Question

I just read this really good book about LD. Try using colored pencils, highlighters, flags, colored pens when taking notes. When its something really important, use arrows, scribbles, dots. Box or circle and item or two. Indent in different colors. For each subject you have start on a new piece of paper.

I teach [u]some [/u] note taking skills with my fourth and fifth RS students. Before we even get to the note taking part, we work on activities that focus on finding the main idea and summarizing text. Once we have “mastered” that skill, we practice note taking from a textbook and then from a short lecture (with the notes written on the board.) I always have a graphic organizer for my students to use when we do this.

I try to incorporate these skills when ever I can. At this grade level, my goal for my students is not to make them excellent note takers but to introduce them to a skill they will need in middle school and high school. Another objective when teaching note taking, is to give my students some strategies, such as summarizing skills and using graphic organizers, that they can apply to their classroom assignments in different subject areas.

I really try to make these lessons fun and not frustrating by using subjects and material that interests the students.

I hope this helps.

OK, I am being a tad oppositional here. The teachers in the elementary where I taught created study guides for science and social studies. I would write this on I.E.Ps, too. This is a reasonable accomodation. Notetaking, when I worked on this, I just modeled on the overhead projector. If we were working together on a research topic, I would read the material and we would discuss and I would demonstrate how to make notes, they would then copy.

Frankly, I am of the opinion that much is learned from discussion and models. I also tend to believe that this modeling may need to go on over a period of several years in order for the student to actually become comfortable.

You are making me think about this. There has to be an intermediate between elementary school of little necessity of taking notes and the college lecture where professor talks and students write. I am thinking this is an area where classroom teachers might be really helpful and incorporate this teaching into their lessons.

For example, the teacher might be planning a lecture on the causes of the Civil WaR. The teacher might have a chart or overhead and might even pass out a partially completed outline, requiring the class to complete in a very structured, teacher directed teacher lesson/lecture combination.

Thanks for bringing this up. This coming year, in the high school, I will teach three skills-oriented classes (language arts and/or math) and I will have one inclusion period per day where I work in a classroom where 5-10 students on IEPs are placed. Depending upon the class I am assigned to, I may need to work in this area to assist students.

As to your other question, I know that in high school I most certainly will send out regular checklists to teachers re. the students on my caseload, esp. as I am very likely to have students on my caseload whom I never see and the bottom line in H.S. is credits and graduating.

What about having a note taker in the classroom or the teacher providing notes/study guides?

I have a daughter who CANNOT copy from the board, but can make an “A” on the test if she is given text on tape.

She also uses a computer and copies from the board better through that route.