What is a word map?

A word map

• provides a visual image of a person's ideas, and
• serves as the basis of a text that a writer creates.

A word map can be used for any level of writing.

See: Guided writing

A word map is a diagram used in guided writing to help writers organize their ideas. Related words are written to show their relationship to a central topic or concept.

Here is an example of a word map:

• Word map

Here is an example of a text written from the second word map above:

I have a dog. His name is Scout. He is black and white. He wags his tail when he sees me. He likes to play with a ball and bark at cats.

• How to make a word map

• Robson, DeVergilio and DeButts 1990:116-121
• Dechant 1991:358
• Laubach Literacy Action 1994:112.

• Concept module: word map
• In overview module: Glossary (Literacy): W
• In modular book: Glossary of literacy terms
• In document collection: Reference materials
• In bookshelf: Literacy

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 2 July 1998

© 1999 SIL International