Kaunas Maironis university gymnasium Ways of learning Ernestas Čistovas 2a

Understand the differences. Learning abilities don't stop in the classroom. Styles even invade the way we talk! Look for key examples found in dialogue: A visual learner might say, "This looks good." His or her aural counterpart would say, "This sounds good." "I hear you," versus "I see what you're saying." If you are conflicted as to what your style is, tune into your words--or ask others to keep an ear (an eye?) out for you!

Use written materials and exercises Now that you know you learn by seeing and looking, utilize it. Write down what you hear, translating the aural into the visual. If your teacher shows you a movie or is talking about specific points on a test, write it down. After you write it down, look over it twice. Start speaking your brain's preferred language. If your teacher uses slides while lecturing, it's important to concentrate on the slides. You'll be less likely to remember what he/she said, but you will remember what you saw on the screen.

Take good notes Take good notes. Every teacher will stress, "Don't write down everything I say! You'll get so far behind!" Well, you're not an aural learner anyway, so why would you remember what they said? If your teacher goes much too fast for you to write anything legible, ask them for notes or an outline on their materials. They will love your enthusiasm. You could always write what you learned on wikiHow!

Ask questions As you listen to your teacher discuss the topic at hand, engage. Listening to them talk is one thing, but listening to yourself talk is another. You know how it's always so easy to remember the dumb things we've said? Well, it's easier to remember the questions we asked in Biology class, too. If you're a little crowd shy, do this after class! Your teacher will love the 5 minutes you took out of your day to express interest in their topic of expertise. The one-on-one time may even be more in-depth and interesting to boot.

Underline and highlight A lot of teachers love to see their students taking notes. While this isn't the best way for you to learn, make it work with underlining and highlighting. Work with different colors. Keep a code that means something to you. For dates, purple. For beliefs, green. For theories, yellow. Get a system to make your notes more memorable.

Study in the testing room Though it may seem far-fetched, students often do better on tests when the test is taken in the room they received the information. This is called context-dependent memory. Those who received the information in a silent context recalled the information quicker and more accurately in a silent context; those who received the information in a noisy context recalled easier in a noisy context. No matter what your conditions, keep them constant. Study in the testing room to get the closest context possible.

Be patient Changing how you learn doesn't come overnight. What's more, certain topics are going to come easier to you than others. Keeping an open mind will make it easier to persevere in the face of difficulty. Don't be ashamed to ask for help. If you know someone who's an expert on a topic you're studying, hit them up! They'd love to bestow their know ledge on someone else. Whether it's friends, family, or mentors, tap into the resources you have around you.