ACCELERATED LEARNING

How can you learn most effectively?

~OrLearning how to learn

THE BIG PICTURE

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PREPARE TO LEARN

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RELAXATION

Basic meditation techniques can be learned.

A simple focus on breathing, in through the

nose out through the mouth is good. Count

your breaths. A visualisation of an activity or

environment that makes you happy, that can

be recalled prior to learning or assessment.

DIET

Vitamins A/B/C/E help to make you alert, improve vision, improve memory and help support proper brain function.

Avoid starch, sugar and caffeine.

Never miss breakfast.

Eat regularly throughout the day.

HYDRATION

Hydration helps to maintain optimum

brain functioning.

Always keep a bottle of water next to you.

This will prevent interruptions to your

learning session.

TEMPERATURE

Be aware of the temperature in

your room, this will allow you to

maintain an optimum temperature

that is not too hot and not too cold.

OXYGEN AND LIGHT LEVELS

O

pen your windows.

K

eep plants in your room, they also filter out harmful gasses

from computers.

A

llow as much natural light as possible, avoid fluorescent

lighting if at all possible.

REDUCE STRESS

A

cknowledge the presence and importance of stress to yourself.

U

se music to relax.

U

se basic meditation techniques.

H

ave plants in your room.

MOTIVATION

T

he most effective motivation is intrinsic

not extrinsic.

E

stablish “what’s in it for me”. Set your

own learning goals. Use SMART targets.

SLEEP

S

leep helps you to remember what you have

learnt during the day.

R

emember, the hours before midnight are

more important than after!

T

he room in which you learn

should be a multisensory

environment.

D

isplays are an essential

part of this.

T

hey should include :

A

study time table

D

eadlines for examinations

or assignments.

M

otivational posters.

K

ey words of the topics.

ROOM TO LEARN

MUSIC TO AID LEARNING

Its not just baroque (classical) music

that helps.

Remember, most students will listen to

music at home while studying.

You might even find silence unsettling!

MUSIC TO AID LEARNING-PLAN IT, DON’T JUST PLAY IT!

Upbeat positive music before you sit down

to study.

Music linked to the topic of study.

Use relaxing background music (60 beats

per minute) to aid learning.

P

art 1: put the learning in context.

R

eview learning from previous session- what do you know?

R

elate learning to examination - what is in the exam?,

M

ake learning outcomes clear.- What do you want to know by the

end of your session?

STRUCTURING A REVISION SESSION

STRUCTURING A REVISION SESSION

P

art 2: Starter

E

ngage your interest, look at a picture or read an article relating to the

subject, or even visualise using the knowledge for something important.

T

ry to put prior knowledge in context, how does it relate to what you

want to know?

P

repare for main task.

STRUCTURING A REVISION SESSION

P

art 3: Main revision:

L

earning should be multi-sensory and engage different

learning styles. Try to include many different forms of learning

including, mind maps, flash cards, association images or stories.

W

ork should be challenging and broken into achievable chunks, 45

mins is just about anybody's maximum focus.

STRUCTURING A REVISION SESSION

Part 4:

Plenary

R

eview what you have learned. Use these techniques:

W

rite out summary points

D

raw a mind map of your session

N

ame the most important thing you have learned.

P

repare flash cards or summary diagrams.

D

evelop a technique to question yourself. Write and answer 5 questions on the main points

you have covered.

HOW DO YOU LEARN? DIFFERENT LEARNING STYLES

C

haracteristics L

isten to music when relaxing

P

refer to talk on the phone

E

ager to talk

F

orget faces but remember names

T

alk when inactive

O

utburst when angry

D

on’t like reading books or manuals

AUDITORY: DO YOU...

H

earing a presentation

R

eading aloud

M

aking a tape to listen to

V

erbal summaries

E

xplaining to another

student

I

nternal verbalisations

P

ractice saying words

before writing

AUDITORY: THE BEST LEARNING ACTIVITIES FOR YOU:

C

haracteristics

P

lay games or sport to relax

P

refer to talk while doing

something else

T

alk slow, using gestures and

expressions

KINAESTHETIC: DO YOU...

F

idget when inactive

W

hen angry you

clench fists, grit

teeth and storm off.

C

opy demonstrations

M

ake models

R

ecord information as you

hear it, preferably as a

mind map

KINAESTHETIC: THE BEST LEARNING ACTIVITIES FOR YOU:

W

alk around as you read

U

nderline/highlight new

information

U

se index cards for key

points

C

haracteristics

P

refer to watch a film or TV

or read a book to relax

P

refer to talk face-to-face

T

alk fast, don’t enjoy listening

VISUAL: DO YOU...

