How can I study effectively? How can I understand and retain the incredible amount of material covered in class? What are the best techniques for memorising? And how can I answer my teacher's questions? How can I avoid getting too stressed during a test? Given the number of distraught teenagers faced with a blank sheet of paper at exam time, it seems that the last subject to be taught on the syllabus is «Learning To Learn»...
Article updated on 18 May 2021.
And yet.., learn you have to learn. Some people discover THEIR ideal learning method before others do, but with a little astuteness and perseverance, anyone can achieve it.
Anyone can apply these learning methods and improve their performance.
You can download this free mindmap in XMind format from our Learn to Learn page.
I'll come back to each of these stages in future posts, but let's take a quick look at this 5-phase method. You'll then have a better understanding of how to study effectively.
1. Boost your motivation (To the Getting involved)
Learning starts with motivation. Why do I want to study? Does it come from me? From those around me? My teachers? Why study mathematics?
What are my objectives? What do I want to learn? And in how much time? And how much energy?
All these questions will help you move forward and reduce your stress as you regain some control over your studies. Nothing helps you succeed like success! Get a few things right, take back control. And you'll gain self-confidence and a new desire to go further!
2. Get back in touch with the course (Go to page Contact the course)
Don't wait until the day before the exams to open your course! The same evening, when you get home, open it again. Get back in touch. Remember what the teacher said. Make a few quick notes. Why not draw up a rough mindmap? Something to remind you of the structure of the lesson?
3. Reactivate your memory (Go to page Reactivating your memory)
The secret of memorising is first to understand, then to repeat: it's not a question of learning by heart, but of understanding, of creating links between elements, between parts of the course, between different courses. Recreating a mindmap, This will help you reactivate your memory.
4. Reuse the material (Go to page Reusing materials)
You've stored up a certain amount of information. Now it's time to take it a step further and turn it into actionable knowledge! In other words, make the material your own and link it to what you already know. Activate the areas of your brain that will enable you to answer questions. Present what you know in your own words. Reorganise your knowledge.
To do this, don't just read over and over again. Use your material in a playful way, with hand-made flashcards or with a software like Woflash or as Cérego for example. You can also create your Anki flashcards from an XMind mind map. These software and applications are based on the spaced repetition theory.
By asking questions, by exploring other versions of the same course on the Internet or in a book, by explaining to someone else how it works...
5. Long-term review (Go to page Long-term review)
When you learn new things, your brain creates new connections. It links your new notions to those you already know. But for these connections to stabilise and really become long-term memory, your brain needs about three months. That's the time it needs to consolidate new knowledge. So plan your study early enough to learn the concepts you'll need in the very long term.
Make your brain's task easier: repeat the exercises, vary the points of view, reread your notes, recreate your mental maps, re-explain the most difficult details to your best friend. Enjoy learning!
How can I study effectively? Follow all the steps above!
I'll come back to all these stages and the tools that can be used at each of them. There are many of them, and some will suit you better than others, depending on your personality, your student profile or your preferred sensory channels.
If some of these methods surprise you, don't worry: with a little practice, you'll discover that they work perfectly. And you'll now know how to study effectively. Without wasting time. Without excessive fatigue.
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