TOEFL & IELTS skills - Notetaking

Summary

In this lesson, Adam provides essential note-taking strategies for TOEFL and IELTS test-takers, focusing on effective techniques for listening, speaking, and writing sections. He emphasizes the importance of writing down key concepts rather than every word and explains the need to concentrate on general ideas, headings, and lists during the listening section. Adam also discusses the use of abbreviations, codes, and acronyms to speed up note-taking. The lesson highlights how proper note-taking can improve test performance by ensuring that crucial information is recorded and easily referenced when answering questions.

Takeaways

• 😀 Focus on big ideas and general concepts when taking notes during listening sections. Don't try to write down every word.
• 😀 Take notes during the TOEFL listening section because you won’t see the questions as you listen, and this helps you answer them later.
• 😀 In the TOEFL speaking section, listen for key details such as dates, times, plans, and reasons for decisions, and note them down.
• 😀 For the TOEFL writing section, listen for how the listening passage supports or attacks the reading passage, and note down the main points.
• 😀 Use codes and abbreviations to speed up your note-taking. Create your own system of codes that work for you.
• 😀 Technical or unfamiliar words don’t need to be written in full. Focus on their explanations instead of exact spellings.
• 😀 Headings and lists in a lecture or conversation are important. Make sure to capture them to organize your notes effectively.
• 😀 Practice note-taking daily to develop the skill and be able to listen and take notes simultaneously during the test.
• 😀 Use simple abbreviations like 'eg.' for example or 'n.b.' for important points to write faster and more effectively.
• 😀 For complex sentences, simplify them by focusing on the core concepts, e.g., reducing 'advent of the information age' to 'increase in information tech.'
• 😀 Regularly compare your notes with transcripts to assess your effectiveness and improve your note-taking technique.

Q & A

Why is note-taking important for the TOEFL and IELTS tests?

Note-taking is crucial because it helps candidates remember key information during the listening section, which is essential for answering questions in the listening, speaking, and writing sections of the TOEFL and IELTS tests.

What is the main issue students face while taking notes during the listening section?

The main issue is trying to write down every word they hear, which is not possible and leads to missing important details. Students should focus on capturing key ideas instead.

What should students focus on when taking notes during the listening section?

Students should focus on the general ideas and big topics, such as the subject of the lecture (e.g., science, history), main points, and headings or lists presented in the lecture.

What types of details should students avoid when taking notes?

Students should avoid writing down technical words, specific names, or every detail. Instead, they should focus on understanding the concept behind the technical terms or names and note the key ideas.

How can students handle lists presented during the listening section?

When a list is presented, students should write down the main headings and ideas. For example, if a professor lists reasons for an argument, students should write the key reasons as headings and jot down brief notes under each one.

Why is it important to take notes during the speaking section?

In the speaking section, taking notes helps students remember key information such as dates, times, plans, agreements, rejections, and excuses, which are crucial for answering the questions accurately.

What kind of information should students note down during the speaking section?

Students should focus on writing down dates, times, places, details of plans, and any agreements or rejections made during the conversation. They should also capture any excuses or reasons given.

What are the key areas students need to concentrate on during the writing section?

During the writing section, students should focus on noting whether the listening supports or attacks the reading, the main points being made, any examples given, and specific names or details that can be used in the essay.

What are some useful techniques for improving note-taking for the TOEFL test?

Students should create and practice using their own personal shorthand codes and abbreviations. For example, using symbols like 'w/' for 'with' or 'X' for 'times' can speed up the process of writing notes quickly.

How can students create their own abbreviations for note-taking?

Students can create abbreviations by shortening words, removing vowels, or using symbols. They should ensure that they understand the meaning of each abbreviation, so it works for them during the test.