The initial activities of our partners in the FOCUS project focused on gathering best practices and case studies, as well as conducting interviews with foreign language education professionals working with students aged 6-12 who have learning difficulties. Based on the collected data, our project is currently working towards the completion of our first deliverable: a Database on the FOCUS website, which will provide support to educators, parents, and students through the methods and practices gathered by our partners.
As we await the completion of the Database, let’s dive into the most important method that emerged from the research conducted by p-consulting.gr in their search for useful practices: mind mapping.
Mind mapping is a visual tool that helps organize information by connecting various ideas around a central theme. It begins with a core idea in the center, which branches out into related ideas, much like the branches of a tree. Each branch includes keywords, images, or symbols that the student defines according to how their own brain and memory work. This way, large chunks of information are broken down into smaller, more manageable pieces, helping students retain information and think creatively.
Children with learning difficulties particularly benefit from this method for several reasons. The main reason is that it helps simplify complex linguistic phenomena. By breaking down, for example, a grammatical concept into many small parts in a way that the student themselves perceives, it becomes easier to process and, therefore, understand. This increases the chances that the student will remember it and thus use it.
The second most significant benefit of mind maps is multisensory learning. Combining visual elements with the creation of the map by hand and verbal narration as students explain their maps out loud employs and utilizes different learning methods.
Finally, mind maps encourage creativity and active participation. The process of creating a map—choosing colors, adding images, and drawing connections—makes learning interactive. This creative engagement helps students acquire language more effectively as they shape the learning process themselves.
This method, along with many others, will soon be available on the FOCUS project website. Interested parties will have the opportunity to learn about many new and established methods, allowing them to choose those that will help both themselves and their students.
Stay tuned for updates.
