Understanding the concept of mind mapping technique, it is crucial to know the benefits of mind mapping technique. It can help the researcher to
implement the mind mapping technique and to encourage the students’ motivation in reading narrative text. Identifying the benefits of mind mapping technique, the
researcher exploits the technique to enhance the students’ narrative reading comprehension.
b. Benefits of Mind Map
Readers should obtain benefits in every technique they apply. In mind map, readers can attain several advantages which can help them in increasing their
reading ability. DePorter 2003: 179 confirms that there are four advantages in applying mind mapping in reading.
1 Mind Map Helps Students to Recall Their Memory
Mind Map is likely the most effective way to remember things. The freedom and opportunity in mind mapping technique enable students to visualize
their notes into particular symbols, signs, pictures, and colours that might be as the moist effective remembrance. The implementation of picture and colour is
likely to be effective to remember things since students are free to draw any pictures based on their imagination. By visualizing their imagination into real
pictures and symbols, students are able to keep their memory longer. As Buzan 2003: 7 and DePorter 2003: 152 stated that brain thinks and remembers things
in its own way, in the form of colours and pictures. DePorter 2003: 150 added further that brain does not proceed information in a linear way. Brain does not
keep information in a regular and tidy list as traditional note taking has. Instead, brain keeps various information in a massy, untidy, and complicated way.
Therefore, by applying a technique as the way brain thinks and remembers things, students memorize any single details unconsciously.
2 Mind Mapping Develops Both Right and Left Brain
As stated in the preceding part, right brain and left brain have their own job description. Unfortunately, a traditional note taking which students often
apply, tends to develop half of the brain functions. Buzan 2003: 6 stated that left brain is mostly employed in a standard note taking. Thus, right brain does not
have any chance to develop itself. However, mind mapping solves this problem. Mind mapping enables left brain to carry out its function well by writing out some
words and numbers in a linear way. At the same time, students are able to employ the right brain by visualizing their imagination in the form of colours, signs,
symbols, or pictures. For that reason, both right and left brain have the same opportunity to develop themselves. As a result, students possess a balanced-
functioned brain. 3
Mind Mapping Take Notes Better According to Buzan 2003: 6, mind mapping assists students to focus on
mind ideas. Mind mapping model facilitates students to concentrate on the most prominent points. Students could directly go to the major sub-parts after drawing
the topic in a big circle in the middle of the page. Students are then able to go to the details by drawing some branches. By focusing on the focal points since the
beginning, students are able to organize their ideas more easily. In other words,
students have less chance to think about any other ideas which are not related to the topic.
Furthermore, the model of mind mapping is flexile as stated by DePorter 2003: 172. The massy model of mind map does not limit students to keep
producing idea. It is not impossible for students to go back and forth from one idea to another since students are able to add any additional ideas in any branches
without crossing or erasing any parts. Thus, mind mapping contribute another benefit. Mind mapping enables students to spend less time in taking notes.
Besides offering an exciting way to take notes, mind mapping does not require long time to apply Buzan, 2003: 17.
4 Mind Map is Applicable for any Notes
In addition to the preceding benefits, mind mapping offers the most beneficial part. Mind map is applicable not only for schools but also for a daily
life. The application of mind mapping to arrange a project, shopping plans, tour plans, daily or weekly activities, and organize a party exemplify how wide the
application of mind mapping in a daily life is. Buzan 2003: 87 supports this idea by stating that mind map is not merely useful for schools. It is an ideal way to
arrange life. Furthermore, the application of mind map at school does not have narrow
borders. Buzan 2003: 33 stated that mind map is obviously applicable for every subject, such as Mathematics, Biology, History, and foreign language. Its aspects,
procedures, and benefits enable students to apply it for any subjects. Almost all
subjects demands students to take notes. Mind map offers a bundle of advantages in taking notes better.
c. Mind Mapping for Narrative Text
