Learning Techniques

[Nek Muhammad]

Learning Techniques

Here are three simple techniques you can use to make your practice more effective. Each is primarily beneficial to a certain approach to learning, but you can adapt it to suit your own style.


Writing: notes and essays

Taking notes during a lecture is a common technique every college student knows. This technique can be used in many other situations. You can make notes if you have to read a book, watch a video, listen to a recording, follow a presentation, etc. Depending on the subject, you may either record direct quotations from a speech or piece of writing, or use your own words. The latter is recommended because it forces you to understand the material and work on it right away. This is one way to help 'recall' and achieve 'active knowledge.'
The notes you take may be the only material you have available to study. If you have other resources, the notes are important additional material that helps you review. In either case, it makes sense to be methodical about your notes: devise a good system, and be thorough.
Making notes is especially useful if you find it easy to visualize written information. Even if you don't, however, you should try this technique because you can use it as an exercise. You can practice listing the main points of the subject you are studying to check your understanding and develop your active knowledge of the material. You can also write more detailed texts. Making an extensive written presentation is an excellent way to prepare for an essay, for instance, but it is also useful just to review the material. You can evaluate how well you can recall each 'chunk' of information by having to rework the material in a logical way, trying to explore possible connections with other topics, and so on.


Visualizing: mind maps and models

A mind map is a visual representation of the most important ideas or facts of a subject. Instead of presenting the information as a text, the system arranges it so to create a visual impact of some kind. This makes the mind map memorable and consequently easy to remember.
A map of this sort usually represents only the main ideas and these serve as clues to related information. Consequently, you can use the map as a summary. As with writing notes, however, you can make your practice as extensive as you want. For instance, you could create a very detailed map where all the points are recorded. This technique is very flexible and allows you to create both simple and complex systems. The main point is to design a structure that links the relevant information in a way that stands out visually.






Creating mind maps helps if you find it easy to memorize visually (either images or written material), but also if you like to do things with your hands. Maps do not have to be simply written on paper. You can think of other ways to use this technique. You can prepare flashcards for the main points and dispose them around as in a map, or make little models instead of paper cards. You can make a chart with pictures instead words or you could represent the same information creating a tridimensional map.


Speaking: spoken repetition and presentations

Repetition is the best form of practice whether you need to build a theoretical knowledge or acquire a practical skill. You learn best by repeating the information or actions required. Whatever you are studying, you should repeat the material aloud. Simply by listening to your voice, you can reinforce your knowledge because you hear the information again. As with writing, repeating aloud enables you to see if you have really understood and memorized the material. If a teacher, trainer, examiner, etc. will test you later, first practice explaining the material aloud to yourself. Organize the information in a clear and understandable way, and practice making a well-presented exposition. If you cannot recall all the information, you know that you need to study more.
You can also talk aloud when doing something. Speaking aloud can help you remember, especially if you are nervous, confused, or distracted. You can give yourself instructions repeating aloud the sequence of actions that are required to perform a particular task. You can guide yourself speaking aloud to make your practice more precise.
This kind of technique benefits especially those who remember spoken information more easily, but it is always useful. It helps repeat the information in an organized way giving you a clear picture of how well you have learned the material. As with the other techniques, you can work on it to make it more suitable to your learning style. For instance, associating movement and sound (it can be dancing and singing too) is an excellent way to make practice very memorable.



Private Speech

It is common to hear children talking to themselves when learning and carrying out an action. As children, we develop this behavior by listening to the instructions others give us. The phenomenon is called 'private speech' and it is part of the cognitive development of children (the way children learn and understand).

Adults speak to children to teach them how to do things. Children reuse those words when performing the tasks by themselves. This is why children may talk to themselves as much as they talk to others. This is not just 'noise': children talk to themselves to guide their actions. With age, children come to master their actions better so that known tasks can be performed in 'silence' and spoken words are reserved for activities that are more challenging.

'Private speech' does not disappear, but becomes internalized. As adults, we continue our 'private speech,' but usually do not speak it out. We learn to talk to ourselves 'in our head' rather than aloud. We may go back to spoken words when facing complicated tasks or intimidating situations. This is not worrying sign: it is a natural technique we can use to solve problems and learn new skills.



Conclusions

• Devise a method of study that suits your learning style. Try to use all your skills to get the best results. Almost any method is good if it works well for you.

• You can use a specific technique or pick something useful out of many different ones. Try to adapt the techniques to your approach, and think of other ways you can make your practice more memorable. Be creative!

[Nek Muhammad]

Your path for most effective learning is through knowing:

Yourself
Your capacity to learn
The process you have successfully used in the past
Your interest in, and knowledge of, the subject you wish to learn
It may be easy for you to learn physics but difficult to learn tennis, or vice versa.
All learning, however, is a process which settles into certain steps.

[Nek Muhammad]