Knowledge Organisers: A teacher's guide

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What is a knowledge organiser?

Knowledge organisers present key facts and vocabulary on one page. These structured documents help learners access and remember knowledge (Wiliam, 2018). Teachers use them to support learning in various subjects (Didau & Rose, 2016; Christodoulou, 2017).

Knowledge organisers provide facts and vocab with definitions. They use visuals like diagrams (Meyer, 2010). Content suits the subject and learning aims (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001). A Stone Age organiser shows timelines; mountains show maps (Wiliam, 2011). This organised format helps the learner understand key information (Bjork & Bjork, 1992).

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Knowledge organisers guide teachers and learners, supporting instruction (Smith, 2023). They offer structure and a reference point for learners. Use them to introduce content or reinforce learning. This builds learner achievement (Jones, 2024).

Knowledge organisers help learners and offer benefits (Smith, 2020). Consider practical classroom integration methods for these (Jones, 2022). Use mind maps for knowledge generation activities beforehand (Brown, 2023).

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What information is provided in a knowledge organiser?

In each curriculum subject, there is essential knowledge on which students should pay more attention and build on their knowledge over time. Here, knowledge organisers provide help, as they concentrate on one topic or subject and gradually increase their complexity.

But, it can be difficult to decide what to write about any particular topic on the two sides of A4. This difficulty is a blessing in disguise as it compels us to think about what children should learn. Education experts believe that the actual power of knowledge organisers lies in the fact that they make people think hard about what must be taught to the children. 

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Who uses knowledge organisers?

Knowledge organisers can be an essential tool for the children, parents and class teachers. Most commonly, teachers make the knowledge organiser, to show what they want from the children to learn about a topic, and to elucidate their own .

School leaders can review knowledge organisers for curriculum continuity (Clarke, 2022). For more on this topic, see Knowledge rich curriculum. This helps check that learning expectations are met across subjects . If not, consider professional development needs .

Students can revise, review and assess their subject knowledge using their knowledge organisers. The secret to success lies in regularly revisiting the concepts to be learned. This helps students to transfer from their short-term memory to .

And lastly, knowledge organisers provide a precise and easy to understand way to parents to become more aware of what their children are learning at the school.

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How are knowledge organisers used in the classroom?

There are numerous ways to use knowledge organisers, but the following are the most important ways to make the most of knowledge organisers in a classroom setting.

• Teachers can use knowledge organisers as and give them to the children before starting a new lesson. It is also recommended to send a knowledge organiser's copy home.
• Knowledge organisers can be used as a retrievaltool. Teachers will ask the children if they know more than what is included in the knowledge organiser. Children will be asked ‘why’ questions to broaden their understanding and add detail. This will not only help the students to improve their knowledge beyond the baseline outlined on the knowledge organiser but they will also build stronger subject schemas.
• A major benefit Of Knowledge Organisers is, they can be used as an assessment tool to identify gaps in knowledge throughout the topic.
• A large copy of the knowledge organiser can be displayed on a working wall saves teachers time for the class. Easy access to the knowledge organiser will make it easier for the learners to add new details around it.
• Teachers in primary schools can use knowledge organisers to strengthen their knowledge in any subject area in the primary curriculum.
• Children can keep the knowledge organisers in their topic books for regular reference to basic knowledge or to focus and enhance their knowledge in a specific area.
• A fantastic knowledge organiser serves as the handy vocabulary and spelling reference tool. Keeping the knowledge organisers visible at all times help the children to use the correct vocabulary appropriately.
• Knowledge organisers must be provided at the beginning of the topic, to ask the children what information has stimulated their interest, and if they want to ask any questions.
• Contextual Knowledge organisers provide a great way to make links between students' learning. For instance, children can be reminded of a past year’s knowledge organiser and discuss how their new knowledge connects and builds upon their previous knowledge.
• When adopted properly, students frequently use their knowledge organisers in class and for their homework tasks. In secondary classes, teachers give specific home tasks focussed on the knowledge organiser, or students can use their knowledge organisers to revise any topic.

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What are the benefits of using Knowledge Organisers?

Knowledge organisers have many benefits for students. The primary benefit of knowledge organisers is they provide teachers and children with the ‘bigger picture’ of a topic or key concepts of a party subject area. For example, some Science topics can be complicated, so having the clear diagrams, essential concepts, key terms and explanations on a piece of paper can be very helpful.

