Skills for better studying Grade 9 Tuesday, September 10

Multitasking  Multitasking can be dangerous  Try this activity:  Debrief Questions  How did you do?  What made it difficult?  What are the implications for your own attention span?

Multitasking activity  Roles  1 lecturer  1 note taker  1 “ear” talker  1 distractor (uses music, videos, etc to distract the note taker)  The note taker will try to focus on the lecturer’s message and take notes while the lecturer reads the pages. Meanwhile, the others will try to distract the note taker from listening fully. Begin with Lecturer and Note taker, then add the others one by one. (See the “lecture” in the attachment). Student should try to write down the key points of the lecture (try for 2-3 mins).  Debrief  How easy was it to focus on the lecturer?  What made it difficult for you as a note taker to stay focused?  What would make it easier for you to focus on the lecturer?  What key points were you able to record from the lecture?

Why should I take notes?  Taking notes helps you extend your attention span  Taking notes can help you to remember what you have heard or read better. By paraphrasing the lecture or reading into your own words, you are becoming an active learner who uses muscles and brain activity to help yourself remember and create stronger connections between the content and your understanding.  Taking notes helps you to organize the information you have been given in a way that you can understand and remember it more easily.  Taking notes allows you to be able to return to the information later and review it more thoroughly.

Tips for taking notes  Pay attention as you listen or read so that you can find out this information:  What are the key points (most important) from the lesson?  Is the information relevant to the topic?  When writing, distinguish between facts, opinions, and examples. (identify these with colors or placement on page)  Avoid writing notes word for word.  Summarize the main ideas to help you remember the information later  Write down questions you still have after the lesson.  Compare the lecture with the reading. What is similar/different?

Tips for note taking  Use shortcuts, abbreviations, symbols, and drawings to keep up with the information flow  Drawings can help you remember details and generate interest  Use font, color, size, bullets, or placement to help you identify the main points, facts, opinions, or examples  Bullet points or dashes make it easy to see connections between topics  Make a game of the concepts to help you remember (e.g. BINGO squares where you place the words that represent the main ideas of the lecture and then see if you can connect the words in a line)

Taking notes from readings  Overview of relevance  Why are you doing this reading?  Why is it important to the unit you are studying?  Are you searching for details or trying to develop an argument?  Before you start reading, think about these questions so you are looking for connections while reading.

SQ3R  Rowntree (1976) suggests a method for notetaking:  Survey —look at beginning, end, middle for layout, headings, etc. Overview.  Question —ask about how the reading is structured. Why this way? Is it relevant?  Read —read quickly but thoroughly first time without taking notes  Recall —write down main points and important facts or opinions that are helpful.  Review —look back over the reading and reread notes to see if you missed anything. How is this important to the task or assignment?

Taking notes from lectures  If you are not a strong auditory learner, record the lecture with Evernote or Garageband so you can come back to it later.  Listen for key points or summary points that the lecturer gives to keep you focused.  Write short points or statements in from the lecture  Review your notes later in the week to ensure that you remember the lecture.

Websites for more information  The Cornell Note Taking System:   Strategies for Reading Different Materials   Reading the Patterns in Paragraphs   How to Read Textbooks Effectively   Note Taking Skills 

References  Cuesta College. "The Cornell Notetaking System Diagramed and Explained." Cornell Notetaking System Explained--Textbook Study Strategy-- Academic Support. Cuesta College, Web. 08 Sept  Dhann, Samantha M. "Note Taking Skills." DLL Study Skills Series. DLL, Web. 08 Sept