Listen actively during lessons

As it is impossible to write everything down during a lesson, you will need to practice active listening.

Being intellectually alert during lessons will optimise your note-taking, reduce homework time and boost your motivation. By concentrating on the main ideas and examples developed by the teacher, you will be able to select the important information to record in your notes.

Before attending classes

• Quickly familiarise yourself with the content of the lecture (particularly if you have a handout or the slides at your disposal) or reread the notes from the previous lecture.
• Familiarise yourself with the vocabulary.
• Ask yourself questions about the ideas the teacher will develop.

During the lesson

• If you are easily distracted or if your motivation is low, avoid noisy places, the proximity of open windows, etc.
• Sit in a place where you can see clearly and hear clearly.
• Look for key words, word repetition, the development of concepts through examples or changes in the teacher's intonation to distinguish the essentials.
• Look for the teacher's way of thinking·e (the way he or she sets out the subject, makes a demonstration, the questions he or she asks).
• Anticipate the conclusions, the continuation of the teacher's reasoning·e. Cover up his or her intentions.
• Relate what is said to your own knowledge, experience and reading.
• Focus on what is being said and not on the teacher's pedagogical abilities·e, you don't have to like them to learn something from them.
• Know how to be a good discussion partner, stimulate teachers·e·s by asking them questions.
• Don't let your mind wander à about every striking expression caught in passing.

And if I have a handout or slides in advance, I take notes.

This is a legitimate question, especially as it's easy to think that the essentials are already down on paper. But don't rely solely on this type of document and make notes in all cases. Not only will this help you to focus on what the teacher is saying, it will also enable you to rephrase the lesson in your own words, an important step in understanding and assimilating the material. You can also add examples and definitions of obscure terms.

If you take notes separately, don't forget to link them to the material by indicating the slide or page number, the title of the section, or other information that will help you find your way around when the time comes to review your lessons.