32 Note-taking assistance

Definition

Providing individualized instruction and/or support to the student on note-taking, such as providing an alternative format (e.g., fill-in-the-blanks template, graphic organizer, or assistive technology) to better support the student’s ability to glean essential information and fully engage in the course content.

In action

Teachers can improve a student’s ability to retain information through note-taking by providing individualized supports and making them available to students ahead of the lesson.

Support Strategies

  • Use a scribe when available and appropriate if it will support the student to complete a certain task
  • Simplify course information into an accessible note-taking format (eg., fill-in-the-blanks)
  • Use peer support by pairing students who need note-taking assistance with those who take notes independently
  • Offer different options for assistive technology (e.g., typing or speech-to-text devices)

Case Study

Student: A Grade 10 student in a science class.

Content: Students are viewing a PowerPoint presentation on photosynthesis and are expected to take notes on important details.

Problem: The student is struggling to multi-task processing the information, identifying the most important parts, and writing it down.

Solution: The teacher provides a fill-in-the-blank template as an option for note-taking so the student can focus on only recording the most important information without worrying about the order. As a result, the student is better able to process and engage with the information presented in the lesson.

Additional Resources

License

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Ed Guide Copyright © 2022 by Jordan Shurr is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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