How to Teach Analysing Charts in EFL and ESL Classes – A Step-by-Step Guide to Teaching Students How to Interpret and Describe Charts Effectively – Free Printable PDFs
How to Teach Analysing Charts in EFL and ESL Classes
How to Teach Analysing Charts in EFL and ESL Classes
Understanding and interpreting charts, graphs, tables, and diagrams is a crucial skill in language learning, especially for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and English as a Second Language (ESL) students. The goal is to turn data (facts, figures, and numbers) into meaningful information. This blog post provides a structured approach for teaching chart analysis, along with useful vocabulary and phrases to enhance comprehension.
The Structure of Chart Analysis
1. Introduction
- Explain what the graph shows (this information is usually in the heading).
- Describe how the data is grouped or organized (e.g., categories, time periods, etc.).
2. Identifying Key Statistics
- Highlight the most significant statistic or variation.
- Identify other notable statistics, including significant minorities.
3. Recognizing Trends, Patterns, and Anomalies
- Describe how the numbers change over time.
- Identify any unexpected or unusual data points.
4. Making Comparisons and Contrasts
- Compare and contrast different statistics within the chart.
- Highlight similarities and differences.
5. Conclusion
- Summarize the main takeaways from the data.
Essential Language for Chart Analysis
Using appropriate language helps students effectively describe and interpret charts. Here are key language elements to incorporate:
Qualifiers
These words help students express approximate values accurately:
- “almost,” “nearly,” “around,” “about,” “close to,” “just over,” “just under.”
Example: Almost half of the visitors to New Zealand go for a holiday.
Hard Statistics
Used to give exact figures:
- 47% of people visit NZ for a holiday.
Soft Statistics
Used with qualifiers to make data more comprehensible:
- 20%, or one in five people…
- 32% of people, accounting for almost one-third…
Types of Charts and Their Uses
Different types of charts serve various purposes in presenting data. Some common types include:
- Table – Best for displaying raw data in an organized manner.
- Pie Chart – Useful for showing proportions.
- Bar Chart – Ideal for comparing quantities across categories.
- Line Graph – Shows trends over time.
Useful Phrases for Describing Charts
Here are some commonly used phrases for interpreting charts:
- The pie chart is about…
- The bar chart deals with…
- The line graph clearly shows…
- The slices of the pie chart compare…
- The chart is divided into… parts.
- It highlights…
- … has the largest number of…
- … has the second largest number of…
- … is as big as…
- … is twice as big as…
- The number increases/goes up/grows by…
- The number decreases/goes down/sinks by…
- The number remains stable…
- I was surprised/shocked by the…
- So we can say…
Using Tenses Correctly
When describing a chart, ensure students use the correct tense:
- Simple Present – If the chart presents current facts.
- Simple Past – If the data represents past events.
- Present Perfect – If there’s a connection between past and present trends.
Example Exercises
Example 1: Describing a Pie Chart
Pets in Year 7 at a School
- Introduction: The pie chart illustrates the number of pets owned by Year 7 students.
- Key Data: The highest number of pets (16) belongs to students in form 7GI, while the lowest (2) is in form 7CS.
- Conclusion: Most pets in Year 7 belong to form 7GI, with over 50% concentrated in one class.
Example 2: Describing a Line Graph
Population Growth in Canada
- Introduction: The graph shows Canada’s population growth from 1978 to 2009.
- Key Trends: The total population increased significantly in 1988/89 but declined in the late 1990s before stabilizing.
- Conclusion: Canada’s population growth is primarily driven by migration, despite a slowing natural increase.
Download Free Printable PDF
To help your students practice chart analysis, download our free printable PDF with exercises and vocabulary lists.
Final Thoughts
By teaching students how to analyze charts effectively, they can develop critical thinking and data interpretation skills that are valuable in academic and professional settings.
Encourage practice with different types of charts and use structured phrases to enhance their descriptions
📩 Want more free ESL grammar lesson? Share this post with other teachers and let us know how it worked in your classroom!
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More ESL Classroom Games & Activities
Looking for more fun grammar activities for your English class? Check out these ideas:
✅ ESL Speaking Games to improve fluency
✅ Grammar Board Games for practicing sentence structures
✅ Interactive Writing Activities for ESL learners
