Student notes as a mediating tool for learning in school subjects

The article is based on ethnographic and longitudinal writing research in Danish upper secondary school. Focus is on student notes and the research questions analysed are 1) Can note-writing serve as a mediatiating tool between everyday language and subject discourse language? and 2) Can note-writing function as a tool for a shift in identity from school child to student?. Perceptions of note-writing by two male students and students notes from the school subject bussines economics are analysed. It is concluded that note-writing can function as a tool for learning. Writing notes often allow students to borrow subject specific language they not yet master themselves. This is somtimes seen as useless coping. But by selecting some bits to copy and deselect others, and by reformulating the selecteds bits in everyday language wording, the students develope their scarce academic language in direction of subject discource language.