What is the main purpose of using a graphic organizer in comprehension instruction?

• A. To decorate the page
• B. To replace the text
• C. To organize and structure ideas from a text
• D. To confuse students

Answer: (C)

Using a graphic organizer in comprehension instruction helps students see how ideas from a text fit together. These visual tools—like story maps, K–W–L charts, or Venn diagrams—make relationships explicit: how the main idea connects to supporting details, how events unfold in order, or how two concepts are similar or different. By externalizing thinking in a structured way, graphic organizers build a scaffold for understanding, making it easier to summarize what was read, recall key points, and plan writing or discussion. They’re about clarifying thinking, not decorating the page, replacing the text, or confusing students.