Joan Sedita “Two-Column Note Taking: A Powerful Strategy for Supporting Comprehension and Writing”

This virtual session will share a two-column model for taking notes that captures main ideas in the left column and supporting details in the right column. The model is flexible and can be used to support reading comprehension and writing in grades 3 through 12, in all subject areas. Suggestions will be provided for teaching students the format, how to use the notes to process and remember information from reading, and how to use the notes as a pre-writing planning guide to gather information from sources before writing.

Joan Sedita is the founder of Keys to Literacy, a literacy professional development organization based in MA. Joan has been in the literacy field for over 45 years as a teacher, administrator, and teacher trainer. She is the creator of The Writing Rope framework and has authored multiple literacy professional development programs, including The Key Comprehension Routine, The Key Vocabulary Routine, Keys to Beginning Reading, Keys to Content Writing, Keys to Early Writing, Understanding Dyslexia, and Adolescent Literacy. Reading. Beginning in 1975, she worked for 23 years at the Landmark School, a pioneer in the development of literacy intervention programs. As a teacher, principal, and director of the Outreach Teacher Training Program at Landmark, Joan developed expertise, methods, and instructional programs that address the literacy needs of students in grades K-12. Joan was one of the three lead trainers in MA for the Reading First Program and was a LETRS author and trainer. Joan received her M.Ed. in Reading from Harvard University and her B.A. from Boston College.