I tried to listen during my GCSE science lessons, but I also had to copy down pages of notes from the blackboard. Forming the letters took me longer than it did for most people, and after every word, I had to look back up at the board and scan to find where I was. I remember trying to listen to the teacher explaining things in real time while she jotted notes down, but I was still copying lines from ten minutes ago. Eventually, the class would go silent, and everyone would turn to look at me, waiting for an answer to a question I never even heard her ask. Bursts of laughter followed, confirming my stupidity in case anyone had any doubt. And this went on for an hour and a half each day, four days out of the five-day school week. 
It's funny how life turns out. A few years ago, I became a sketchnoter who was regularly commissioned by the United Nations to listen in on their meetings and take notes. The topics ranged from everything from climate change to global economics, and the speeches and debates would often last up to four hours at a time. Yet every time, I would submit the work on time—often just minutes after the event had ended. The notes would then be sent to all participants: global politicians, UN spokespeople, CEOs, and NGOs. I eventually stopped working with the UN, partly because it meant working between 1 and 4 in the morning on a school night. Most meetings were in line with New York time and I wanted to focus on my teaching, on being there for my family, on my illustrations, and on my children's books. Sketchnoting would have been incredibly useful if I had learned it at 15. So now I teach it to my students and to other teachers, in hopes that they will pass the skill on to others. This weekend, I held two workshops. One of them was called Sketchnoting for Educators.  The notes are at https://www.magicstorybooks.com/21clhk-sketchnoting-for-educators.html