STICKY NOTE STRATEGIES
By: Cindy DeLong
Why use sticky notes?
Sticky notes can be effective tools to assist students with time management, reading comprehension and recall, organization skills, following
directions, math concepts and semantic mapping.
How to make students want to use sticky notes?
Use bright colored sticky notes and make it fun! Encourage students to write, draw, or color on their sticky notes. Include students in finding new
ways to use sticky notes.
Who can benefit from using sticky notes?
• General Education Students
• Helps students with organization, math skills, reading comprehension, and main ideas.
• English Language Learners
• Helps students focus on main events and summarizing.
• Students with ADHD
• Helps improve focus and clarifies instructions for assignments.
• Encourages students to stay in their seats when specific instructions are available to them on sticky notes at their desk.
• Students with learning disabilities
• Helps students use visuals to aid in recall and comprehension.
• Simplifies reading comprehension strategies by using main ideas and details pertaining to reading assignments
Sticky Notes Strategies for English Language Learners
• During reading, students use sticky notes to write key words that describe the chapter they have read. They can later use these key words
to paraphrase the main ideas from the chapters. The teacher can then compare student’s main ideas to ensure all students are grasping the
appropriate main ideas from the readings.
• Students use sticky notes to write down confusing words, phrases or questions they may encounter. As students continue to read, they can
determine if these questions have been answered by further reading. If not, these questions can be addressed with the teacher and/or
class.
• Students can summarize chapters on sticky notes and leave these summaries in the book. This helps them remember where they left off in
the readings, and once again refers to the main ideas and comprehension to the chapters.
Strategies for Students with ADHD
Selective Attention Problems Sustained Attention Problems Impulsivity
• Have students use sticky notes to follow • Have students create an order for • List projects students can participate in when
along with teacher led assignments, completion of daily tasks on a sticky they have finished their work or are stuck on a
jotting notes as they go note task (practice spelling words, write in journal, ask
• For independent seatwork, have students • Use sticky notes as a reminder of what a specific classmate for help when stick)
write what to complete first, next etc. to time daily activities occur • Use sticky notes to monitor behavior. Teachers
prioritize assignments • Determine how long specific tasks will can give out sticky notes to address both good
• Use sticky notes to help with spelling take and mark start and completion and inappropriate behavior to be discussed at a
words and problems involving math times for time management skills designated time in the day.
operations • Have students put sticky notes in the
• Use sticky notes to help with error materials they take home to remind
analysis. For example, if a student makes them of the assignment as well as the
the same mistake often, make a sticky amount of time the assignment takes
note saying “don’t forget to….”
Other helpful strategies:
• Have students write questions on sticky notes and ask questions at the end of teacher lessons
• Give students a set number of sticky notes to use as passes for when they need to move around (go to a different table or desk, stand up and
stretch)
Rainbow Sticky-Note Semantic Mapping References
Great strategy for students with learning disabilities. This exercise Bittman, E., & Moomaw, S. (2017). Post-It notes art: Area and perimeter.
is based on brainstorming current knowledge. Teaching Children Mathematics, 24(3), 164-169.
1. The teacher identifies a key word and writes it on a sticky note Ellis, E. (1997). Watering up the curriculum for adolescents with learning
disabilities: Goals of the knowledge dimension. Remedial and Special
and puts it on the board.
Education, 18(6), 326-346. doi:10.1177/074193259701800603
2. Students brainstorm the key word and write what they know
Fagan, B. (2003). Scaffolds to help ELL readers. Voices From the Middle,
about the topic on sticky notes.
11(1), 38-42.
3. The teacher collects this information and students are called on Richard C., W. (1997). Appropriate technology for the classroom—Using
to pick a sticky note. The students then categorize the sticky notes "Post-it Notes©" as an active learning tool: Discovering a simple yet
to make a web of information based on categories and subcategories. effective teaching device in everyday classroom supplies. Journal of
4. The students and teacher will work together to organize this College Science Teaching, (5), 339.
information to ensure accuracy, thus creating a web of information. Stormont, M.S. (2008). Increase academic success for children with
ADHD using sticky notes and highlighters. Intervention in School &
Clinic, 43(5), 305-308
