Note Taking: Teaching Students Strategies for Success

Note-taking is a skill critical to be successful at all levels of school. However, in order to become competent note-takers students must have some exposure to note-taking instruction and strategies. This study examined the importance of note-taking in relations to students’ learning. This study took place in a rural-elementary school. Strategies like graphic note-taking, traditional note-taking, and T-charts were analyzed in relation to their effectiveness in the classroom. All notes were taken from fiction and non-fiction social studies lessons. The primary data analyzed during this study was students work, field notes, discussion transcripts, and photos. Different note-taking methods were found to be suited relative to particular learning goals and classroom tasks. Group mind mapping was found to increase student engagement and collaboration