Stephanie Salensky
#18
WHO DOES IT
HELP?
CORNELL/GUIDED
NOTES
Research has shown that Cornell and other guided notes have a significant impact
on all students in a classroom. Students with a learning disability (moderate to
severe) and those with autism who used guided notes had nearly equivalent scores
to their nondisabled classmates. These styles of note taking improve the
performance of isolated student with disabilities, immersion groups, and
classrooms consisting of average intelligence entirely.
THE WAY IT WORKS
Cornell and other guided note strategies are being
used in all levels of academics. From kindergarten to
undergraduate work, guided notes are helping
students achieve an understanding of course material
without the distraction of excess information. These
types of notes are designed to alert the student when
key information needs to be written down, making it
easier for the student to be an active listener instead
of worrying about recording every word the teacher
says on paper. With this method of note taking
students are able to participate in class discussion and
have time to ask questions during lecture, thus
improving their understanding of the course material.
One study found that trying to take accurate notes
and keeping up with the pace of instruction can be
frustrating or overwhelming for students with
disabilities, particularly for students who are included
in general education classroom settings. (Haydon,
2011). Cornell and other guided notes eliminate this
frustration and allow those with learning disabilities
to engage in learning just as their peers do.
A COMMON CHARACTERISTIC
AMONG STUDENTS WITH
INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY AND
AUTISM IS DELAYS IN AUDITORY
PROCESSING, MAKING RELIANCE
ON SPEECH AS THE ONLY
MODALITY OF INSTRUCTION
DIFFICULT FOR THIS STUDENT
POPULATION (JIMENEZ,2012).
Guided notes allow for different mediums in which to
teach the information, rather than hear and record.
They provide a means to increase student learning
and understanding of content through the use of
multiple modalities ; auditory, visual, and tactile
(Jimenez, 2012).
Students can draw pictures, fill in the blanks, write
summaries of activities they engaged in or form
questions they think the content is geared for
answering.
HOW TO USE GUIDED NOTES
Procedures
With Cornell notes, the teacher provides the class with the Cornell worksheet
exampled below. Students will write key facts such as; definitions, important dates
and people, formulas, etc. in the right hand column (which is the largest space).
As the lecture takes place, the teacher will point out a particular sentence or a
critical fact that the students should write in the prepared space (Haydon, 2011).
In the left hand column students will create questions they think the
information in the right column answers as well as, define the main idea of the
lecture. The bottom section is where the student will write a summery, in their
own words, of what the lecture was about. Teachers should review notes to make
sure students are recording information accurately at the end of class.
With the other guided notes, the teacher will simple type up the lecture in
an easy to read and age appropriate format with key words replaced by a blank
space. Students are required to listen to the teacher and write the correct word in
the blank space. The teacher should provide adequate cues as to what is
supposed to go in those spaces during lecture. The teacher should then indicate
to the entire class what the correct word is that belongs in that blank space. The
students will then check that what they wrote is correct, and change it if it is not.
RESOURCES
Haydon, T., Mancil, G. R., Kroeger, S. D., Mcleskey, J., & Lin, W. J. (2011). A Review of the
Effectiveness of Guided Notes for Students who Struggle Learning Academic Content. Preventing
School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, 55(4), 226-231.
Jimenez, B. A., Lo, Y., & Saunders, A. F. (2012). The Additive Effects of Scripted Lessons Plus
Guided Notes on Science Quiz Scores of Students With Intellectual Disability and Autism. The
Journal of Special Education, 47(4), 231-244.
Larwin, K. H., Dawson, D., Erickson, M., & Larwin, D. A. (2012). IMPACT OF GUIDED NOTES
ON ACHIEVEMENT IN K-12 AND SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS. International Journal
of Special Education, 27(3), 108-119.
