Guided Note Taking

Hamilton, S, Seibert, M, Gardner, R, & Talbert-Johnson, C. (2000). Using guided notes to improve 
     the academic achievement of incarcerated adolescents with learning and behavior problems. Remedial
     and Special Education, 21(3), 133-140, 170.

     This article was about a case study done with seven incarcerated adolescents who are also classified as Learning Disabled.  The case study wanted to see whether or not past findings about guided note taking were true for incarcerated students who have learning and behavior problems.  In the past studies, the authors found that in general education classes, students scored significantly higher on daily quizzes when guided notes were used in the instruction.  In the article, the authors found that even students who are incarcerated scored higher on daily quizzes when guided notes were used instead of notes that the students took on their own.

     I had never thought about using guided notes until I read this article.  When my students would read longer stories/novels, I would give them study guides, but I believe that using guided notes would be a much more effective way of getting the students more involved in their learning.  Also, I found that students do not know how to take notes and I think this is a very important skill for students to learn.  Hopefully, using guided notes will help the students learn what is important in a story/article and what is not.  What the student needs to write down so that he or she can remember and what can be thrown my the wayside as extemporaneous information.  I definitely will use guided notes when I beginning teaching again.