F

orget names but remember

faces

W

hen inactive you doodle or

watch something or someone

W

hen angry you remain silent

and seethe

W

rite down key facts or

draw a mind map

V

isualise

C

reate pictures or

diagrams

VISUAL: THE BEST LEARNING ACTIVITIES FOR YOU:

U

se time lines for

remembering dates

C

reate strong visual

links

RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE YOUR INTELLIGENCE

Everybody possesses all 8 intelligences to some extent and the most powerful learning combines all 8. Each has value and you should identify your weaknesses and strengths.

G

ood at sport

N

ever sit still

L

ike to touch

BODILY KINAESTHETIC INTELLIGENCE-USED FOR TOUCH AND REFLEX

G

ood with your hands

C

ontrol of reflexes and body

G

ood timing

Characteristics:

L

earn by doing

R

ole play and drama

F

ield trips

M

aking models

BODILY KINAESTHETIC INTELLIGENCE-USED FOR TOUCH AND REFLEX

W

riting bullet points/mind maps

C

hanging activity frequently

M

ental review during activity.

Best learning

activities:

R

elates to and mixes well with

others

P

uts people at their ease

H

as many friends

S

ympathetic to others

INTERPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE -USED FOR COMMUNICATING WITH OTHERS

M

ediates between people

G

ood communicator

G

ood negotiator

C

o-operative

Characteristics:

L

earning from peers

W

orking in teams/groups

S

haring information

INTERPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE -USED FOR COMMUNICATING WITH OTHERS

C

omparing notes

M

aking use of mentors

P

eer teaching

Best learning activities:

K

now your own strengths

P

rivate

I

ndependent

INTRA-PERSONAL INTELLIGENCE – USED FOR SELF-DISCOVERY AND ANALYSIS

W

ants to be different

K

eeps a diary

P

lans time effectively

S

elf-motivated

Characteristics:

S

etting goals and targets

C

reating personal interest

T

aking control of learning

INTRA-PERSONAL INTELLIGENCE – USED FOR SELF-DISCOVERY AND ANALYSIS

S

eeking the human angle

R

eflecting, writing, discussing what

was experienced and the feelings

this evoked.

R

eflecting on how new information fits

Best learning

activities:

E

xtensive vocabulary

G

ood at spelling

G

ood written

communication

LINGUISTIC INTELLIGENCE: USED FOR READING WRITING AND SPEECH

E

xpressive and fluent speech

G

ood listener

S

trong reasoning ability

M

ethodical

Characteristics:

L

earning from books, tapes and

lectures.

R

ead from a text, summarize out

loud in their own words.

B

rainstorming to organize

thoughts or distinguish key

points.

LINGUISTIC INTELLIGENCE: USED FOR READING WRITING AND SPEECH

M

aking up cross-words or

puzzles to solve.

D

ebating and discussing

issues.

O

ral presentations.

Best Learning Activities:

G

ood at budgeting

L

ogical thought,

explanation and action

O

rganised

LOGICAL MATHEMATICAL INTELLIGENCE: USED FOR MATH, LOGIC AND SYSTEMS.

P

lans time and reasons

effectively

S

eeks patterns and

relationships

p

recise

Characteristics:

L

isting and numbering key points

U

sing a flow chart to express information

U

sing spread sheets

U

sing time-lines to remember dates and

events

LOGICAL MATHEMATICAL INTELLIGENCE: USED FOR MATH, LOGIC AND SYSTEMS.

A

nalysing and interpreting data

R

easoning and deducing

C

reating and solving problems

P

laying mathematical games.

Best Learning

Activities:

S

ensitive to music and its

emotions

C

hanges mood with music

G

ood at keeping time to a

beat

MUSICAL INTELLIGENCE: USED FOR RHYTHM, MUSIC AND LYRICS

G

ood at selecting

background music

M

ay be deeply spiritual

Characteristics:

U

se music to relax before

learning

U

se music while studying

that reflects what is

being learned.

MUSICAL INTELLIGENCE: USED FOR RHYTHM, MUSIC AND LYRICS

W

riting out songs/raps/poems to

aid recall

U

se musical approach to

remember key words

(association/ tone/ rhythm)

Best Learning activities:

I

nterest and enthusiasm for

learning about nature and

different habitats (this

obviously aids recall).

