How to study enghlish 9 pps

HOW TO STUDY 26 and follow the order of events. Similarly, you make sense of what you’re studying if you can make an image of it and put it in order. Understanding imagery and order makes what you’re studying clearer to you. Even figuring out a math problem is something you do in different ways. The problem “5 x 2” has a lot more meaning if you “see” five branches of a pear tree with two pears on each branch. You use order in solving that same problem by putting (“seeing”) the two groups of five together to make ten. You may be someone who thinks best by putting things in order (a sequential thinker), or by using images (a global thinker). But even if those aren’t your strengths, almost everything you study requires some images and some order, and you’ll be a better learner by strengthening these styles. TIPS FOR EVERYONE ON IMAGES AND ORDER U SING IMAGERY The concrete world is made up of images. But not everyone can use their senses to “see” images in a book or on a tape. To know if you’re really understanding the imagery of what you’re reading or listening to, draw a map or a picture of what you see or hear. Is your image complete? If it’s vague or missing something, you may need more information. If so, go back to the text or tape again. USING ORDER Order is the result of connections; if you discover connections between different events or facts, you’ll most likely be able to put them in some sort of order. To know if you’re understanding the order of what you’re reading or listening to, make a list of events and number them in the order they occur. Or make a timeline: draw a line and write in or draw events in the order they occur. If you need more information to complete your list or timeline, review the text or audiotape. 1. 2. 3. Seeing Images vs. Seeing Order Lilly and Amelia work together as paralegals. They just started a pre-law program at their local college. In her office cubicle, Lilly has her files arranged around her in open wire baskets of different colors. Lilly is an image thinker; she can only learn something if she can picture it in her head. She associates images with other images in a comprehensive way that doesn’t follow a specific order. This way of thinking is also called global thinking. When writing a paper, Lilly begins by drawing a picture of what she wants to say or imagining the pic- ture in her head. Lilly needs to hold on to the images in her head that produce her ideas. Amelia’s files are kept in drawers in both alphabetical and numerical order. Amelia can only learn something effectively if she can understand an order, or sequence, to it. Amelia is a sequential learner. She begins her paper by writing an outline. She might change the outline somewhat as the paper progress- es, but she needs to work with her sense of order. If Lilly were required to make an outline, and Amelia to draw a picture, they probably would not get as much out of writ- ing the paper as if their styles were reversed. MAKING IMAGES, MAKING ORDER, MAKING SENSE 27 ARE YOU AN IMAGE THINKER OR A SEQUENTIAL THINKER? IMAGE THINKERS How can you tell if you think best by imagining things in pictures? Answer the following questions and find out. • Do you remember people’s faces well? • If you leave bills or receipts in different places, do you usually remember where they are? • When watching a sports event, do you usually see in your head what might happen next? Find Out! HOW TO STUDY 28 • Do you usually like to fuss with the way something is arranged, such as furniture or flowers? • Are you apt to notice if a picture is not hung straight? If you answered yes to at least three of the above, you probably think in images. You learn more powerfully by the pictures you see in your mind. SEQUENTIAL THINKERS How can you tell if you think best by putting an order to things? Answer the following questions and find out: • Is it easy for you to be on time for an appointment? • Do you like to do crossword puzzles? • Do your friends or family tell you you’re good at filling out forms? • Do you file bills or receipts you want to save in a certain order? • Does your watch have the actual time? If you answered yes to at least three of the above, you’re probably a strong sequential thinker. You just naturally seem to know the order of things. Or, maybe in some ways you learn sequentially, and in other ways you learn globally, with images. Only you learn like you. TIPS FOR IMAGE THINKERS Lilly and Amelia like studying together. Lilly relates what she’s studying to what she already knows in very broad ways, often in ways that would not occur to Amelia. Lilly is what’s called a global thinker. When Lilly is trying to understand a text that focuses on order, she uses imagery to help her understand the order of events. History class was a challenge for her. “All those dates!” she exclaimed. “They don’t make sense to me.” She focused on the pictures that came to mind first. Then, she put the pictures in an order, like making a cartoon. She associated dates with the pictures. She used imagery to understand the order of events. Find Out! MAKING IMAGES, MAKING ORDER, MAKING SENSE 29 Here are some tips to help you if you learn best by thinking in images: • To make the most of reading: Take notes by drawing pictures that come to mind or describing the pictures in your head into a tape recorder. • To make the most of writing: Describe the pictures in your head on paper or into a recorder, and then write what you play back. TIPS FOR SEQUENTIAL THINKERS Amelia sees connections in an order that might be based on time or importance. In either case, she naturally thinks in an orderly way. Amelia is what’s called a sequential thinker. She notes events and puts them in a sequence to understand them. When Amelia is trying to understand a text that focuses on imagery, she uses her sense of order. Her poetry class was a challenge—all those descriptions! She turned her reading into a kind of detective story, asking herself: “What happened first? Then what happened? What next? What led up to the ending?” It was her sense of sequence that allowed her to create pictures in her head of what happened. If you learn best by thinking in order: • To make the most of reading: Write and re-write your notes in list or outline form, putting details under major topic headings. If you’re using a tape recorder, read your list into it. As you play it back, listen to any changes you want to make so that the order is clearer or stronger for you. • To make the most of writing: List or outline what you want to say. Your outline might be a series of questions. If so, put similar questions together to form categories. If you’re using a tape recorder to get started, read your questions into it, play it back and re-record any changes that make the order clearer to you. 1. 2. 3. HOW TO STUDY 30 IN SHORT There are two general ways to make sense of what you’re studying: 1. Understand the imagery of what you’ve read or heard. Make pictures in your head. Go back to the text for information to make the pictures clearer. 2. Understand the order in what you’ve read or heard. Number events or make a timeline that shows you the order of events. If you’re a global thinker, you think more in pictures and make connec- tions that don’t necessarily follow a certain order. If you’re a sequential thinker, your connections are based on time or importance. Practice Tips Use imagery and order the next time you study. After you read, draw what pictures come to mind. Then, go back and number events as they occur—on the text, if it’s yours, in your notebook if it’s not. Make a timeline of the events. Go back to the text for any information you need to make your picture and timeline clearer. 31 CHAPTER 5 LEARNING BY DOING When you experience something first-hand, you’re a more active learner than when you just watch or listen to someone else’s experience. Also, being involved in an activity can trigger thinking. Some people learn better when they’re doing something or when a part of them is moving; these people are kinesthetic learners. This chapter shows you how active learning is important, no matter what your learning style. It also shows you how to use movement and doing to study more effectively. H ow did you learn to ride a bike? To dance? To speak? You learned by doing. Nothing can replace the physical act of doing the thing you’re trying to learn. Participating in a dance class forces the dancer to experience the move- ments she is trying to learn, thereby accelerating her learning process. Passively watching a dance recital may help her decide what kind of expertise she wants to acquire; however, she will not become an accom- plished dancer by simply observing. . shows you how active learning is important, no matter what your learning style. It also shows you how to use movement and doing to study more effectively. H ow did you learn to ride a bike? To. together to form categories. If you’re using a tape recorder to get started, read your questions into it, play it back and re-record any changes that make the order clearer to you. 1. 2. 3. HOW. Out! HOW TO STUDY 28 • Do you usually like to fuss with the way something is arranged, such as furniture or flowers? • Are you apt to notice if a picture is not hung straight? If you answered yes to