| When one considers learning and study, one should | | | | better what has been seen in the mind's eye than |
| always keep in mind that there are three aspects | | | | what has been thought in abstract terms. Therefore, |
| that are of importance: | | | | one should always consciously try to think in terms |
| STUDY SKILLS: | | | | of pictures. |
| The ability of any learner to study successfully | | | | 3. Reduce frequency of brain waves: The brain |
| depends to a great extent on his fundamental study | | | | usually vibrates at 20 cycles per second or higher. Dr. |
| skills, i.e. his ability to concentrate, to perceive | | | | Georgi Lozanov was probably the first who |
| correctly and accurately, as well as the ability to | | | | discovered that, if the frequency of the brain waves |
| remember what has been perceived. | | | | is reduced, more effective study becomes possible. |
| Study skills should not be confused with study | | | | He found that playing slow Baroque music could |
| techniques and study methods. The difference | | | | reduce the frequency of brain waves. José |
| between these can be explained by using the game | | | | Silva was probably the first who discovered a |
| of soccer as example. In order to be a soccer player, | | | | method to reduce the frequency of brain waves at |
| a person FIRST has to master the fundamental | | | | will. |
| soccer skills, e.g. passing, heading, and dribbling the | | | | STUDY METHODS: |
| ball. Only after that can he be taught techniques and | | | | Most learners have the bad habit of only studying the |
| methods. In the same way, in order to be a good | | | | day before a test or exam. There are two serious |
| student, a learner FIRST has to master the | | | | disadvantages attached to this method of study: |
| fundamental study skills. | | | | 1. There is never any regular practice of study skills. |
| Mnemonics training is often done without keeping this | | | | 2. It has been found that within 24 hours -- on an |
| sequential fashion of learning in mind. A mnemonic is a | | | | average -- one forgets up to 80% of what one has |
| specific reconstruction of target content intended to | | | | learned. If, however, the study material is reviewed |
| tie new information more closely to the learner's | | | | after 24 hours, it takes 7 days before 80% is |
| existing knowledge base and, therefore, facilitate | | | | forgotten again, and if another review is done at this |
| retrieval. There are a variety of mnemonic | | | | point, then it takes 30 days to forget 80% again. |
| techniques, including keywords, pegwords, acronyms, | | | | Research has shown that, if the correct pattern or |
| loci methods, spelling mnemonics, phonetic | | | | review of studied material is followed, memory |
| mnemonics, number-sound mnemonics, and Japanese | | | | consolidation is enhanced significantly, and the overall |
| "Yodai" methods. An example of an acronym is to | | | | time spent in learning is slashed dramatically. The |
| remember the word HOMES to recall the names of | | | | following pattern of initial study and subsequent |
| the Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and | | | | review will certainly deliver excellent results: |
| Superior. The purpose of number-sound mnemonics is | | | | 1. Set up a timetable that is divided in study periods |
| to recall strings of numbers, such as telephone | | | | of 30 minutes each. On the first day on which this |
| numbers, addresses, locker combinations or historical | | | | new timetable will be implemented, take the first |
| dates. To use them, learners must first learn the | | | | study period to learn some study material thoroughly. |
| number-sound relationships: 0=s; 1=t; 2=n; 3=m; 4=r; | | | | It must be brief enough so that it can be absorbed in |
| 5=l; 6=sh, ch, or soft g, 7=k, hard c, or hard g; 8=f | | | | only about 15 minutes. Once the full study program is |
| or v; and 9=p. To remember the date 1439, for | | | | in operation, as you will soon realize when you read |
| example, the learner uses the associated consonant | | | | further, one only has about 15 minutes in each study |
| sounds, t, r, m and p, and will insert vowels to create | | | | period of 30 minutes in which to study and absorb |
| a meaningful word or words. In this case, the word | | | | new material. The rest of the time is spent on |
| "tramp" can be used. | | | | reviewing previously learned material. The piece of |
| There are, however, at least two problems in | | | | work must be summarized and thoroughly studied in |
| improving memory by means of mnemonic | | | | these 30 minutes. Take a rest of 5 minutes at the |
| instruction. The first problem is -- as already stated -- | | | | end of the study period. |
| that it overlooks the sequential fashion of learning. | | | | 2. Review after 5 minutes. Take 3 minutes of the |
| Mnemonics instruction is, to a large extent, instruction | | | | next study period to review the study material of |
| in memory techniques, which should be taught only | | | | the previous study period, before new material is |
| AFTER the skill of memory has been learned. It can | | | | again summarized and thoroughly studied. |
| be compared to a person being taught soccer | | | | 3. Review after 24 hours. Take 3 minutes to review |
| tactics, such as the "wall pass," while he has not yet | | | | the material that was studied the previous day. Then |
| adequately mastered the skill of passing the ball. As | | | | take 3 minutes to review the work that was studied |
| stated in 'Knowabout Soccer', "No matter how good | | | | 5 minutes ago, before again studying and summarizing |
| your passing technique, if the quality of your passing | | | | new material. |
| is poor, your technique will not be effective." The | | | | 4. Review after 7 days. Take 3 minutes to review |
| second problem is that by teaching memory crutches | | | | the work that was reviewed 7 days ago, before |
| only, the result is, as stated by Scruggs and | | | | reviewing the work that was studied the day before, |
| Mastropieri, "on more complex applications, | | | | and then reviewing the work that was studied 5 |
| generalization attempts [are] less successful." If the | | | | minutes ago. |
| SKILL of memory is taught, however, the learner can | | | | 5. Review after 30 days. Take 3 minutes to review |
| apply it in any situation. | | | | the work that was already reviewed 30 days ago, |
| STUDY TECHNIQUES: | | | | before reviewing the work of 7 days ago, then that |
| There are three learning techniques that can be | | | | of 24 hours ago, and then that of 5 minutes ago. |
| employed to make study more successful. | | | | 6. Review after 120 days. Take 3 minutes to review |
| 1. Association: This is probably the most important | | | | the work that was studied 120 days ago, then the |
| and most effective of all the learning techniques, of | | | | work that was studied 30 days ago, before |
| which mnemonics is probably the most commonly | | | | reviewing the work of 7 days ago, then that of 24 |
| used association technique. | | | | hours ago, and then that of 5 minutes ago. |
| 2. Thinking in pictures: One is able to remember much | | | | |