Effects of a Guided-Notes Intervention Program on the Quiz and Note-Taking Greek History Performance of High School Students with Learning Difficulties in Cyprus

The effects of guided notes (GN) in the English-speaking population are well documented. Limited empirical research has examined the effectiveness of GN with other non-English–speaking students. Hence, the present study investigated the effects of a GN intervention program on the academic performance of five students with learning difficulties during history class in a high school setting in Cyprus. An experimental reversal ABAB design was utilized to assess students' quiz and note-taking performance. Condition A consisted of regular classroom instruction, whereby the teacher lectured on historical events and students took their own notes. Condition B consisted of students completing GN while the teacher presented the history topic with PowerPoint slides. Students' learning performance was measured by (a) the number of correct responses on timed quizzes the following day and (b) the completeness and accuracy of notes taken during history instruction. Results evidenced a strong functional relation between students' academic performance and the GN program for all students. Student quiz performance improved by 23.5% to 33.5% during intervention. Similar findings were noted for note-taking performance. Positive social validity outcomes from the teacher and students support the practicality of the program. Implications for practice are discussed.