Course outline
What is the course about?
This course develops your confidence and notetaking technique. You will learn how to take clear, informative notes for students with different disabilities, and will find out where notetakers work, who they work with and how they adapt their skills to provide a professional service.
What topics will we cover?
The course comprises two units:
Unit 1) Awareness of disability:
Learn how disability legislation affects access to education. Broaden your personal and professional ethical outlook, and extend your personal and interpersonal skills.
Unit 2) Applying notetaking to the needs of disabled students:
Learn how to use standard notetaking conventions. Fine-tune your listening skills, selecting and summarising key information with greater accuracy. Develop your abbreviation technique to incorporate the use of symbols and diagrams. Critically evaluate your handwriting and identify strategies for improvement. Practise language modification and adapt your layout for different readers.
By the end of this course you should be able to:
- Explain the significance of current disability legislation in education
- Use excellent interpersonal skills in a professional setting
- Explain the role of notetakers and other professionals in this field
- Summarise information in clear English
- Adapt your notes for students with different needs
- Evaluate and develop your professional skills.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
Professional notetakers summarise audio, visual and written information, so you will benefit from having effective English skills (at least Level 2). These include:
- Listening to complex information, identifying and summarising key points
- Identifying opinion, meaning and bias
- Using different styles, formats and structures of writing (formal and informal) for different purposes and audiences
- Writing complex sentences with few errors
- Using a range of punctuation accurately
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
The emphasis is on learning through practice. Discussion, role-play, group and pair-work, visiting speakers, and self and peer-assessment will consolidate your understanding. You will spend 30 hours learning in the classroom. A further 30 hours are allocated for homework and self-directed study.
This is a portfolio-based course. We allow three months for gathering evidence, with an additional three months required for assessment and certification.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
The cost of certification is covered in the course fee. You need to bring a lever-arch A4 folder, 20 dividers, a selection of pens, a ruler, correction tape/fluid, plenty of file paper and a dictionary.
Do I need to have an interview before I can enrol?
Yes. Before you can enrol on this course, you need to have an advisory interview and skills assessment. Please contact us to arrange your interview, or to find out more about the course.
What feedback will I get?
You will receive formal and informal feedback from your tutors throughout the course. At the end of the course you and your tutor will assess the progress you have made. Assignments will be assessed and your progress towards completion monitored. You will receive tutorial support during portfolio preparation. Your completed portfolio will demonstrate development of professional skills, evidencing your competence against specific assessment criteria.
How will I be able to give my views on the course?
You are invited to feedback to tutors and administrators at any point during the course.
You will complete an Evaluation Form at the end of your course. Note-Able Notetakers evaluates learner feedback and uses it to improve its programme.
How do I find out if I can get some support for my learning?
We would like you to tell us about any Specific Learning Difficulties or learning support requirements you have. That way we can plan with you to achieve your personal best.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Any training that develops your skills in working with deaf people or becoming a Language Service Professional, for example:
- Open College Network certificate in Manual Notetaking
- Lipspeaking
- British Sign Language
- Communication Support Worker training
Who can I contact for further information?
Contact us
Tel: 079 82656446 (Paul) or 077 14232754(Michael).
Michael Peart (BSc Hons, MA, PGCE) is an OCNL qualified manual notetaker with 20 years’ notetaking experience in further, higher and adult education. Michael holds Level 6 (Signature) in British Sign Language and is aiming for his TSLI. Michael is also working at City Lit with the Access and Inclusion department as a communication support worker.
Paul Clark (BA, MA, PGCE) ) is an OCNL qualified manual and electronic notetaker with 26 years’ experience working in further, higher and adult education. Paul holds Level 1 (Signature) in British Sign Language.
