Drawing Out Learning With Thinking Maps®: A Guide for Teaching and Assessment in Pre-K–2

What and how young children are thinking are typically expressed and shared at home and school through verbal and written modes of communication. As a visual language framework conceived and developed by David Hyerle, Thinking Maps® offers an additional way for learners to represent their ideas by visually mapping their fundamental patterns of thinking. The authors offer a wide range of materials, strategies, and evidence-based practices for implementing Thinking Maps (and the metacognitive framing strategy that each map promotes) in ways that are developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive, and more inclusive with the full range of pre-K to 2nd-grade children. Since 1990, Thinking Maps have been implemented by teachers in over 15,000 schools across the United States and around the world, including countrywide implementation in Malaysia. This guide provides a whole-child approach with practical ideas and best applications for working with emergent readers and writers across developmental domains, curricula, and executive function.

Book Features:

• Promotes systematic support of every students’ cognitive development in whole schools (pre-K–2).
• Demonstrates how to use visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic activities and materials to increase student engagement.
• Recommends Universally Designed Learning strategies to ensure full access and inclusion with diverse learners and children with disabilities.
• Includes graphically designed examples of Thinking Maps across content areas.
• Provides examples of student work, lesson planning ideas, and curriculum design based on cognitive education.
•  Links language and thinking in everyday classroom learning for individual and cooperative learning.

Shelly L. Counsell is a retired associate professor of early childhood education, an early childhood consultant, and an Early Years Columnist with NSTA’s Science & Children. David Hyerle is a bestselling author, developer of the Thinking Maps® model, and president of Thinking Schools International.