Mind fields for Minefields

When it comes to teaching English, phrasal verbs are a minefield. Phrasal verbs feature so much in our lexicon that they pop out subconsciously. It’s only in teaching them that we slow down enough to notice how frequently they pop up.

Like right there.

A pop up could be a store or a kiosk for an event or period of time. Of course, that is not what is meant here, and native-level English speakers know that. When something “pops up,” it suddenly happens.

These days more people speak English as a foreign language than there are native English speakers in the world. That’s something. For sure English is the lingua franca of our era. How to clarify the contextual meanings of phrasal verbs is a minefield…better we think in terms of creating a mind field for learning all those colorful idiomatic expressions.

Visual tools help students to develop better recall, comprehension and critical thinking skills. Similar to mind mapping for brainstorming ideas, concept mapping also strengthens and organizes information. Decoding phrasal verbs for meaning unweave the mess of multiple expressions that shoot off from one verb by putting them into an order pleasing to the eye. Visual Literacy is not only about seeing or taking information in, though certainly visual communication dominates. For sure, we do take most information through our eyes. There are two additional aspects to Visual Literacy that complete the trifecta. Visual Thinking refers to the ability to internally process information through imagery. Visual Learning pertains to graphing, mapping, cartooning or drawing for depiction and understanding. Since we see with our brains and NOT really with our eyes, visual literacy applied across the field of our mind is key in learning, especially for ambiguous topics. It’s a minefield out there. Make sense through mind fields.