What if you’re studying something and, despite your best efforts, you
don’t find anything of particular interest in it? Sometimes you just can’t
find anything that you can connect with.
In that case, pretend you’re someone else who can relate to the material
and has an interest in it! You can become interested in a subject when
you involve yourself in it, even when you’re just role-playing. (See Chapter
5, “Learning by Doing,” for more on role-playing and other ways to be
an active learner.)
• Pretend you’re the instructor; decide what will be the focus of the
next class. Let that direct your studying.
• Act! Take on somebody else’s interests. If you’re studying management,
for example, assume the role of a business executive. If
you’re studying for a science course, pretend you’re a research
biologist. And so on.
google.com
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Learning New Material
New material will be absorbed more readily if you study when you’re
comfortable and your mind is fresh. Try getting up a little earlier than
usual in the morning to study while you have fewer distractions.
New material stays in a certain part of your brain—a kind of holding
area—for only three days or so. To ensure that you cement it more
permanently in your memory, review the material as soon as possible.
KEEP FOCUSED
Before you start your science project or begin to study for that test, decide
how long you want each study session to be. Can each be 20 minutes
long? That’s about how long most people can stay really focused on the
task at hand. But perhaps it’s less for you—maybe 10 or 15 minutes. Or
maybe it’s more like 25 or 30 minutes.Whatever you find is best for you,
try to stick to it.
Practice Tips
In the text you’re studying, or in a newspaper, find a word you don’t
know. Cover that word. Look at the rest of the sentence and decide
what the sentence could mean without the word you covered. If the
sentence isn’t clear on its own,write what you know for sure about the
meaning of the sentence. Try to draw a picture of the sentence, or to
make sense of it in any way that suits your learning style. Now, ask
yourself what you need to know to make the sentence clearer. Write
down your questions or record them into an audiotape.
Then go back to the original sentence and choose a word or phrase
that could replace the unfamiliar word. Check to see that your word
or phrase makes your picture clearer. You made a definition based on
what you knew—the words around the unknown word—to find out
what you didn’t know.
Now look in the dictionary and see how close you came!
google.com
comfortable and your mind is fresh. Try getting up a little earlier than
usual in the morning to study while you have fewer distractions.
New material stays in a certain part of your brain—a kind of holding
area—for only three days or so. To ensure that you cement it more
permanently in your memory, review the material as soon as possible.
KEEP FOCUSED
Before you start your science project or begin to study for that test, decide
how long you want each study session to be. Can each be 20 minutes
long? That’s about how long most people can stay really focused on the
task at hand. But perhaps it’s less for you—maybe 10 or 15 minutes. Or
maybe it’s more like 25 or 30 minutes.Whatever you find is best for you,
try to stick to it.
Practice Tips
In the text you’re studying, or in a newspaper, find a word you don’t
know. Cover that word. Look at the rest of the sentence and decide
what the sentence could mean without the word you covered. If the
sentence isn’t clear on its own,write what you know for sure about the
meaning of the sentence. Try to draw a picture of the sentence, or to
make sense of it in any way that suits your learning style. Now, ask
yourself what you need to know to make the sentence clearer. Write
down your questions or record them into an audiotape.
Then go back to the original sentence and choose a word or phrase
that could replace the unfamiliar word. Check to see that your word
or phrase makes your picture clearer. You made a definition based on
what you knew—the words around the unknown word—to find out
what you didn’t know.
Now look in the dictionary and see how close you came!
google.com
BECOMING AN ACTIVE LEARNER
When you’re an active learner, you feel more in control of your studying.
You’re actively using your questions, your answers, your images, your
order. You’re noting what’s important to you. You’ll find you want to
study when you’re making these decisions for yourself. Assume
responsibility for your own learning, and learning will become enjoyable.
One way to be an active learner is to think ahead before you read
something.
Right now, write the answers to these questions in your notebook,
or speak them into your tape recorder.
• What are you expecting to happen in this chapter?
• What questions do you have about this chapter?
Practice Tips
• Study actively. Before you study, think of a real-life use for the subject
at hand. Imagine yourself as a professional involved with the
study material. If you’re studying management, pretend you own
your own company; if you’re studying chemistry, think of yourself
as a chemist; and so on. Keep your character in mind as you create
and answer questions from the text or audiotape, make notes, and
review your study session.
• Study by moving.After a study session, take a notepad and pen with
you as you go for a walk of at least 20 minutes. Choose a time when
you don’t feel rushed.As you’re walking, think about what you studied.
Stop and write down these thoughts as they come to mind. You
might also discover new connections with old material
You’re actively using your questions, your answers, your images, your
order. You’re noting what’s important to you. You’ll find you want to
study when you’re making these decisions for yourself. Assume
responsibility for your own learning, and learning will become enjoyable.
One way to be an active learner is to think ahead before you read
something.
Right now, write the answers to these questions in your notebook,
or speak them into your tape recorder.
• What are you expecting to happen in this chapter?
• What questions do you have about this chapter?
Practice Tips
• Study actively. Before you study, think of a real-life use for the subject
at hand. Imagine yourself as a professional involved with the
study material. If you’re studying management, pretend you own
your own company; if you’re studying chemistry, think of yourself
as a chemist; and so on. Keep your character in mind as you create
and answer questions from the text or audiotape, make notes, and
review your study session.
• Study by moving.After a study session, take a notepad and pen with
you as you go for a walk of at least 20 minutes. Choose a time when
you don’t feel rushed.As you’re walking, think about what you studied.
