Private: Learning Essentials – Learning to Learn

Lesson 1 – How to improve your reading skills
12 Topics
Introduction and overview
What is “reading”?
Types of reading – part 1
Types of reading – part 2
Speed reading – part 1
Speed reading – part 2
Managing your environment
SQ3R
Reading electronic materials
Summary
End of lesson activities
End of lesson assessment
Lesson 2 – How to Improve your Memory and Mental Agility
11 Topics | 1 Quiz
Introduction and overview
The Relevance of Memory to Learning and Work
Memory in a Nutshell
Knowing Your Mind
“The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”
Recitation
Mind maps and Mnemonics
Practical Tips for Improvement
Forgetting
Summary
End of lesson activities
End of lesson assessment
Lesson 3 – How to improve your study skills
12 Topics
Introduction and overview
Preparation
Learning styles
Principles of planning for study
A study plan
A model for study
Resources and information sources
Concentrating on your study
Motivation
Summary
End of lesson activities
End of lesson assessment
Lesson 4 – How to Improve Your Time Management for Learning Skills
12 Topics
Introduction and overview
Learner Competencies
Planning Part 1 – Principles
Planning Part 2 – Scheduling
Goal setting for learning
Action Planning and To Do Lists
Prioritisation
Obstacles to achievement
PDPs and CPD
Summary
End of lesson activities
End of lesson assessment
Lesson 5 – How to Improve Your Exam Skills
12 Topics
Introduction and Overview
Knowing About The Exam
Exam Preparation – The Practicalities
Revision – A Timetable
Revision Techniques
Exam Papers
Before The Exam Dealing With Nerves
Problems With Exams and Some Solutions
Maximising Exam Performance
Summary
End of Lesson Activities
End of Lesson Assessment
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Introduction and overview

The aim of this lesson is to show you how it is possible to change and control the way you read in order to suit a situation and get the best out of it. When you get to the end you will be able to:

  • List and describe several different types of reading style and be able to apply the principles of each
  • Select from different types of reading to suit your circumstances and the material
  • Discuss methods of improving retention and comprehension from reading for either work or study purposes
  • Identify environmental factors that can improve reading performance

Type of reading material

Spend some time reflecting on how you read different materials:

  • A study text for an exam subject
  • A TV listing
  • A piece of junk mail
  • A letter from the hospital informing the dates of an operation

Most of us choose – consciously or otherwise – a type of reading that we think suits the content.

For example, we are likely to read very carefully a letter from the hospital as it concerns our health and is probably important to us.

We will probably scan through a piece of junk mail, read rapidly through the TV listings until we find the programme we want and read a study text with a view to retaining as much information as possible to later reproduce in an exam.

We can see there are lots of different ways to read. Maybe your chosen style of reading perfectly matches the materials you have in your hand? Maybe you select a reading style automatically or carefully by design?

As we progress through this course we will give you hints and tips on making sure your chosen approach is the correct one. We will see how, if we consciously choose a type of reading, we can capitalise on our memory and our time.