Knowledge Organisers

Each cycle, our pupils are provided with a Knowledge Organiser for every subject they study. Each knowledge organiser has the key facts and most powerful information that needs to be memorised to help you master your subjects and be successful in lessons. Our teachers have carefully selected the information included to ensure pupils construct the most effective schema (the way information of stored and organised in our brains), meaning they can recall the information they need in class to master their subjects. Each week as part of their independent study, pupils are asked to use  their knowledge organiser to review this key content, ready for it to be used in class.

How do we use Knowledge Organisers?

A knowledge organiser (or KO) is a great resource for use at any time at home or in school. Being able to recall the information it contains from long term memory will help pupils have a really high success rate in lessons. One of the most effective ways of forming strong long term memories is by quizzing yourself. In fact, research shows that pupils remember 50% more when they test themselves after learning something new. Simply reading through their knowledge organiser is helpful, but there are also far more effective ways to memorise the important content.

How do we self-quiz?

• Cover-Write-Check: Your teacher may direct you to read a specific section or week of your KO. Once you’ve read the information, cover it up and write out as much as you can from memory. Next, check the KO to see if you’re right, then correct any mistakes in your purple pen. Repeat this process two more times – even if you got 100% correct.

• Create flashcards: These could be double-sided with a question on one side and the answer on the other. Alternatively, try a keyword on one side and a definition or diagram on the reverse. These can then be used for self-quizzing. The best way to use flashcards is called the Leitner System – find out more about it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C20EvKtdJwQ
• Draw a mind-map: jot down everything that you remember from the KO and make links between the ideas. Check for accuracy and repeat.
• Make up mnemonics: (eg. MRS GREN to remember life processes in biology) to help you remember key facts. Write these out from memory.
• Make Cornell notes: This system of note taking makes revision and retrieval practice really easy due to the layout of the notes. Set up a page with the four sections shown in the diagram:
  • Subject – write the title of your topic;
  • Recall – this could be questions or keywords;
  • Notes – write descriptions, explanations and examples from the content you studies here; and
  • Summary – in one sentence, give an overview of everything in the notes.

• Once your notes page is complete, you could cover the notes and recall section and see how much of the content you can write down – then check and correct. Alternatively, cover up the notes section and try to answer the questions you wrote in the recall section. Find out more about how to prepare and use Cornell notes here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtW9IyE04OQ

To find out about our independent study programme visit our Independent Study page.

For more information on the use and impact of knowledge organisers, please follow this link: www.impact.chartered.college/organising-knowledge-purpose-pedagogy-knowledge-organisers