Language development and understanding through Mindomo

Lena Petersen, a high school teacher in Swedish and German at Angeredsgymnasiet’s language introduction program, works daily with students from different countries where Swedish is their main subject. The students are between 16 and 19 years old, and their backgrounds vary – some have been in Sweden for several years while others have recently arrived. For these students, Mindomo has become an invaluable support in language development.

She has used Mindomo in several ways:

• Chapter reading: After each chapter in a common book, the students create mind maps where they summarize the content with keywords and pictures. These mind maps are then presented in class via the projector, which leads to discussions about both the content of the book and how different students organize their information. This has become a popular activity that strengthens both understanding and oral presentation.
• Descriptive texts: The students choose, for example, an animal to present. They list important facts such as lifespan, diet, and size, and supplement with images and links. This method makes writing more structured and gives students a clear template to follow.
• Study techniques: Students create mind maps where they identify their own strengths and challenges in learning. They reflect on questions such as “How do I learn best?”, “What challenges do I have?” and “What strategies work for me?”. This gives them a better understanding of their own learning and makes it easier for teachers to personalize instruction.
• Summary and analysis: By identifying keywords and main points in a text, students develop their ability to understand and analyze texts. Mind maps help them visualize connections between different parts of the text, which is particularly useful for students who are still building their Swedish vocabulary.-Mindomo is a perfect digital tool and also fun to use. It makes it easier to visualize information and support students in their learning, says Lena Petersen.

Mindomo in media, music, and entrepreneurship

Daniel Viklund, a high school teacher in media and music, has used Mindomo in many different ways in his subjects, from graphic communication to entrepreneurship and music education. He teaches on several programs, including the media program, the aesthetic program with a focus on film and television, and the music program at the National High School for the Physically Disabled.

Some of his most effective uses are:

• Self-reflection in graphic communication: When the students in the economics program start the course in graphic communication, they create a mind map where they list their different characteristics, abilities, and skills. These can be anything from language skills and instruments they play to sports they master or school subjects they are good at. They also include their background (for example, ethnicity and family background) and their interests, such as favorite music, TV series, or design styles. This exercise helps students reflect on their strengths and gives the teacher a good insight into the class’s overall competence and interests.
• Organisational charts in entrepreneurship: Student companies use Mindomo to create organisation charts where they map out their employees and their roles (CEO, financial manager, marketer, etc.). By including pictures of the team members, these maps also become useful for communication with mentors and financiers.
• Presentation of business ideas: When the students present their student companies, they use Mindomo to create a dynamic presentation where each part of the company can be highlighted individually. In presentation mode, you can focus on one branch at a time, which gives a clear and professional presentation without the whole feeling overwhelming.
• Music analysis and planning: In music education, students use mind maps to map out different musical styles and analyse songs. They link to Spotify to share music examples and include information about instrumentation, tempo, and composers. For ensemble projects, students create detailed planning maps where they collect sheet music, chord analyses, recordings from rehearsals, and video clips showing techniques for different instruments. This structure helps students collaborate and organise their work effectively.
• Network mapping: At the school, the work teams often collaborate with companies and organisations to give students better opportunities and contacts. Mindomo is used to map these collaborations and provide an overview of which companies and organisations can contribute to the students’ development.

Mindomo – a versatile tool for everyone

Regardless of subject or teaching level, Mindomo can be used to enhance learning. It provides structure, improves presentations, and engages students through an interactive and visual approach. For both students and teachers, it becomes a way to gather thoughts, analyse information, and create a deeper understanding of the content.

– There are more – and free – mind mapping programs, but none that combine these functions with a presentation functionality similar to Prezi. It is precisely the presentation mode that makes Mindomo an unbeatable pedagogical tool, says Daniel Viklund.

Do you also want to explore how Mindomo can help you in your teaching? Start today and experience how digital mind maps can change the way you work!