Note Taking and Summarizing

[Kelly Rubero]

 

A few years ago, my demostration focused on summarizing, note taking, and paraphrasing strategies in order to help students effectively communicate their reserach without plagiarizing. Think about how easy it is for students to get on the internet and "borrow" sentences, paragraphs, and entire pages these days! Anyway, I looked at ways to prevent plagiarism through strategies that could offer students an opportunity to identify important information from what they were learning/reading and then to be able to state that knowledge in their own words. I really wanted to share with my audience the importance of students wirting a research paper that could come from thier own words and voice and to encourage students to actually understand what they learned from their research rather than to merely retell it.

 

With that being said, I have continued to introduce effective note taking and summarizing strategies to my middle school students in the language arts classroom. This summer I plan to present some new ideas and ways that I have had my students work toward effective note taking that showcases their learning, thier voice, and their words. I think that the teaching of these skills takes patience but it is always worth it in the end. Students also need creative and engaging ways to present and share what they have learned. Kim is presenting one way that students can present their research findings while keeping thier voice in the multi-genre research project.

 

Originally I focused on the genre of research writing because that is where I was seeing the majority of plagiarism. This time around, I will be sharing how students can make text-to-world connections with non-fiction text and how note taking (and the use of summary frames) can be turned in to a piece of writing that is informative and personalized. With effective note taking and summarizing, my students were able to sucessfully complete a diary project. It was in first person and the students wrote their own text-to-world connections as well as summarized information that was learned from informational text and notes in their core classes. So far, my essential questions include: How can students become successful note-takers and summarizers through text-to-world connections and the use of summary frames? How can these strategies keep students from plagiarizing?

[Leigh A. Rasmussen]

Kelly,

 

I am so new to all of this information regarding writing, it makes me very excited to read ideas like your's. My background is science and for the last 4 years I have been an coach/Implementation Specialist. So my view and urgency for learning more about writing is heightened! Your project struck me because I think the idea can be used across the curriculum. I can see Social Study and Science classes using these note-takers and summarizers for their content area. Can you imagine if the teachers worked as a core team and used these strategies across their content?

Middle school is the perfect audience to introduce this learning to, the students can master the technique in preparation for high school. As an Implementation Specialist I can steal your work and introduce it to many schools. This year I have had the opportunity to work with many ELA/ELL departments and teachers, who have express the concern to focus on this exact area. I only have one question and that is have you thought about how you could vary the level to meet all student's need for example ELLs, low level learners?

I am looking forward to your presentation, Leigh

[Tracey Albee]

Kelly,

 

I LOVE your idea! I am so interested in strategies that will keep students from plagiarizing. I tried to teach my freshman students this year how to write a research paper without plagiarizing and it was difficult. Even though I tried to give them tips and used the Elements of Literature textbook to work on their research writing skills, I still got lots of plagiarism. Plagiarism runs rampant through schools these days; even the "good" students are resorting to it. I think your topic is great and I feel it will help me teach my students better writing skills.

Summarizing and note taking skills are so important in today's society. College is a prime example of that. I try and tell my students that in college these skills are not only important but will be used every day. I also tell them that these skills are used a lot in many different fields of work. One example I use is going to the doctor's office. I ask them what the doctor does and if they see the doctor or nurse taking notes during the visit. Another example would be filling out a police report or even talking to an officer about a situation. They have to relay important details and summarize what has happened. The best one that I use is I ask the kids if they have ever told someone a story. Of course they all say, "yes"; I tell them that they are summarizing events of the story to the person they are telling it to.

 

I guess what I am trying to say is that I feel that summarizing and note taking skills are so important for students to grasp. I am REALLY interested in your topic and can't wait to see and hear what you have found.

 

Tracey Albee

[Megan Garijo Pruitt]

I, too, am very interested in your topic.  The idea from your previous demo of summarizing, note taking, and paraphrasing strats to help students effectively communicate their reserach without plagiarizing is so applicable and could help a lot of teachers in the upcoming school year.  When thinking of the teaching aspect, it is important to allow students different opportunities to process the information they are learning in multiple ways so it does become internalized.  When students use the learning from their research, they are paraphrasing and summarizing.  Then after processing time, I would expect students would not be plagiarizing as it becomes internalized or they are applying the knowledge to answer an essential question.  One reason students do plagiarize is because they may not have a firm grasp on the information yet.  You hit it right on when you said students need creative and engaging ways to present and share what they have learned! : )

 

I can't wait to learn about how you taught note taking and summarizing through text-to-world connections! 

Thanks for sharing!

Megan

[Lucy Elise Peters]

Kelly,

 

I hope to better understand your note taking and summarizing methods.  I am interested in your take on the text-to-world connections.  I am very focused on the summarizing side of the equation.  Note taking would make me very happy as a CTE teacher.  Students think that if they "do-it" then they don't have to take notes.  I find, naturally, that students who write copious notes do better on the tests.  I hope to have students write to persons in the community at some time to foster authentic writing.  Effective notetaking techniques would help them better digest the topics we cover.  Are summary frames a type of foldable?  --Lucy