Stop and write down these thoughts as they come to mind. You
might also discover new connections with old material
Move Around to Refresh and Re-focus
Larry was so nervous about a civil service test coming up that his
brain would freeze whenever he tried to study. He would open his
book, and although he knew what the words meant, he just
couldn’t put them together. He sat there trying to study, but nothing
seemed to make sense. All the while, he was thinking of how
important the test was and how he had to get a good grade. In
frustration, he got up and went for a walk for half an hour. Then
a strange thing happened. The more he walked, the clearer his
head felt. After awhile, he found himself thinking about what he
had been trying to study. When he returned to his book, the
words made sense for the first time.
goolge.com
brain would freeze whenever he tried to study. He would open his
book, and although he knew what the words meant, he just
couldn’t put them together. He sat there trying to study, but nothing
seemed to make sense. All the while, he was thinking of how
important the test was and how he had to get a good grade. In
frustration, he got up and went for a walk for half an hour. Then
a strange thing happened. The more he walked, the clearer his
head felt. After awhile, he found himself thinking about what he
had been trying to study. When he returned to his book, the
words made sense for the first time.
goolge.com
ARE YOU AN IMAGE THINKER OR A SEQUENTIAL THINKER?
TIPS FOR IMAGE THINKERS
Here are some tips to help you if you learn best by thinking in
images:
• To make the most of reading: Take notes by drawing pictures
that come to mind or describing the pictures in your head into a
tape recorder.
• To make the most of writing: Describe the pictures in your head
on paper or into a recorder, and then write what you play back.
TIPS FOR SEQUENTIAL THINKERS
• To make the most of reading: Write and re-write your notes in
list or outline form, putting details under major topic headings. If
you’re using a tape recorder, read your list into it. As you play it
back, listen to any changes you want to make so that the order is
clearer or stronger for you.
• To make the most of writing: List or outline what you want to
say. Your outline might be a series of questions. If so, put similar
questions together to form categories. If you’re using a tape
recorder to get started, read your questions into it, play it back
and re-record any changes that make the order clearer to you.
google.com
Here are some tips to help you if you learn best by thinking in
images:
• To make the most of reading: Take notes by drawing pictures
that come to mind or describing the pictures in your head into a
tape recorder.
• To make the most of writing: Describe the pictures in your head
on paper or into a recorder, and then write what you play back.
TIPS FOR SEQUENTIAL THINKERS
• To make the most of reading: Write and re-write your notes in
list or outline form, putting details under major topic headings. If
you’re using a tape recorder, read your list into it. As you play it
back, listen to any changes you want to make so that the order is
clearer or stronger for you.
• To make the most of writing: List or outline what you want to
say. Your outline might be a series of questions. If so, put similar
questions together to form categories. If you’re using a tape
recorder to get started, read your questions into it, play it back
and re-record any changes that make the order clearer to you.
google.com
Practice Tips
If you learn better by hearing, say out loud what was useful to you in
this chapter. If you learn better by seeing, write or draw a cartoon
about it.
Here are some other ways to build up your seeing and hearing:
• See more: Check with your local or school library on viewing
closed-caption films. These films show you what is being said by
having the words appear on the bottom of the screen.
• Hear more: Check with your local or school library for books on
tape. Just about every kind of book is available.
If you learn better when you combine seeing with hearing, write or
draw what was useful, then read it aloud, or describe the drawing out
loud.
google.com
this chapter. If you learn better by seeing, write or draw a cartoon
about it.
Here are some other ways to build up your seeing and hearing:
• See more: Check with your local or school library on viewing
closed-caption films. These films show you what is being said by
having the words appear on the bottom of the screen.
• Hear more: Check with your local or school library for books on
tape. Just about every kind of book is available.
If you learn better when you combine seeing with hearing, write or
draw what was useful, then read it aloud, or describe the drawing out
loud.
google.com
IT’S IN THE EYES
Here are ways to make the most of using your eyes in studying, whether
they’re your learning strength or not.
WHEN LISTENING
When you’re listening to something you want to remember, try drawing
a picture or taking notes. If you’re drawing, draw what comes to mind
right away. These are your notes, so they have to make sense to you! Stick
figures are fine. If you’re writing, pretend you’re a newspaper reporter
with a lot of readers. It’ll help you focus on what’s important, and your
notes will be clearer to you if you pretend you’re writing them for
someone else.
WHEN READING
When you’re reading something you want to remember, draw or write. If
you’re writing, try choosing the most important word in a sentence, then
the most important sentence in the paragraph. Underline it if it’s your
own book; if it’s not, write it in your notebook. Explain why it’s important;
summarize what you read in words. If you’re drawing, make a series
of pictures, just like in a comic strip, summarizing what sticks out in your
mind about what you read.
google.com
they’re your learning strength or not.
WHEN LISTENING
When you’re listening to something you want to remember, try drawing
a picture or taking notes. If you’re drawing, draw what comes to mind
right away. These are your notes, so they have to make sense to you! Stick
figures are fine. If you’re writing, pretend you’re a newspaper reporter
with a lot of readers. It’ll help you focus on what’s important, and your
notes will be clearer to you if you pretend you’re writing them for
someone else.
WHEN READING
When you’re reading something you want to remember, draw or write. If
you’re writing, try choosing the most important word in a sentence, then
the most important sentence in the paragraph. Underline it if it’s your
own book; if it’s not, write it in your notebook. Explain why it’s important;
summarize what you read in words. If you’re drawing, make a series
of pictures, just like in a comic strip, summarizing what sticks out in your
mind about what you read.
google.com
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