C

omfortable in different types

of environments

NATURALISTIC INTELLIGENCE: USED TO MAKE SENSE OF THE

NATURAL WORLD.

A

ttuned to natural

environment

T

roubled by pollution and

issues of the biosphere.

Characteristics:

L

earning outdoors e.g.:

field trips.

I

nvestigating/enquiring

into environmental

issues

NATURALISTIC INTELLIGENCE: USED TO MAKE SENSE OF THE

NATURAL WORLD.

R

eading about / listening to

presentations on nature

S

tudying the habits of

animals/pets.

Best Learning

activities:

Thinks and remembers in pictures

G

ood sense of image/use of minds

eye.

S

trong sense of color

VISUAL SPATIAL INTELLIGENCE: USED FOR VISUALIZATION AND ART

G

ood at art and drawing

G

ood sense of direction

W

ell dressed.

Characteristics

L

earning from film,

video or power points

U

sing mind maps,

symbols and diagrams

VISUAL SPATIAL INTELLIGENCE: USED FOR VISUALIZATION AND ART

H

ighlighting key points in

different colours

S

tudying in different settings

to gain different perspectives

Best Learning

activities:

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

A

study on Harvard students tested for IQ and EI showed a link between

emotional intelligence and higher earning power, NOT IQ.

E

MOTIONAL INTELIGENCE IS :

*

SELF-AWARENESS *SELF-DISIPILNE * PERSISTANCE * EMPATHY

*

**YOU CAN LEARN AND IMPROVE YOUR EMOTIONAL

INTELIGENCE!***

DEVELOPING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

1. DEVELOP COMMUNICATION SKILLS THROUGH

DISCUSSION, DEBATE AND ROLE PLAY.

2. DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS

3. VALUE AND RESPECT THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS

4. CONSIDER THINGS FROM OTHER’S POINT OF VIEW.

5. DON’T JUDGE, CONTROL OR CRITICISE OTHERS

6. REFLECT AS A MEANS OF IMPROVING YOURSELF

AND YOUR WORK.

THINKING SKILLS: METACOGNITION

YOU ARE A TRUE LEARNER IF YOU CAN…..

Process information: locate,

collect and recall information,

analyse, sort, classify and

sequence information.

THINKING SKILLS: METACOGNITION

YOU ARE A TRUE LEARNER IF YOU CAN…..

Reason: draw inferences, make

deductions, judgements and

decisions.

THINKING SKILLS: METACOGNITION

YOU ARE A TRUE LEARNER IF YOU CAN…..

Enquire: ask relevant

questions, pose and define

problems, plan research, predict

outcomes and test conclusions.

THINKING SKILLS: METACOGNITION

YOU ARE A TRUE LEARNER IF YOU CAN…..

Think creatively: generate and

extend ideas, find alternative and

innovative outcomes

THINKING SKILLS: METACOGNITION

YOU ARE A TRUE LEARNER IF YOU CAN…..

Evaluate: judge the value of

their own and others work, develop

criteria for judging value, have

confidence in their own

judgements.

BASIC MEDITATION

S

it in a comfortable position.

C

lose your eyes, but keep your back

straight, shoulders relaxed, head up, your

eyes (behind your lids) focused ahead.

BASIC MEDITATIONT

ake a deep, cleansing breath, expanding your belly and

keeping your shoulders relaxed, and hold it in for the count

of six. Exhale, and repeat twice more. Then breathe

normally, and focus your attention on your breathing. As

you breathe, inhale through your nose and exhale through

your mouth, still expanding your belly rather than moving

your shoulders up and down.

BASIC MEDITATION

I

f your thoughts drift toward the stresses

of the day ahead or of the day behind

you, gently refocus on your breathing

and remain in the present moment. Feel

the air move in, and feel the air move out

BASIC MEDITATION TIPS

A

s you breathe, let your abdomen expand and contract,

rather than moving your shoulders up and down. This

deeper breathing is more natural and similar to how

babies breathe. It gives you increased lung capacity,

whereas the ‘shallow breathing’ adults usually utilize

doesn’t allow as much oxygenation of the blood.

BASIC MEDITATION TIPS

D

on't breathe too quickly or too

slowly; just breathe at a natural

rate, but more deeply.

BASIC MEDITATION TIPS

I

f you find your thoughts drifting a lot at

first, don't worry that you're doing it

'wrong'. Noticing that you've drifted and

refocusing to your breathing is part of the

practice, and something you're doing 'right'!