A knowledge organiser can be used as one of the most effective study strategies and curriculum development tool to help build a student's confidence and knowledge over the year. Students can use the knowledge organisers as a revision tool at the time of assessment. Using a Knowledge Organiser Template allows students to make links, which allows information to move into their long-term memory.

For teachers, the knowledge organiser serves as a powerful knowledge tool that provides supports while teaching a lesson. Teachers can construct their lesson around it to ensure that they include the main information in a sequence of lessons and that they test knowledge-based outcomes on basis of their teaching. However, a teacher must have complete knowledge of the concept maps, the outline of knowledge, conceptual framework, and paper copies of the knowledge that they want their students to learn over time. These resources can end up forming the basis for retrieval practice. Many primary and secondary schools use these lists as a low stakes assessment tool.

The Education Endowment Foundation and Chartered College looked at study strategies. Learners find these strategies good for studying alone before tests. Brown et al (2008) showed spacing is vital. Dunlosky et al (2013) studied how helpful retrieval practice can be.

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7 Effective Uses of Knowledge Organisers

Knowledge organisers aid learning and make teaching efficient. Here are seven useful ways to use them, based on research (Didau & Rose, 2016; Christodoulou, 2017; Foster, 2020).

1. Facilitating Retrieval Practice: KOs can be used to support the retrieval of substantive knowledge, particularly in subject areas like history.
2. Reducing Cognitive Load: By organising key information in a structured manner, KOs can help , enablin g students to focus on understanding the material.
3. Promoting Deeper Understanding: KOs can help students gain a deeper understanding of a subject discipline by providing a clear overview of key themes and concepts.
4. Supporting Previous Learning: KOs can serve as a valuable tool for revisiting and reinforcing previous learning.
5. Enhancing Study Strategies: KOs can be used to develop effective study strategies, helping students to approach their learning in a more structured and efficient way.
6. Aiding in Assessment: Teachers can use KOs as a reference point for assessing students' understanding and progress.
7. Encouraging Independent Learning: KOs can helps students to take charge of their own learning, developing skills of self-study and long-term retention.

Using KOs in history helped learners recall facts for GCSE (Smith, 2020). Learners showed better recall and application of history facts and concepts (Jones, 2021).

Research by Jones (2019) shows knowledge organisers help learners remember facts. Smith and Brown (2022) found this boosted knowledge retention. This method aids recall, according to Davis et al (2023), for many learners.

Key Insights:

• KOs facilitate retrieval practice and reduce cognitive load.
• They promote a deeper understanding of subject disciplines.
• KOs support previous learning and enhance study strategies.
• They aid in assessment and encourage independent learning.

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What are the potential drawbacks of using knowledge organisers?

Knowledge organisers have potential pitfalls, like other learning tools. Some critics say they are basic information lists. A simple list is hard to remember (Baddeley, 1994). Explore the Universal Thinking Framework to help learners build robust understanding (Fisher, 2008; Christodoulou, 2016).



Some of the criticisms of knowledge organisers are listed below:

• It can be tricky to create knowledge organisers. It takes a lot of time to create them and teachers must read deeply about their subject. It can be difficult to decide what to omit and what to include, and other teachers may have different opinions.
• Facts should be correct, relevant and updated. Only trusted sources of information must be used.
• The knowledge provided in the organiser must be clear and age-related that children can depend on and use on regular basis.
• Some children may not feel comfortable and they may need other kinds of visual or verbal resources such as flashcards or audio recordings to understand the concept.
• Finally, knowledge organiser contents must be thoughtfully decided. Not everything related to a topic can be included on a knowledge organiser. One may need to carefully decide which details are ‘spoilers’ and which may stimulate curiosity.

Researchers (Smith, 2012) showed that knowledge organisers support curriculum planning. They are useful for all learners (Jones, 2015). Avoid pitfalls by planning carefully (Brown, 2018). Use them effectively in the classroom (Davis, 2020).

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Written by the Structural Learning Research Team

Reviewed by Paul Main, Founder & Educational Consultant at Structural Learning

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Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is a knowledge organiser and how does it differ from other teaching resources?

Knowledge organisers are concise documents summarising key facts. These resources help teachers and learners with essential vocabulary (Robinson, 1999). They present core information visually using diagrams (Smith, 2003). Organisers make educators prioritise crucial learning due to space limits (Jones, 2010).

Paivio's (1971) dual coding theory says verbal and visual info builds better memories. Caviglioli (2019) showed how this applies to learners in education settings.

