Listening, Note-Taking, and Listening, Note-Taking, and ParticipatingParticipating

Valdosta State UniversityValdosta State University

ListeningListening

• Active listening is critical to Active listening is critical to remember what is presented in classremember what is presented in class

• Most professors draw a significant Most professors draw a significant amount of test items from their own amount of test items from their own lectureslectures

• Therefore, listening and Therefore, listening and remembering class discussions is remembering class discussions is conducive to doing well on examsconducive to doing well on exams

Three major aspects of Three major aspects of listeninglistening

1.1. You must prepare to listen before You must prepare to listen before classclass

2.2. You must listen and take notes You must listen and take notes during classduring class

3.3. You must review and recall You must review and recall information after classinformation after class

Preparing to listen before Preparing to listen before classclass

1.1. Do the assigned readings before Do the assigned readings before each lectureeach lecture

2.2. Make sure you pay attention to the Make sure you pay attention to the course syllabuscourse syllabus

3.3. Make sufficient use of the auxiliary Make sufficient use of the auxiliary materials provided by the professormaterials provided by the professor

4.4. Warm up for class!Warm up for class!

Preparing to listen before class Preparing to listen before class continuedcontinued

5.5. Keep your mind open.Keep your mind open.

6.6. Develop an organizational system.Develop an organizational system.

7.7. Prepare to record your progress.Prepare to record your progress.

Critical listening during Critical listening during classclass

1.1. Be ready for the message.Be ready for the message.

2.2. Listening to the main concepts and Listening to the main concepts and central ideas ore important, the central ideas ore important, the obscure and fragmented facts and obscure and fragmented facts and figures will be better remembered figures will be better remembered when you know the main ideaswhen you know the main ideas

3.3. Listen to new ideasListen to new ideas

Critical listening during class Critical listening during class continuedcontinued

4.4. Don’t be distracted; really hear what Don’t be distracted; really hear what is said.is said.

5.5. Actively repeat the material mentallyActively repeat the material mentally6.6. Make decisions on what you think the Make decisions on what you think the

most important points from the most important points from the lecture are.lecture are.

7.7. Always ask questions for the professor Always ask questions for the professor to clarify something if you don’t to clarify something if you don’t understandunderstand

Critical listening during class Critical listening during class continuedcontinued

8.8. Listen to the complete messageListen to the complete message

9.9. Respect your own ideas and those Respect your own ideas and those of othersof others

10.10. Sort, organize , and categorize all Sort, organize , and categorize all the information that is presented.the information that is presented.

Taking effective notes during Taking effective notes during classclass

Different note-taking systems:Different note-taking systems:The Cornell FormatThe Cornell Format

The Outline FormatThe Outline Format

The Paragraph FormatThe Paragraph Format

The List FormatThe List Format

Combination Formats?Combination Formats?

Note-taking TechniquesNote-taking Techniques

1.1. Be sure to identify the main points Be sure to identify the main points and ideas.and ideas.

2.2. Don’t try to write down everything.Don’t try to write down everything.3.3. If a lecture is disorganized, try to If a lecture is disorganized, try to

organize your note into specific organize your note into specific frameworks.frameworks.

4.4. When using the Cornell format, When using the Cornell format, return to your recall column.return to your recall column.

Respond, recite, and review Respond, recite, and review after classafter class

1.1. Write the main points in the recall Write the main points in the recall column.column.

2.2. Recite your important ideas using Recite your important ideas using the recall column.the recall column.

3.3. Review the notes from the previous Review the notes from the previous class a few minutes before you class a few minutes before you attend the next classattend the next class

Comparing and recopying Comparing and recopying notesnotes

• Be sure to compare your notes with Be sure to compare your notes with other classmates to see if you missed other classmates to see if you missed anything important or you can find anything important or you can find out new ways to organize your notesout new ways to organize your notes

