Sketch Noting in the Literacy Classroom and Beyond

by Jenna Maxman, NJLA Board Member

Have you ever put together a piece of furniture? You open the box, take out the instructions, and marvel at the sheer number of pieces needed to construct one nightstand. As you unfold the instructions, you notice there are written step-by-step descriptions, but your eyes gravitate toward the pictures. Each piece of furniture is represented by a drawing and building instructions are illustrated— you can see, and understand, exactly what you need to do. Now, you have to replace the filter in your dishwasher. You take to the internet to learn how and choose a YouTube video. We seek out images and visual stimulation. Visualization literacy has changed the way we learn; here are some applications to use this not only in your ELA classroom but also across curriculum.

Sketchnoting

Author and educator, Mike Rohde, is credited with the official title of “sketchnoting” although the concept has existed in the classroom for some years now. Rohde, sick of typical note-taking decided to incorporate doodles and drawings into his work. He explains that by abandoning the task of writing everything down verbatim, he could actively listen to the material. Swapping words for pictures allowed him to visually synthesize information, leading to a better understanding of the topic.

Rohde uses a combination of small sketches, icons, font styles, and sizes to create an organizational overview. It’s important to note that artistic ability does not dictate the quality of a sketchnote. Each is personal to the creator, using images and information that is meaningful to them. Achieving understanding through visuals can be achieved with a stick figure. They are merely a representation of ideas and information, not an oil painting to be hung in a museum. Sketchnotes are your interpretation of the material being presented and taught.

Cathy Hutchinson, a visual journaling expert, gives a step-by-step process to create a sketchnote. Looking at a blank piece of paper, start by writing a headline, title, or main idea. Make your writing standout by using block letters or a bright color. Next, draw something— a sketch of a scene, an icon with meaning. Think of icons like doodles or emojis.

Follow up with some written notes that connect to the images. Box these written notes off in containers or shapes that contain text. Use arrows to physically connect written ideas with images.

You can create an icon and container “library” with or for your students for frequently used images. For example,

perhaps you’ve already asked your students to sketchnote. In science class, you’ve asked them to draw the elements of the water cycle with arrows and descriptions that help them visualize the process. Early elementary teachers have their students draw pictures and add an accompanying sentence— that’s sketchnoting, and it’s an important exercise for early development. Why do we stop doing this in the higher level classes? Connecting images with words is the foundation of education!

Incorporating sketchnoting into classroom lessons teaches visual literacy, using the power of visual thinking to improve student comprehension and retention. Dr. Susan Daniels, a professor and specialist in visual literacy, describes a three-prong approach: decoding, imagining, and encoding. Decoding is the ability to understand and translate information made with visual imagery. Imagining is the ability to create and interpret mental modes of visual imagery. Finally, encoding is the ability to express thought and ideas using visual images.

The Science Behind it: Why it Works

Studies show that drawing a concept improves retention. As you draw you make connections to understand the bigger picture. When you’re studying for a test and staring at pages of notes, it can feel overwhelming and difficult to memorize material. Sketchnoting and translating information into visual forms presents it in a way that your brain can value. Close to 50 percent of the human brain is dedicated to interpreting images. It’s our job to teach our students how to flex that muscle, and we’re making that connection happen.

In 2022, a group of scientists studied the effects of drawing on metacomprehension in fifth graders. Students were instructed on drawing organizational sketches, “which focuses on capturing the relationships described in texts” or representational sketches, “which focuses on capturing details described in texts.” Not only did the students who drew organizational sketches remember material better than their counterparts, they were also able to identify gaps in their own learning. Sketchnoting is not just about drawing a diagram; it focuses on making connections, drawing conclusions, and relating information with prior knowledge --- all improving comprehension and making our learning visible.

Further study on the subject was done at the University of Waterloo. Students were given a list of common words like “truck" and "pear" and asked to either write down or draw the words. Students who wrote just the words remembered only 20 percent of the given list while those who drew retained 45 percent.

The same researchers conducted a follow-up experiment and found that students who drew scientific concepts were more likely to remember the material than those who copied down written definitions. Drawing captures our visual memory of the image, the kinesthetic memory of making the drawing and the semantic memory of assigning meaning to the image.

Turnkey Application

I first started implementing sketchnoting into my classroom nearly a decade ago. I got my students prepared with the essentials to begin visual notetaking. At the start of class, students take out their “sketch notebooks," colored pencils, highlighters, markers, and more. When I introduce the topic to students, I like to show a few videos by Doug Neill and Carrie Baughcum (two of my favorite visual note-takers) to get them inspired.

Once students are versed in the technique, it becomes a regular practice in the classroom without much need for supervision. My students take out their sketchbooks, resume their reading, and get to work. We use sticky notes to add quick thoughts into the margins. I often ask my students, “What is important? What is interesting? What confuses you? What do you think will happen next?” One of my favorite sketchnote activities happens while we listen to the audiobook of our class novel. Students can create while they listen, doodling and jotting notes as they go.

Tanny McGregor’s book, Ink and Ideas, is a great resource for teachers looking to further incorporate sketchnoting into their lesson plans. She suggests multiple exercises that get students into the practice of making their thoughts visual. Schema Sketches, which are basically t-charts, can be made with what a student already knows about a certain subject on one side and what they have learned about it on the other. Students can see their learning progress. This same goal can be achieved with a K-W-L chart. Students split their paper into three sections. The first section is filled with what they already know, the second with what they want to know, and the third with what they have learned— KWL. McGregor suggests using an idea bank when brainstorming, write your main idea or core question in the center of your paper, and build out with thoughts and sketches.

Sketch noting activities can be used in daily reflections to summarize what students have learned; they also can be used as an essential tool for planning. Heck, I even made one for this blog post. For more information feel free to reach out with questions at Maxmanj@knowltonschool.com