Fear and panic around the exam season disrupt a focused mind that students need the most during these times. The only way to combat this is to follow effective studying techniques that make the process enjoyable and doable. Academic success comes from combining the ability to retain information, understanding what is being taught, and implementing everything strategically. Let us explore 7 secret methods of studying that will help your child attain the level of success they desire.
The following study techniques for students are seven different, tried and tested learning methods. These increase learning potential as they discipline students to a format they're most comfortable following.
When students are taught a chapter during classes in school, their ability to grasp and retain the information is high. The best way to ingrain the concepts into their memory is to repeat the same chapters after returning home the same day. It is an immediate technique to follow up on what is fresh in the memory, and this is where writing helps the most.
It is one of the most effective out of 7 secret methods of studying as your child is always up-to-date with lessons. This is an active recall technique that has to be practiced every school day. Following this helps the child grasp the continuity of the lesson during the following class. It also assists in revision as it is fresh in memory and eases learning.
Writing what they learn not only helps students create study material to revise later, but it also ingrains it into their memory. Anything noted down as soon as learned stays afresh and eases revision.
If shortened attention span is a problem that you know your child is facing, then this studying method is perfect. Out of the 7 secret methods for studying, this one has become most popular as students quickly lose focus.
The concept was first described by German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus in 1885. To follow this, you must repeat what you learn at different intervals to increase the retention potential. The goal is to prevent forgetting the lessons learnt that often happens when students go through chapters and don’t revise regularly.
The regularity of repetition must depend on the time the student is most likely to forget what they learn. If students are familiar with specific topics, they can easily space out the repetition of those chapters. But the ones they find harder to grasp or easily forget, must have frequent repetitions.
Space retention method is not only followed for tough subjects or chapters, but also for the ones that are easy to remember. The only difference is spacing out the intervals to revise the easy subjects while repeating the tough ones more frequently.
Students can learn to study effectively for exams if they practice the Pomodoro method. Moreover, this is one secret method they can carry forward to their professional lives, so starting early is fantastic.
Author Francesco Cirillo invented the Pomodoro technique during the 90's. He owned a tomato-shaped timer to track work in progress, and that's how he devised a productivity hack.
Pomodoro means dividing one task or series of tasks into different intervals with short breaks. A student needs to have a timer for accurate tracking. It works with a table clock, watch, or mobile app, which works best for each individual.
Making Pomodoro work ensures nothing takes away your attention during those 25-minute intervals. So, even if you have to receive a call or reply to a text, this is not the time to do that. In fact, a student should not jump from one subject to another during this time. Pomodoro is perfect for completing writing tasks, so apart from learning, doing homework and making notes works well with this technique.
Mind mapping isn't the most straightforward form of learning because it requires visual representations within our brains. One can use a white board to note down the mind map. However, this is not the ideal way to follow the technique. Following the original method makes your brain do all the work, so you’re constantly taking mental notes.
It is recommended for students in higher classes to solve complex equations. It works well when decoding concepts like organic chemistry, physics, and mathematics.
Mind mapping begins with a primary category that requires further subdivisions. Suppose organic chemistry is the main subject that you’re trying to focus on. The first step would be to think about the main topic and then recall the categories to test how well you remember them.
Mind mapping activates both brain hemispheres and tests our capacity to understand and retain what we learn. It is one of the most effective studying methods if students can use it to enhance their productivity. However, if it feels difficult to mind map, it is always okay to note them down on a whiteboard.
American theoretical physicist Richard Feynman discovered an interesting learning technique to broaden the horizons of our brain. While this might be time-consuming, it ensures that the one who follows it never forgets what they learn. Known as the “teach to learn” method, in this technique, one learns something only to simplify it for someone else.
For example, as a parent, if you can ask your child to teach you what they learned at school the same day, they take accountability as they know they’re not only learning for themselves but for someone else. The thought of accountability takes away the compulsion to learn only to pass tests. It becomes a lifestyle pattern that makes studies interesting.
Most students love to act like teachers, as that's one role they'd happily reverse. Making them accountable for passing on the knowledge keeps them on their toes.
The Feynman Technique is helpful for parents to improve pedagogical skills. It also enhances vocabulary skills and clears communication. However, it requires an active collaboration of another interested individual. So, parents must constantly attend to their child's use of this skill.
Gamifying learning is one of the best out of the 7 secrets methods for studying because it doesn’t feel like a task anymore. This is an effective method for students who find difficulty, lack of interest, or feel frightened to open their books.
Using common game elements and applying them while studying makes the process enjoyable. It does not have a set of rules, but the ones you want to apply to make it easy for you. For example, you can use points and badges to create rewards for your child whenever they successfully learn something.
Using rewards to fuel their motivation keeps them spearheaded toward their goals. But the rewards have to be things that they look forward to achieving. It could be a present, their favorite meal, extra screen time, and more.
Gamifying the process increases their ability to challenge themselves. It increases focus, helps them keep track, and reduces distractions. Students also realize that they only get rewarded when they work towards achieving what is due to them. So, it teaches them accountability and helps them get better every day.
One of the basic things we often miss out on is optimizing the learning environment to maximize productivity. Whatever study method you choose, everything fails if the mind isn't ready to grasp what the child must learn.
A study room should be decluttered and clean at all times. It should not have multiple objects that can create a distraction. The student must eat at appropriate intervals because our brain only functions when we have adequate nutrition and are well hydrated. Students must not have distractive elements like their smartphones around them during those times. It is also recommended that they avoid noise, as silence improves concentration.
Out of the 7 secret methods for studying, the last one is of prime importance. Without practicing a clean and healthy study environment, every routine will fail. At DPWS Barasat, we promote holistic learning and prioritize skill development that goes beyond academics.
Helping students find different ways to make their learning process easier is what we’re rooting for. We encourage parents to actively support such gamification of education to make learning not a task but a way of life. To be a part of our growing community, be a part of the change by joining our team.
The 7 secret study methods include:
Removing distractions and calming the mind is the only way to focus on studies completely. While removing physical forms of distractions is easy, taming the monkey mind is hard. For this, students must indulge in activities that burn out their energy and then sit to study with complete focus. An active body helps tame a hyperactive mind.
The only way to focus within 5 minutes is to remove all distractions that come in the way of productive learning. Anything distracting you from your goals will prevent you from giving your undivided attention. Also, students should not try to multitask across subjects. It is best to complete one subject at a time and move to another.
