Note-taking Pairs

The students take notes guided with detail orientated questions provided by the teacher. After taking notes, they discuss and share with their partner. In this way, students work together to improve their individual notes.

Working with a peer provides students with an opportunity to revisit and cross-check notes with another source. Partners help each other acquire missing information and correct inaccuracies so that their combined effort is superior to their individual notes.

• Students will get information they may have missed.
• Their partner’s insight may help the student’s understanding of the topic.
• The students are more likely to remember the information.

1. Students individually take notes of the major points from a body of content, such as a lecture or a text chapter.
2. Students form pairs, at your direction or by choosing partners.
3. Partner A begins by summarising the main points from a section of the content to Partner B, who offers corrections and additional information.
4. Partner B summarises the next section, and Partner A offers corrections and additional information.
5. The partners continue to alternate sharing summaries, corrections, and additional information until they have completed checking their notes.
6. During the sharing stages of the exercise, the teacher may monitor progress and intervene when necessary.
7. Student pairs may be called upon to report back their ‘combined notes’ to the whole class.