| A word cloud is a visual representation, or "cloud" | | | | word cloud generator, and that student can |
| of any body of text. Typically, a word cloud | | | | literally "see" the main point of the essay by |
| program creates a picture of your text, with the | | | | looking at the size of the relevant words that he |
| words that are used most often in a large font | | | | or she uses most in the essay. For example, if a |
| and the words that are used infrequently in | | | | student wishes to write an essay about the topic |
| progressively smaller fonts. These visual maps | | | | of "animal rights," then that student might expect |
| allow visual learners to determine the main point, | | | | to see the words "animal" and "rights" in large bold |
| or theme, of an essay. | | | | letters of the essay's word cloud. But what if the |
| Learning Styles | | | | words "animal" and "rights" are very small? Then |
| Pschologists have identified several distinct learning | | | | that student knows, visually, that he or she might |
| styles. Among these learning styles are | | | | want to revise the essay to emphasize the main |
| - Verbal: Learn primarily through the use of words | | | | topic. |
| - Kinesthetic: Learn primarily through motion | | | | Limitations |
| - Auditory: Learn primarily through hearing | | | | Using word clouds to help visual learners |
| - Tactile: Learn primarily through touch | | | | determine the main point of a draft is only one |
| - Visual: Learn primarily through sight. | | | | tool, among many, that may help a student write |
| Visual Learners at Disadvantage | | | | a better, more focused essay. Like any tool, |
| In a writing class, students who have a verbal | | | | these visual maps have limitations. Words like "is" |
| learning style are at an obvious advantage. The | | | | and "the" are typically not included in a word cloud. |
| text they read consists primarily of words; the | | | | Only "content" words are drawn. This feature |
| grammar exercises are made up of words; the | | | | may be a limitation if the teacher is trying to |
| essays they write are all words. But what about | | | | emphasize the limited use of the verb "to be." |
| students whose learning style is not verbal, but | | | | Final Thoughts |
| visual? These students are at a disadvantage. | | | | Used correctly, word clouds can be a useful tool |
| Sometimes these students fumble through their | | | | for visual learners to determine the main point of |
| essays without being able to articulate a main | | | | their essay drafts and to revise accordingly. I |
| idea, whereas their verbal counterparts just | | | | have used this tool successfully in writing classes I |
| breeze through. | | | | teach. Students often print and submit different |
| Word Clouds | | | | clouds because they find them striking. Most |
| A word cloud can be seen as a "drawing" or map | | | | importantly, the visual learners get a visual image |
| of an essay. Once a student has written an | | | | of their essay, with the main point, as they have |
| essay, that student may submit the essay to a | | | | articulated it, in big, bold letters. |