Mind Mapping is an image-centered diagram that represents semantic or other connections in a radical, non-linear graphical manner, it encourages a brainstorming approach to any given organizational tasks, eliminating the hurdle of initially establishing an intrinsically appropriate or relevant conceptual framework to work within. (Webster, 2004) Tony Buzan, the inventor of mind mapping, proposes that the Mind Mapping is the expression of radiant thinking and also a creative and logical means of note taking and note making that literally maps out your ideas.（ 2006: 240-246）

Mind Mapping conforms to the schemata theory. It enables learners to clearly find the connection between old knowledge and new knowledge and establish their knowledge structures. Meanwhile, it is also a metacognitive tool. Learners use image-word to present their thinking process. Through the means, not only can they clear up the knowledge, but also improve their pergent thinking.  

Mind Mapping includes six elements such as key words, lines, colors, geometric figure, label and association and imagination. The combination of these characteristics creates an explicit mind mapping easily accepted by brains so that information recognition can be clearer and retention can be longer. There are two ways to create mind mapping either by drawing or computer as many software were invented.

2.1.2 Previous researches on the application of mind mapping to English teaching

Evidence supports that mind mapping is valuable active learning strategy for today’s students. Meanwhile, it has been regarded as a successful and helpful teaching strategy based on the creation and evaluation of the learner’s background knowledge or schemata.

Mind mapping and primary school English education are searched in the CNKI and the trend has been increasing over the years. It is visible that the topic draws many researchers’ attention.

Zhou Jianghua in his journal designs mind mapping for preposition and time in grammar teaching. (2014: 238-239) Sheng Jun thinks that using mind mapping to present the subject-related words facilitates their understanding of the content and improves learning efficacy. (2016: 137) Jing Yan also use mind mapping to explore writing teaching and she states that mind mapping can show the whole of their thinking and help them clear up their writing outline.（2016:42-46）Xiang Li in her thesis provides the prepositions, principles and methods of blackboard design with mind mapping and analyzes some cases. (2017) What’s more, some empirical studies are carried out as well. Pu Haiyan through two action research processes discovers that mind mapping contributes to Let’s talk teaching and the mind map helps to activate the words and sentence structure in their memory and classify them so that they can add more contents in their talk. (2017) Kong Zhaopin explores the adoption of mind mapping in review classes. She did comparative experiment on a experimental class teaching with mind mapping and a control group. Results showed that the experimental class got better grades and students held positive attitudes to this method. Besides, some of the writing problems were improved. (2017)

Anna Buran and Andrey Filyukov in their paper showed that mind maps help students solve problems, brainstorm creative ideas, remember new vocabulary, take notes, enhance their reading skills, organize the tasks and prepare presentations. (2015：215-218) Chin Sok Fun and Norhayati Maskat explore Teacher-Centered Mind Mapping versus Student-Centered Mind Mapping in an accounting class and the correlation between the two different methods of mind mapping with students’ achievement in their tests. (2010：240-246) Their action approach testified that Student-Centered mind mapping exhibited significant increase in scores.

In conclusion, the domestic studies put much focus on application of mind mapping in language competence teaching especially on reading and writing while overseas studies combine mind mapping with a lot of other areas and concentrate less on specific language teaching such as grammar and vocabulary.