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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Types of reading – part 1

Myths

There are many myths about reading, they include:

  • Word for word reading always helps comprehension
  • You should always try to remember 100% of what you have read
  • Reading with a pointer (like your finger) is an unsophisticated technique and invariably slows you down or shows you are poor at reading
  • Reading slowly is the only way to fully understand.

None of these are true – in fact, the opposite is true in all cases.

There are many techniques that you can use to develop your reading style and the way you read should be chosen to suit the task. Let us take a look at some types of reading.

Rapid survey

This is also known as “previewing”. You begin by checking what you are reading – a rapid glance is all that it entails. You give yourself quick answers to the following questions:

  • Is it what I need? 
  • Is it up to date? 
  • Is it right for the task? 
  • Are all the contents relevant – or only some? 

Sampling

Sampling requires you to examine the contents of what you are reading in slightly more depth than rapid survey. So typically, you would look at the introduction and headings of the material, skim over the content of each and establish in your mind the:

  • Relevance of the content
  • Usefulness of the content
  • Suitability of the content

Skim reading

This technique is used to gain a general overview of a subject. The idea of skim reading is to end up with a high-level picture of what the materials are all about. It requires you to glance over the content, get a feel or a flavour for it and extract key points.

Scanning

In contrast to skim reading, which is about acquiring a general idea of a subject, scanning is a means of obtaining information about a specific subject. This technique is very much about being single-minded. It is best illustrated by using an example.

Let us imagine you are tracing your family tree and you need to find the name of your great grandparents on the census reports. You will look first for the relevant date period and then the relevant district. You will then scroll through the various lists of names until you see your own family name.

You have eliminated all the other information on the census page because it is not relevant to you. You have homed in on the entry you need.

If you had been skim reading the census report, you would, by contrast, have been aiming to get a general feel for the way the report is structured and recorded, the different street names and family names, rather than simply your own.