Strategy 5: Comprehension Guide
Structured Note taking Level of Expertise: 4
What is the instructional strategy?
The instructional strategy I am using is structured note taking, which will help my students’ comprehension while listening to and reading Warren G. Harding’s The Republic Must Awaken Speech (Billmeyer & Barton, 1998; Doty, Cameron, & Barton, 2003).
Why does the strategy work?
This structured note taking guide focuses student thinking while reading by taking notes, and helps them to pull out and focus on the essential information from the text concerning U.S.
How does it work?
1) First, have a discussion with students about the methods authors use to organize information. Inform students how understanding these structures aides note taking and comprehension.
2) Then, model structured note taking using a short passage and pre-created graphic organizer.
3) Next, assign students a passage to take notes with using the teacher-created graphic organizer. Inform students that eventually students will be able to design their own graphic organizer to take notes.
4) Have students share completed note taking guides.
5) Continue to help students practice using this strategy by previewing the text and creating organizers.
Sources Referenced: Billmeyer & Barton, 1998; Doty, Cameron, & Barton, 2003.
*The audio clip can be found at the following web site(s):
What does it look like?
*See hard copy of graphic organizer
