Effective Classroom Strategies 1

Summarizing and Note Taking

Effective Classroom Strategies 2

Classroom Instruction That Works

Identifying similarities and differences

Summarizing and note taking

Reinforcing effort and providing recognition

Homework and practice

Nonlinguistic representations

Cooperative learning

Setting objectives and providing feedback

Generating and testing hypotheses

Questions, cues and organizers

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Summarizing and Notetaking

Requires that students distill information into a concise, synthesized form and focus on important points.

Research emphasizes the importance of breaking down the process of summarizing into a structure that can be easily understood by students.

Verbatim note taking is the least effective note-taking technique

Students should be encouraged to revisit and revise their notes after initial recording them.

They should use different formats and make notes as complete as possible.

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Summarizing and Note Taking

Both require students to distill information into a concise, synthesized form.

Effective learners are able to sift through a great deal of information, identify what is important and then synthesize and restate the information.

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A summary is …1) A summary is a comprehensive but brief

statement of what has been stated previously in a longer form.

2) A summary is a wrap-up----a general picture of the information--- much like TV networks produce at the end of a year.

3) Summaries provide a quick overview of a subject without having the reader wade through a lot of facts and details. Summaries help readers and writers boil information down to its most basic elements.

4) Encyclopedias, almanacs, and digests provide good examples of summaries.

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Note Taking

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Research and Theory on Note Taking

Note taking is closely related to summarizing. To take effective notes, a student must make a determination as to what is most important, and then state that information in a parsimonious form.

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Verbatim Note taking is, perhaps, the least effective way to take notes

When students are trying to record everything they hear or read, they are not engaged in the act of synthesizing information.

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Notes should be considered a work in progress

Once students initially take notes, teachers should encourage them to continually add to the notes and revise them as their understanding of content deepens and sharpens. This implies that teachers should systematically provide time for students to go back over their notes—reviewing and revising them.

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Notes should be used as a study guide for tests

If notes have been well designed and students have systematically elaborated on them, they can provide a powerful form of review for students.

Interestingly, fewer students than might be expected take advantage of notes to this end.

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The more notes that are taken, the better

“Less is not more” A strong relationship exists between

the amount of information taken in notes and students’ achievement on examinations.

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Classroom Practice in Note Taking

Teacher-prepared notes:One of the most straightforward uses of notes. These notes provide students with a clear picture of what the teacher considers important. Also, they provide students with a model of how notes might be taken.

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Format for Notes (no one correct way to take notes)

Informal Outline: Uses indentation to indicate major ideas and their related details.

Webbing: Uses the relative size of circles to indicate the importance of ideas and lines to indicate relationships.

Combination Notes: Each page of notes is divided into 3 parts by a line running down the middle of the page and a horizontal line near the bottom of the page. The left side is reserved for notes. The right side using webbing or some sort of visual representation of the information. Finally, the strip across the bottom is reserved for summary statements.

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• Developed in 1949 at Cornell University by Walter Pauk.

• Designed in response to frustration over student test scores.

• Meant to be easily used as a test study guide.

• Adopted by most major law schools as the preferred note taking method.

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First & Last NameClass Title

PeriodDate

Topic

Questions,Subtitles,Headings,Etc.

Class Notes

2 1/2”

3 to 4 sentence summary across the bottom of the last page of the day’s notes

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Subject: Why take Cornell notes? Date: PPRROOCCEESSSS

((oouuttppuutt)) MMaaiinn IIddeeaass ((iinnppuutt))

How can Cornell notes help me organize my ideas? Which side for diagrams? Why use concept maps? What are the benefits to me?

Can be used to provide an outline of chapter or lecture. Organized by main ideas and details. Can be as detailed as necessary. Sequential-- take notes as they are given by instructor or text in an orderly fashion. After class, write a summary of what you learned to clarify and reinforce learning and to assist retention. Can be used as study tool: 1. Define terms or explain concepts listed on left side. 2. Identify the concept or term on the right side. Can be used to provide a "big picture" of the chapter orlecture. Organized by main ideas and sub-topics Limited in how much detail you can represent. Simultaneous - you can use this method for instructors who jump around from topic to topic. After class, you can add questions to the left side Can be used as a study tool -- to get a quick overview and to determine whether you need more information or need to concentrate your study on specific topics.

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Subject: Notetaking Date: SSuummmmaarryy:: There are a couple of ways that you can take notes. The Cornell method is best when the information is given in a sequential, orderly fashion and allows for more detail. The semantic web/concept map method works best for instructors who skip around from topic to topic, and provides a "big picture" when you're previewing materials or getting ready to study for a test.

•Summary is added at the end of ALL note pages on the subject (not page)•Summary added AFTER questionsare finished•Summary should answer the problem stated in the subject.

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Rubric for Feedback5 Proper set-up and heading Notes are selectively and accurately paraphrased Use of logical abbreviations Notes have been edited, highlighted, and underlined Questions check for understanding and reflect higher levels of inquiry Summary shows learning by effectively summarizing and reflecting on Information and/or asking questions to clarify or further the thinking

4 Proper set-up and heading Notes are selectively and accurately paraphrased Use of logical abbreviations Questions check for understanding and reflect higher levels of inquiry Has a summary

3 Proper set-up and heading Notes may/may not be accurate; information not always paraphrased Some use of abbreviations Questions check for understanding May/may not have a summary

2 Proper set-up Has some notes Has questions May/may not have summary

1 Proper set-up Has notes Questions on left non-existent No summary

0 Improper set-up; not Cornell notes

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Table share-out of Note taking strategies

Chart strategies from group Post chart Report out in 10 minutes, one

strategy I will compile all strategies