Teentalk

Do you know your preferred learning style, or do you know what one is? A learning style is an individual’s approach to learning based on strengths, weaknesses, and preferences. And knowing yourself as a learner is important if you want to attain to the best of your abilities. When it comes to information processing, your brain is the most important part of your body as that’s where all the thinking, learning, and decision-making takes place.

So what’s my learning style?

Information enters your brain in three main ways: sight, hearing, and touch. By examining your learning style, you’ll become aware of how your brain learns best. And when you know how you learn best, you can also communicate more effectively with your instructors. It’s important to note that everyone learns through various ways; however, most people have a single predominant learning style. It can be typically broken down into three major categories:

Visual: Processing with your eyes

• Prefers to read or write rather than listen
• Enjoys reading for knowledge
• Can easily follow written directions
• Has trouble remembering verbal instruction

Auditory: Processing with your ears

• Prefers to follow verbal instruction and enjoy group discussions
• Remembers by listening, especially music
• Reads with whispering lip movements
• Finds it difficult to work quietly for long periods of time

Kinetic: Processing by doing

• Needs to move, tap, swing or bound a leg in order to stay focused
• Often needs frequent breaks during studying
• Learns spelling by “finger spelling” the words
• Often takes notes or even draws pictures or doodle while listening

Each learning style has its own strengths and limitations. But if you know your limitations, you can extend your abilities and reach your highest potential.

Study Tips Based on Learning Style:

Visual : Draw pictures and diagrams in the margins while reading and write out questions you are working on. Underlining and highlight text as you read and make flashcards for studying (use different colored cards). Make notes to help with recall. Preview a chapter before reading it by first looking at the pictures and section headings.

Auditory : Listen to the words you read and read aloud or talk through the information. Record lectures, tutoring and study group sessions, etc. Make up and repeat rhymes to remember facts, dates, and names. Study in groups and particulate in class discussions and debates. After you read a section, summarize it out loud.

Kinetic : Walk while reading and listen to recordings of lectures and notes. Engage your fingers while studying by tracing words and re-writing sentences to learn key facts or have music in the background.

It’s important to identify and understand your learning style in order to engage successfully with changing teaching methods. Once you’ve recognized your learning style, you can adjust the way you study and possibly improve your grades and overall productivity.

It is usually during exams or while preparing for exams that students face deprivation of sleep. Either naturally or they shorten their sleeping time so that they can dedicate more time for studies. Little do they know that reducing sleep time will only create further problems and may also cause dizziness and uneasiness in them.

• Fix a bedtime and an awakening time. Do not be one of those people who allow bedtime and awakening time to drift. The body "gets used" to falling asleep at a certain time, but only if this is relatively fixed. Even if you are retired or not working, this is an essential component of good sleeping habits.
• Avoid napping during the day. If you nap throughout the day, it is no wonder that you will not be able to sleep at night. Afternoon nap isn’t bad only if you limit the nap time to 30-45 minutes. This will give you energy for the evening and also you’ll be able to sleep well at night.
• Avoid caffeinated drinks 4-6 hours before bedtime. This includes beverages too such as coffee, tea and many sodas.
• Avoid heavy, spicy, or sugary foods 4-6 hours before bedtime- These can affect your ability to stay asleep.
• Exercise regularly, but not right before bed - Regular exercise, particularly in the afternoon, can help deepen sleep. Strenuous exercise within the 2 hours before bedtime, however, can decrease your ability to fall asleep.
• Use comfortable bedding. Uncomfortable bedding can prevent good sleep. Evaluate whether or not this is a source of your problem, and make appropriate changes.
• Find a comfortable temperature setting for sleeping and keep the room well ventilated. If your bedroom is too cold or too hot, it can keep you awake. A cool (not cold) bedroom is often the most conducive to sleep.
• Block out all distracting noise, and eliminate as much light as possible.
• Reserve the bed for sleep. Don’t use the bed as study table or recreation room. Let your body "know" that the bed is associated with sleeping.
• Try a light snack before bed. Warm milk and foods high in the amino acid tryptophan, such as bananas, may help you to sleep.
• Practice relaxation techniques before bed. Relaxation techniques such as yoga, deep breathing and others may help relieve anxiety and reduce muscle tension.
• Don’t take your worries to bed. Leave your worries about job, school, daily life, etc., behind when you go to bed. Some people find it useful to assign a "worry period" during the evening or late afternoon to deal with these issues.
• Establish a pre-sleep ritual. Pre-sleep rituals, such as a warm bath or a few minutes of reading, can help you sleep.
• Get into your favourite sleeping position. If you don’t fall asleep within 15–30 minutes, get up, go into another room, and read until sleepy.