When your child struggles with ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, or executive functioning, the simple act of taking notes in class can become overwhelming. However, note-taking is an essential academic skill, especially in middle and high school, where students are expected to synthesize information independently. For students with IEPs and 504 plans, note taking strategies are more than a tool—they can become a lifeline for academic success.
In this post, we’ll explore why note taking skills are important, how to include them in an IEP, and practical examples of strategies that can benefit students who face learning challenges.
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Why Are Note-Taking Skills Crucial?
Note-taking isn’t just about writing down what the teacher says. It involves:
- Actively listening
- Prioritizing key points
- Organizing information
- Reviewing and using notes to study
For students with ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, or executive functioning challenges, these tasks can feel impossible without support. Note-taking accommodations and strategies tailored to their needs help bridge the gap and allow them to access the curriculum.
How to Include Note-Taking Strategies in an IEP
If your child struggles with note-taking, their IEP can include accommodations and goals to address this. Examples include:
- Providing teacher notes or outlines
- Allowing the use of technology, such as laptops or tablets
- Teaching explicit note-taking skills through direct instruction
- Permitting the use of audio recordings
Make sure the IEP specifies how progress will be measured. For example, a goal might be:
“By the end of the semester, John will use a graphic organizer to record key information during lectures with 80% accuracy on three consecutive attempts.”
Note-Taking Challenges for Students with ADHD, Dyslexia, and Dysgraphia
ADHD: Students with ADHD may struggle with attention, leading them to miss key points or write incomplete notes. They may also have difficulty organizing their thoughts, resulting in disorganized or messy notes.
Dyslexia: Decoding spoken language and writing it down simultaneously can be particularly challenging. Dyslexic students may write incomplete words or misspell important terms.
Dysgraphia: Students with dysgraphia often have messy handwriting or trouble physically writing, which makes note-taking slow and frustrating.
Executive Functioning: These students might forget what was just said before they write it down or struggle with categorizing information into meaningful chunks.
Examples of Effective Note Taking Strategies
For Middle School Students
- Guided Notes: Teachers provide partially completed notes with key points for students to fill in during the lesson. This reduces cognitive load and keeps students engaged.
- Cornell Notes: Introduce this structured format where students divide their paper into three sections—cues, notes, and a summary. Teach them how to use it step-by-step.
- Graphic Organizers: Visual aids like mind maps or Venn diagrams can help students structure information.
- Audio Recording: Allow students to record lectures (if permissible) so they can review them later. Pair this with explicit instruction on how to summarize key points.
- Color Coding: Provide students with highlighters or colored pens to emphasize main ideas, supporting details, or vocabulary terms.
For High School Students
- Technology Tools: Apps like OneNote or Notion allow students to organize notes digitally, reducing handwriting stress and enabling multimedia integration.
- Peer Note-Sharing: Pair the student with a peer who can share their notes or collaborate on group study guides.
- Typed Notes: Allow students to type notes instead of writing by hand. Speech-to-text software can also be a game-changer.
- Chunking Information: Teach students to break down lectures into manageable sections, summarizing one section at a time.
- Reviewing Notes Daily: Encourage students to review and annotate their notes each evening to reinforce learning and clarify gaps.
What Is an Example of an Effective Note Taking Skill?
One effective note-taking strategy is mind mapping. This visual approach helps students organize ideas in a way that’s easier to understand and remember.
How It Works:
- Write the central topic in the middle of the page.
- Branch off main ideas with lines, creating nodes.
- Add sub-points to each node, using colors, symbols, or images for emphasis.
For instance, during a science lecture on ecosystems, a student might create a central node for “Ecosystems” with branches for “Food Chains,” “Habitats,” and “Biodiversity.” Sub-nodes can include key terms like “Producers,” “Consumers,” and “Decomposers.”
This strategy is especially beneficial for visual learners or students with executive functioning challenges, as it organizes information in a hierarchical, easy-to-read format.
Teaching Note-Taking Skills Explicitly
It’s not enough to hand a student a tool or app; they need instruction. Students with IEPs or 504 plans often benefit from being explicitly taught how to take notes. This can involve:
- Modeling the process (e.g., showing how to identify main ideas during a video).
- Practicing with feedback (e.g., comparing their notes to a teacher-provided example).
- Gradually releasing responsibility (e.g., starting with guided notes and transitioning to independent notes).
Advocating for Your Child’s Needs
If your child struggles with note-taking, don’t hesitate to bring it up during their IEP or 504 meeting. Use examples of their work to illustrate the challenges and propose specific strategies or accommodations.
Remember, the goal isn’t just to help them take better notes—it’s to empower them with skills they can use in college, career, and life.
By incorporating tailored note-taking strategies into your child’s IEP or 504 plan, you can set them up for greater success in middle and high school. Taking the time to explicitly teach and support these skills now will help them develop confidence and independence as learners.