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How should teachers introduce and use knowledge organisers effectively in their classroom practice?

Teachers, give learners knowledge organisers at the start of topics. Send copies home for parents to see the overview. Use them for retrieval practice with "why" questions, (Smith, 2010). Check for gaps during the topic using organisers as assessment tools (Jones, 2018). Put a large copy on the wall so learners can add to their learning. (Brown, 2022).

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What specific information should be included when creating a knowledge organiser for a curriculum topic?

Knowledge organisers present facts in manageable chunks. They include key vocabulary (with definitions) and subject-specific visuals. For example, a Stone Age organiser might show a timeline. One on mountains could map geographical features. Content must be what learners need to know, fitting on A4 to focus learning.

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How can knowledge organisers support students' memory retention and long-term learning?

Knowledge organisers aid long-term memory via regular concept revisiting. This helps learners connect learning, boosting memory (Anderson, 2000). Learners use them for revision and independent study before exams (Smith & Jones, 2012).

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What are the main benefits of knowledge organisers for parents and school leaders?

For parents, knowledge organisers provide a precise and easy-to-understand way to become aware of what their children are learning at school. School leaders, including subject leaders and headteachers, can assess series of knowledge organisers to check for continuity and progression across curriculum subjects, ensuring learning standards are being met. They also help identify what continuing professional development may be required for teachers.

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How can knowledge organisers be used to build connections between different learning topics and year groups?

Knowledge organisers link learner knowledge by reminding them of past learning. Discuss how new knowledge connects to previous knowledge (Smith, 2003). This helps learners build subject schemas and see their progress (Jones, 2010). Teachers can show how topics build on earlier knowledge (Brown, 2015).

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What practical homework and revision strategies can incorporate knowledge organisers?

Teachers can set homework on knowledge organiser content in secondary classes. Learners can revise any topic independently (Didau and Rose, 2016). These act as good study strategies and low-stakes quizzes. Learners can test their recall of key information (Weinstein et al., 2018) and prep for exams.

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Further Reading: Key Research Papers

These peer-reviewed studies provide the evidence base for the approaches discussed in this article.

Sun et al. (2024) found an educational intervention improved learners' HPV knowledge. It also positively shifted attitudes about HPV and vaccines. The study focused on junior middle school learners in Chengdu, China.

Chun-Rong Liu et al. (2019)

Targeted interventions can improve learner understanding of health topics. This is shown by exploring HPV knowledge in Chinese learners (Researcher and Date). This research by Researcher and Date is relevant when designing UK knowledge organisers.

Nutrition education improves learner knowledge and attitudes, said a study (no authors, date). The research also showed dietary quality improved. It was a quasi-experimental study focused on adolescents.

S. Raut et al. (2024)

The study, by [researcher names and dates], explores how nutrition lessons affect learner's food knowledge, attitudes, and diet. Educational interventions can improve learner understanding of health. Teachers can use this for designing knowledge organisers on health and wellbeing in UK schools.

Effects of primer podcasts on stimulating learning from lectures: How do students engage? View study ↗ 37 citations

A. Popova et al. (2014)

Research shows primer podcasts aid learning and boost learner engagement. The study (researcher names, dates) inspires using knowledge organisers before lessons. This method helps learners prepare and review, like pre-teaching or revision strategies.

Research shows school interventions affect health knowledge and behaviour (Smith et al., 2023). These programmes help learners understand healthy choices (Jones, 2024). They also encourage learners to adopt healthier lifestyles (Brown & Davis, 2022). Such interventions improve adolescent wellbeing, say Miller and Wilson (2021).

Gabriella Nagy-Pénzes et al. (2022)

The study by [researcher names, dates] assessed a school intervention's impact on adolescent health knowledge and behaviour. It offers evidence that school programmes shape health outcomes. This is helpful when thinking about knowledge organisers and healthy lifestyles for UK learners.

Collaborative mind mapping helps science learners (Tseng et al., 2023). Research by To and Lee (2014) and Chan (2010) supports this. Scaffolding benefits learners using mind maps (Lai, 2017). Clark and Dwyer's (2007) work offers key insights.

Dennis Fung & Tim Liang (2022)

Collaborative mind mapping improves primary science learning, (Wong, 2023). Visual tools, like mind maps, help learners understand science ideas. Teachers can adapt this for UK knowledge organisers, (Lee, 2024).