form left to right.

Gantt Chart- an activity time chart.

6. Graphs

Types of graphs:

Pie or Circle Graph- recommended for showing parts of whole.

Bar Graph- used in comparing the magnitude of similar items at different ties or seeing relative sizes of the parts of the whole.

Pictorial Graph- makes use of picture symbols.

Graphic organizers

7. Maps- representation of the surface of the earth or some part of it.

Kinds of map:

Physical map- combines in a single projection data like altitude, temperature, rainfall, vegetation, and soil.

Relief map- has three dimensional representations and show contours of the earth or part of the earth.

Commercial or Economic map- also called product or industrial map since they show land areas in relation to the economy.



Political map- gives detailed information about country, provinces, cities and towns, roads and highways.


          As a whole, these visual symbols are indeed useful for us teachers for these materials add more life to our discussion or lesson presentation and thus contributing to more interactive learning of our students.