Frayer Model
Updated 2026-08-08
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
The Frayer Model is a graphic organizer for concept learning developed by Dorothy Frayer and colleagues. A target concept sits in the center, surrounded by four quadrants: a definition, key characteristics or attributes, examples that belong to the concept, and non-examples that do not. The design rests on the claim that concept boundaries are learned through contrast as much as through description, so a definition alone leaves learners unable to decide whether a borderline case qualifies. Non-examples are the distinctive element, since they force the learner to specify what the concept excludes.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Use non-example forcing: for every example, name a near miss that does not qualify and say why. - Use attribute listing: write the characteristics that must be present for membership. - Use boundary testing: apply your attributes to a borderline case to see whether the definition holds.
Anchor fast decisions
Concepts are categories, and categorizing requires a rule for membership rather than only a description. Definitions state the rule abstractly, but learners often over-generalize or under-generalize because they never test the boundary. Adding non-examples makes the boundary explicit by contrast, which forces the learner to identify the discriminating attribute rather than a superficial similarity. Because the four quadrants must stay consistent with one another, filling them in also surfaces contradictions in the learner's understanding, which is where revision happens.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disciplinary_literacyverified
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