ELT365 · D163 — Note-taking strategies while listening

Idea — Effective note-taking captures key ideas and numbers using symbols and abbreviations — not whole sentences. Transcribing causes learners to miss the next idea.

Example — Symbol set: ‘>’ for ‘led to’, ‘≠’ for ‘different from’, ‘?’ for ‘unclear’, ‘✓’ for confirmed. A learner who writes full sentences misses half the audio.

Try — Play a two-minute recording. Ask students to note only key words and symbols. Then reconstruct the main ideas aloud. Compare with the audio.

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