• This does not mean copy their notes This does not mean copy their notes because you can’t learn as well from because you can’t learn as well from someone else’s notes if you have not someone else’s notes if you have not attended classattended class

Comparing and recopying Comparing and recopying notes continuednotes continued

• Recopying your notes helps if you’re a Recopying your notes helps if you’re a tactile learnertactile learner

• It also helps to recopy your notes if the It also helps to recopy your notes if the notes are messy or to review the notesnotes are messy or to review the notes

• Have a backup plan if you miss class due Have a backup plan if you miss class due to an illness or an emergencyto an illness or an emergency

• A backup plan would be to exchange A backup plan would be to exchange numbers and email addresses with fellow numbers and email addresses with fellow classmatesclassmates

Using class notes to do Using class notes to do homeworkhomework

• Take ten to fifteen minutes to review Take ten to fifteen minutes to review your notes before beginning your notes before beginning homeworkhomework

• Create a warm-up before beginning Create a warm-up before beginning your assignmentyour assignment

• Try doing assigned problems and Try doing assigned problems and assignments without your notes at assignments without your notes at first to see what material you need to first to see what material you need to study more for an examstudy more for an exam

Using class notes to do Using class notes to do homework continuedhomework continued

• If you encounter a problem, do not If you encounter a problem, do not give up on it until you’ve given a give up on it until you’ve given a reasonable effort to try to work it outreasonable effort to try to work it out

• Complete your work by asking Complete your work by asking yourself what you’ve learned after yourself what you’ve learned after you finished an assignmentyou finished an assignment

Class ParticipationClass Participation

Class participation is the heart of Class participation is the heart of active learning. Participation active learning. Participation facilitates discussion on difficult facilitates discussion on difficult subjects and helps clarify ideas. subjects and helps clarify ideas. Participation also shows the teacher Participation also shows the teacher that you are making a concerted that you are making a concerted effort to grasp the material.effort to grasp the material.

Class participation Class participation techniquestechniques

1.1. Find a seat as close to the front of Find a seat as close to the front of class as possibleclass as possible

2.2. Keeps your eyes on the professorKeeps your eyes on the professor

3.3. Don’t be distracted; focus on the Don’t be distracted; focus on the lecturelecture

4.4. Ask the professor to clarify Ask the professor to clarify something if you don’t understand itsomething if you don’t understand it

Class participation techniques Class participation techniques continuedcontinued

5.5. Never think that you are asking a Never think that you are asking a “stupid” question“stupid” question

6.6. If you are called on to answer If you are called on to answer something in class, take this time to something in class, take this time to give your input.give your input.

7.7. If you have read or seen something If you have read or seen something that is relevant to class, then speak that is relevant to class, then speak up about itup about it

Listening Tips SitesListening Tips Sites

• http://home.snu.edu/~HCULBERT/listhttp://home.snu.edu/~HCULBERT/listen.htmen.htm

• http://www.how-to-study.com/GoodLihttp://www.how-to-study.com/GoodListeningInClass.htmsteningInClass.htm

• http://students.berkeley.edu/apa/Stafhttp://students.berkeley.edu/apa/Staff%20Training%20and%20Developmef%20Training%20and%20Development/handouts/listening_skills.htmlnt/handouts/listening_skills.html

Listening Tips SitesListening Tips Sites

• http://www.ips.uiuc.edu/isss/http://www.ips.uiuc.edu/isss/ActivitiesResources/ActivitiesResources/EnglishLanguageResources/EnglishLanguageResources/ListeningSkillTips.htmlListeningSkillTips.html

Note-taking Tips SitesNote-taking Tips Sites

• http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/notetake.htmlnotetake.html

• http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/academic/notes-tips.htmacademic/notes-tips.htm

• http://www.4tests.comhttp://www.4tests.com

Class Participation Tips SitesClass Participation Tips Sites

• http://www.cet.sfsu.edu/etl/content/http://www.cet.sfsu.edu/etl/content/participation/participation/

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