This strategy is very helpful because it not only helps students organize main ideas found in an informational text, it forces them to ask questions of the text, seek answer to the questions, react to the text, and make associations.By doing this students are reading for meaning and reading for a purpose instead of simply reading to memorize facts or events.Teaching students to take notes in this format helps them to organize their thoughts and reactions in order to either create a presentation about their findings, or participate more fully in a class discussion about the text.
Courses in which it could be implemented:
This strategy is most useful in science and social studies.It would be useful in science if students are researching a topic like ecology or endangered animals where they would need to gather information and apply it in order to present what has been learned.Also, this would be a very useful strategy in social studies when students are reading about events in history and are expected to take their own stance on what happened instead of simply memorizing facts or dates.
Diverse learners:
This strategy is very helpful to students who struggle with organizing their thoughts about what they have read. I also think this strategy would help students who struggle with thinking quickly about things to contribute to a class discussion or a group presentation. If students are asked to take notes using this format, they will be better prepared to add to a conversation in class.
Procedure:
1. The teacher should select a short piece of text to model the note-taking strategy using a note-taking guide.
2. The teacher should model how to begin reading and taking notes on the note-taking guide selected.
3. The students should begin to offer suggestions for what to include in the notes.
4. The teacher will then give a short passage to the students to practice taking notes on their own.After a given amount of time, students can share with a partner, and then share with the whole class how they chose facts to put in their notes.They can also share their questions, answers, and associations they made with the text.
5. The teacher will then provide a utilitizing experience where students can practice taking notes and using them for a specific purpose.
*There are many different ways to take notes. I would recommend reading Chapter 10 of Stephanie Harvey's book NonFiction Matters for a variety of different ways to teach kids to take notes.
Some students may not know how to pull main ideas out of the text.
·The teacher can provide more explicit instruction on finding main ideas before asking students to react to text.
Students may not know how to ask questions of a piece of text
·The teacher can model through a think-aloud how to question text and possible places to find answers.This may be linked to a few lessons about QAR, because students may not realize that not all questions are answered by the author.
Students may not be confident writers, even of just notes.
Teacher may consider pairing that student with another student who can be his or her "secretary". This may also be something a volunteer or aide can do with this child until he or she feels confident taking notes independently.
References
Stephens, E. C., & Brown, J. E. (2005). A Handbook of Content Literacy Strategies. Norwood: Christopher-Gordon Publishers.
Harvey, S. (1998). Nonfiction Matters:Reading, Writing and Research in Grades 3-8. Portland: Stenhouse Publishers
Rationale:
This strategy is very helpful because it not only helps students organize main ideas found in an informational text, it forces them to ask questions of the text, seek answer to the questions, react to the text, and make associations. By doing this students are reading for meaning and reading for a purpose instead of simply reading to memorize facts or events. Teaching students to take notes in this format helps them to organize their thoughts and reactions in order to either create a presentation about their findings, or participate more fully in a class discussion about the text.Courses in which it could be implemented:
This strategy is most useful in science and social studies. It would be useful in science if students are researching a topic like ecology or endangered animals where they would need to gather information and apply it in order to present what has been learned. Also, this would be a very useful strategy in social studies when students are reading about events in history and are expected to take their own stance on what happened instead of simply memorizing facts or dates.Diverse learners:
This strategy is very helpful to students who struggle with organizing their thoughts about what they have read. I also think this strategy would help students who struggle with thinking quickly about things to contribute to a class discussion or a group presentation. If students are asked to take notes using this format, they will be better prepared to add to a conversation in class.Procedure:
1. The teacher should select a short piece of text to model the note-taking strategy using a note-taking guide.2. The teacher should model how to begin reading and taking notes on the note-taking guide selected.
3. The students should begin to offer suggestions for what to include in the notes.
4. The teacher will then give a short passage to the students to practice taking notes on their own. After a given amount of time, students can share with a partner, and then share with the whole class how they chose facts to put in their notes. They can also share their questions, answers, and associations they made with the text.
5. The teacher will then provide a utilitizing experience where students can practice taking notes and using them for a specific purpose.
*There are many different ways to take notes. I would recommend reading Chapter 10 of Stephanie Harvey's book NonFiction Matters for a variety of different ways to teach kids to take notes.
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Potential Issues:
References
Stephens, E. C., & Brown, J. E. (2005). A Handbook of Content Literacy Strategies. Norwood: Christopher-Gordon Publishers.Harvey, S. (1998). Nonfiction Matters:Reading, Writing and Research in Grades 3-8. Portland: Stenhouse Publishers