Notetaking in the Classroom Why should we learn strategies for taking notes??? How can we become more effective notetakers????

What are the biggest challenges of notetaking when you have a hearing loss?

What have you done to advocate for yourself to aid in notetaking?

Why take my own notes in class?  Organized notes will help you identify the main ideas of the lecture  A permanent record will help you learn later  The lecture may be the only chance to learn this information  Lecture is where you learn what your instructor thinks is important. What he may put on the exam  Class assignments are usually given during class  Underlying purpose of lecture will become evident during notetaking

What to do Before the lecture  Make some preparations beforehand Check the course outline for key topics Before the lecture complete readings Review the text assignment Review notes from previous lecture Sit near the front Give the teacher your personal FM system Copy everything on the smartboard Have a proper attitude. Be prepared to be open minded

During the Lecture  Have your lecture paper and pens ready or personal computer  Write down the title, course, and date  Watch the speaker carefully  Listen carefully to the intro., this will help you take better notes later  Be brief. Summarize in your own words. You want to understand what he is saying, not record exactly what is said  Try to recognize main ideas by signal words (see sheet of signal words)

During Lecture, cont.  Jot down details or examples that support main ideas (esp. ones that are not in the text)  If there is a summary at the end, make sure your notes are organized according to the summary. Copy down main ideas of the summary  At the end, ask the instructor about points that you don’t understand

During The Lecture, Cont.  Try not to be in a rush. Be attentive and listen up to the last minute. You may miss important pieces such as an exam if you are busy packing up!

After the Lecture  Revise your notes are quickly as possible. The longer you wait the more your mind forgets  Coordinate your reading and lecture notes  Review your lecture notes AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK, and review the previous days notes before the next lecture

Other Tips to Notetaking  Listen actively  Be open minded  Raise questions  Keep notes in a large notebook or folder on your computer  Leave some spaces between ideas so that you can summarize or add later  Do not try to write everything down, listen for main ideas and examples

Other Tips, Cont.  Listen for cues as to important points, transition from one point to the next, repetition of points, changes in voice inflections, etc.  Many lecturers try to make a few major points with supporting ideas  Make your original notes legible enough for your reading. Use abbreviations when possible. Neatness is a virtue in some respects, but does not necessarily increase learning

Tips cont.  Copy down everything on the blackboard. It may serve as a useful cue later  Sit close, easier to hear and less distractions  Box or highlight assignments/ exams  Mark ideas that the lecturer emphasizes with a special symbol

Listening and Notetaking are Skills  The more you practice these techniques, the more skilled you will become. Try to use and improve these skills. Soon you will be able to record the fastest lectures effectively