Practise selecting information under headings without copying whole sentences. Try each before revealing; all texts are our own original material.
1Original text: 'The camp offers three activities. Climbing builds confidence and strength.
Kayaking teaches teamwork on the water. Night walks help students learn about local wildlife.' Make notes under the heading: Benefits of the activities.
Show plan, model opening & checklist
Plan: List one benefit per activity as short notes, not full sentences. Do not copy each whole line.
Model opening: Benefits of the activities: - Climbing: builds confidence and strength - Kayaking: teaches teamwork - Night walks: learn about local wildlife
Checklist:
- Notes, not full sentences
- One clear point per bullet
- Matches the given heading
- No copied whole sentences
2Original text: 'Before the trip, bring a waterproof jacket, as the weather changes fast. Sturdy boots are essential for the rocky paths. A refillable bottle saves money and plastic.' Make notes under: What to bring and why.
A trial lesson can start from your child's attempt at ESL note-making practice tasks, with feedback from an experienced teacher.
Show plan, model opening & checklist
Plan: Pair each item with its reason in short note form.
Model opening: What to bring and why: - Waterproof jacket: weather changes quickly - Sturdy boots: for rocky paths - Refillable bottle: saves money and plastic
Checklist:
- Item and reason both noted
- Concise note form
- Selects only relevant detail
- Fits the heading exactly
3Original text: 'The library will change its hours. It will open earlier on weekdays for revising students.
It will close on Sundays to save costs. A quiet study room will be added upstairs.' Make notes under: Changes to the library.
Show plan, model opening & checklist
Plan: List each change as a brief note; leave out the reasons if the heading asks only for changes.
Model opening: Changes to the library: - Opens earlier on weekdays - Closes on Sundays - New quiet study room upstairs
Checklist:
- Selects only the changes
- Brief, clear notes
- Ignores detail outside the heading
- No whole-sentence copying
See the worked annotated model response for ESL note-making, or the method in our ESL note-making skills guide.