22 Duplicated Notes
Definition
Ensuring that students who have trouble transcribing or processing information are provided with a complete copy of all notes for a lesson/class in advance.
In action
The teacher can print class notes or make them available online in advance to supplement the notes that students are already taking. Notes should be available in the format most appropriate for the student (e.g., large font, varying amounts of detail, etc.).
Support Strategies
- Provide all students with notes outlining what will be covered in class with more detailed copies available for students who need them.
- Distributing copies of guided notes, which have gaps that students can fill in as they follow along.
- Colour-code notes and content displayed in slides to help students follow along.
- Designating peer note-takers so that students can also access a peer’s notes.
- Providing an audio-recording of the lesson so that students can pause it and take notes at their own pace.
- Provide models and structured practice for effective note-taking in class.
Case Study
Student: Grade 9 student in a math class.
Content: Students are asked to take notes during the teacher’s lesson on the distributive property. The teacher is writing down a series of different examples on the board, which students are trying to copy themselves.
Problem: The student is unable to write as fast as the teacher or their classmates, and is missing important components of the examples, such as the brackets.
Solution: The teacher provides the student with guided notes containing each example prior to the lesson so that the student can fill in gaps rather than needing to record every detail. The brackets are already on the sheet for the student, so they only need to fill in the numbers.
Additional Resources
- Article from Reading Rockets explaining how to use visual note-taking to promote the literacy skills development
- Description from Learning Disabilities Ontario of AT for notetaking
- Summary of issues with note-taking and research based strategies and commentary from experts from the IRIS Center
- Description and tips on using guided notes from Intervention Central
- Blog post on how guided notes can be used in an inclusive classroom
- Summary of the research and important considerations on notetaking including videos and a podcast episode from the Cult of Pedagogy
