Notetaker

Notetaking is a profession which is required for many deaf people. Although most may be capable of making notes, watching a BSL/English interpreter and making notes at the same time is not practical; it may not be suitable for what is being said to pause whilst notes are made. It may also be true that some deaf people do not have the level of English required to make good enough notes, as BSL could be their first language and as BSL is a visual-gestural language, writing notes in BSL is impossible. 

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Notetaking can be split into 2 different methods: electronic and manual.

An electronic notetaker will have a laptop (or other electronic equipment) and make a summarised report on what has been said. Electronic notetakers are sometimes preferred to manual notetakers as typing is generally faster than handwriting. Electronic notetakers should not be confused with Speech-to-Text Reporters (or a palantypist) as electronic notetakers are not expected to provide a verbatim service.

A manual notetaker will make handwritten notes. Some people prefer handwritten notes as they can be made on papers such as handouts in a classroom and are instantly accessible to the person requiring the notes.

Notetakers are employed in various settings including universities, public forums and the workplace.

Signature offers training in notetaking and has some courses giving advice and training on how to make notes for deaf people. The National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People (NRCPD) has a professional register where notetakers can sign up to gain official status as a member of a recognised body.