study techniques and approaches HOW GOOD IS YOUR MEMORY? Why do some people seem to have good memories and others struggle to remember what day it is? Perhaps, those with good memories have worked out ways of remembering, which suits them best. » Think about how you remember. Answer the following questions in your head: • What was your first day at school like? (episode) • What is your home postcode? (fact) • Where did you have your holiday? (episode) • How do you open a document on the computer? (procedure) • A key concept in your favourite subject (knowledge) Our memory is organised so we can remember facts, episodes, knowledge and procedures. These use different parts of our memory. Certain subjects can be effectively remembered by drawing and labelling diagrams, but this would not be suitable for learning the causes of poverty in the last century where a flow chart may be better. » You may find yourself better at remembering some types of things than others. Can you identify your memory strengths and weaknesses? List two subjects you will be studying (select quite different types of topics) Subject A _______________________________________ Subject B _______________________________________ Memory strategies – what works best for which subject
Subject A
Subject B
Mindmaps, diagrams and flow charts Associations – making links with the information (topic map) Writing out information Remembering information in lists – re-arrange the order of the list so that the first letters of each word on the list make up something silly or amusing – a memorable mnemonic Using shapes and colour Saying the information – to yourself or out aloud Anything else you have found useful The Learning Curve Activity Book 4
27
Discuss and share your ideas with your friends.
Memory techniques Rote-learning (learning chunks of information by heart) may have worked in the past for some exams but this is not really a reliable strategy because there is too much information you have to remember and you are overloading your memory without really understanding the subject. It is difficult to remember bits of information, but when you have found a way to connect them, then you have a deeper understanding and this makes it easier for you to recall the information you need. Mnemonic Devices. Have you tried Mnemonic devices (silent m). They can help to keep the information you want to remember by using a visual image, a sentence, or a word. Mnemonic device
Example
Visual image – match a visual image with a word or name to help you remember them. Use images that are colorful, meaningful and positive will make it be easier to remember or use a 3D model to visualise.
To remember the name and what she’s known for.
Acrostic (or sentence) – Make up a sentence in which the first letter of each word is part of or represents the initial of what you want to remember.
The sentence “Every good boy deserves fruit” to memorise the lines of the treble clef, representing the notes E, G, B, D, and F.
Acronym – An acronym is a word that is made up by taking the first letters of all the key words or ideas you need to remember and creating a new word out of them.
The word “ROY G BIV are the first letters of the colour of the spectrum, (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet).
Rhymes and alliteration – Rhymes, alliteration (a repeating sound or syllable), and even jokes or music are a memorable way to remember more mundane facts and figures.
The rhyme “Thirty days has September, April, June, and November” to remember the months of the year with only 30 days in them.
Chunking – Chunking breaks a long list of numbers or other types of information into smaller, more manageable chunks.
Remembering a 10-digit phone number by breaking it down into three sets of numbers: 555-8675309 (as opposed to5558675309).
Storyline – Imagine placing the items you want to remember along a route you know well or in specific locations in a familiar room or building.
For a shopping list, imagine apples hanging in the tree in your front yard, under the tree is a ball, which rolls down the hill breaking the eggs which run all over the bread.
28
The Learning Curve Activity Book 4
See if you can practise improving your memory. With some friends try using different mnemonics to remember each piece of information. See how you go? 1. Going shopping – eggs, milk, onions, bananas, lettuce, tomatoes, bread. 2. Body’s excretory organs – liver, kidneys, skin, lungs, intestines. 3. Reasons why reciting notes aloud increases memory – gets you involved, provides feedback on what you know, motivation, uses senses in learning, promotes concentration. 4. Factors that affect water evaporation – temperature, area exposed, wind and humidty. 5. General properties of matter – mass, weight, volume and density.
The Learning Curve Activity Book 4
29
What is your digital footprint ? 1. How much time am I spending on these activities? Is a significant part of my life spent online? _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ 2. Do I use language or statements on some of these sites that I wouldn’t use face-toface? _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ 3. Does my behaviour change when online? Is peer pressure a factor in this change? Or is it because I think I am anonymous? _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ 4. Am I aware that my uploads, comments and downloads can be linked to my identity and searched for? Would that change how I behave online? _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ 5. Who might look for information about me online? _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ 6. Are their images, statements or information about me that I would not want to be available to new friends, employers, teachers or my parents? _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ 7. What could happen if my identity was assumed by a friend or stranger and they posted pictures, comments or made downloads using my name? What could they do to your reputation? _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ 40
The Learning Curve Activity Book 4
8. Have I changed how I think about some of my friends or thoughts and opinions from a few years ago? Would I post the same things online now, that I did a few year ago? _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ 9. How do I want to be presented online? What would be the ‘ideal’ digital footprint I want to leave behind? _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ How do you protect your digital reputation? • Think before you post, send or blog! • Treat others as you would like to be treated. • Set your profile to private and check regularly to make sure the settings haven’t changed. • Check the photos tagged by your friends and remove the ones which are not nice. • R emember, your digital footprint could be there forever. Your information could be seen by your potential employer and people you don’t even know. What are three things you would like to change about your digital footprint, if you could? _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________
What are you going to think about when posting? ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________
The Learning Curve Activity Book 4
41
When texting it can send mixed messages, especially when someone is upset, confused or just struggling. How would you reply to these text messages to show your friend you care and offer support. Write your reply...
Hi, not feeling too good today Didn’t do well in my English test... Dad won’t be happy!!
Can I come over? Mum and dad big fight
52
I’m not invited to tonight’s party. Are you going? I’m so SAD!
Life sucks
The Learning Curve Activity Book 4
Mobile phone etiquette: Don’t yell; don’t answer it at the table; do reply to a text; are just a few examples of good manners when using a mobile phone. Discuss with your friends and make a list of do’s and don’ts you think there should be when using a phone or texting?
DO’s
DON’Ts
The Learning Curve Activity Book 4
53
The way the body responses to stress is important and necessary. However, when too much stress builds up, you may start to get many physical and emotional health problems and that’s when it can become a problem. If you don’t deal with stress, the health problems can stay with you and worsen over the course of your life. Try this: make a fist and squeeze really hard for 30 seconds and then let go. How did that feel when you made the fist and then relaxed it? This is like stress in your body, until you try and relieve the stress.
Think of a time when you may have felt stressed in the past two weeks. On the body outline, draw where and how the stress affected you. Draw any pictures or symbols and use any colours you want to choose to illustrate how you feel.
1. Name some of the things that stress you out.
2. What’s the difference between good stress and bad stress? Give some examples.
3. Do you do anything to make the emotional and physical feelings go away when stressed? If so, what?
What are good healthy ways to deal with stress?
76
What are some ‘unhealthy’ ways of dealing with stress?
The Learning Curve Activity Book 4
Family problems, not enough time, trouble with friends – these are just a few of the many things that cause stress. These tips can help. 1. Allow yourself down time – being too busy causes stress. 2. Exercise – it’s a great way to get rid of stress. 3. Get plenty of rest and eat well – this will help you to be able to handle stress better when it does come up. 4. When stress hits big, take time out – a few minutes away from the problem can help, listen to music, watch a movie. 5. Breathe deeply ... slowly in, slowly out – thinking of something pleasant helps your body to relax. 6. Ask for help – discuss your problems with a friend, family member or counsellor; it helps to break down your thoughts and options and reduce your stress. What could you do to help a friend who is stressed?
The Learning Curve Activity Book 4
77