Understanding-yourself-as-a-learner-John-Munro-Booklet-Feb-2011

You can learn it:Understanding yourself as a learner John Munro EdAssist, Hawthorn, 3122 © John Munro, 1999

How to use this Resource:There are a series of activities throughout the Booklet which occur in sequence with the informationbeing covered.If you wish to undertake the activities separately, they have been extracted for you, as a separatedocument. However, please note that some activities may not be used as stand alone.CONTENTS PageOverview of Resource –Understanding Learning: Learning to analyse yourself as a learner 3Part 1: What do you need to do when you learn? 4 Activity: Things that affect how you learn 4 Activity: How to use this Framework 5 Activity: Improving your Learning 6Part 2: Understanding how you learn: Abstract word learning or imagery learning? 7 Activity: How do you prefer to think? 10Part 3: Understanding how you learn: Fine detail or big picture learning? 13 Activity: Are you a big picture learner or a fine detail learner? 15 Activity: Your learning profile (1) 16 Activity: Your learning profile (2) 17Part 4: Organising yourself as a learner 18 Activity: Getting your knowledge ready to change – getting ready to learn 19 Activity: Managing your learning most effectively 22 Activity: Improving learning episodes 25 Activity: Know your preferred physical conditions for learning 29Part 5: Things that stop me from learning or studying 31 Activity: Analyse how efficiently you learn 32Part 6: Learn by doing tasks 34 Activity: Being an effective listener 34 Activity: Things that can stop me from learning or studying and things I can do 39Part 7: Remembering what you have learnt 40 Activity: What do you do to remember information long term? 40Part 8: Planning for the exam 45 2You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Understanding Learning: Learning to analyse yourself as a learner 3The aim of these sessions is to help you:  optimise how efficiently you learn, to make every learning event a winning post.  transfer, generalise and use what you have leant, get maximum mileage from what you know.  show what you have learnt, let your teachers/examiners see what you know.The pathway we will follow: Understand learning What to do when learning is difficult Know yourself as a learner  Motives for learning  Personal learning profile  How I control my learning  Your learning style affects how you learn Know the knowledge you need to learn  Engaging what you know about a topic  Drawing network, concept maps, brain storm directed questions  Strategies for summarising  Planning a pathway through a topic  Plotting your progress  Review and consolidate.  Value add, elaborate what you know Manage your thinking space  Thinking space capacity  How much information can you handle while learning  Enhance concentration, on-task attention  Increase short term memory Organise yourself as learner  Short term, long term, episode goals  Managing learning episodes  Action plans to achieve goals.  Develop commitment schedule Learn by doing tasks  Efficient listening  Efficient reading and writing  Efficient use of the Internet Use long term memory  Storing information in memory  Practise retrieving information Preparing for examinations, tests  Getting knowledge ready to show, streamline, revise, automatise  Learning to read assessment situations  Align what you know with test conditions  How learning style affects revision  Making the exam work for you, using the exam to show what you know  Practise retrieving information. What to do if retrieval is difficultYou Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Name:Part 1: What do you need to do when you learn?Things that affect how you learnWhat things affect the ways you learn? Think of two things you learnt recently, something you learnt well andsomething you didn't learn as well. What things do you think made a difference between the two situations?Situation in which you learnt well: Situation in which you didn’t learn well:What do you do to learn? Read the following and discover what a weka is.(Note why you made this decision and what you did to learn more about wekas) What is a weka?When white settlers and explorers first arrived, the weka was their constant companion. It would follow them asthey made their journeys through the bush. Wherever they camped, the weka would enter their tents and takeaway any small objects that attracted their attention. Although now not as plentiful, the weka continues to play animportant role in nature. It is the policeman of the bush, keeping the number of rats and mice under control. Itroams the forests, the swamps the sand-dunes and the scrublands by night, endlessly searching for food. Almostsmall animal can become part of its diet. Insects, eggs of ground-nesting birds, small fish in the shallows, smallrabbits and small fruits are consumed. It is a large animal, coloured brown with mottled black markings andproduces a shrill, high-pitched cry.What do you think a weka is? ______________________________________________What did you do in order to decide? _________________________________________Why do you think this? ______________________________________________________Things you can do to learn best:  know your purpose or reason for learning, the question you want to answer, what you want to know or do  visualise what you will end up with, what you will be able to do  use what you know, get this ready to change  develop a pathway for yourself to your outcome  earn the new idea in specific situations, make little changes at a time, get feedback for how you are going  make what you have learnt more abstract, general and link it with other things you know  review, consolidate what you have learnt  link positive feelings with the new ideas; see they are useful, interesting  see what you did to help you learn it, what ways of thinking helped you  see yourself making progress, moving along your pathway, getting somewhere  store the new knowledge in long term memory and link it with what you know  apply and use it in a range of situations,  automatise it and  get if ready for display in assessment contexts 4You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Name: How to use this FrameworkKey learning action Example of each – how each What if you don’t do the action helps you to learn action?Know your purpose orreason for learningVisualise where youwill end upUse what you knowDevelop a pathway toyour goalLearn the new idea inspecific situationsLearn the idea in moreabstract waysReview, consolidatewhat you have learntLink positive feelingswith the new ideasSee what you did tohelp you learn itSee yourself makingprogressStore new knowledgein long term memoryApply it in new waysAutomatise itGet it ready for displayThese are things we all need to do to learn efficiently. However, we do them in different ways.In the next section we will look at the different ways in which people do these things.You can do this to see how well you are learning in the different aspects. 5You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Name: Improving your learningSelect a subject in which you would like to improve.The first thing you need to do is look at what you are doing now. Rate yourself on how well you do each of thefollowing:Subject you have selected:When you are learning this subject, how often do you: Never Sometimes AlwaysHave a clear purpose or reason in your mind for learning topics in it, for ❏❏ ❏example, a specific question you want to answer?Have a clear idea of what you will end up knowing or be able to do? ❏❏ ❏ ❏❏ ❏See a pathway to follow to get to the outcome? ❏❏ ❏Find it relatively easy to make sense of the teaching by using what you ❏❏ ❏know? ❏❏ ❏Find you can control and direct your own learning in this subject? ❏❏ ❏Learn it “on your own terms” - making small changes at a time? ❏❏ ❏ ❏❏ ❏Get useful feedback for seeing how you are going in this subject? ❏❏ ❏ ❏❏ ❏Find it easy to learn the more abstract, general aspects of this subject? ❏❏ ❏ ❏❏ ❏Review and summarise what you have learnt? ❏❏ ❏ ❏❏ ❏Link and consolidate what you have learnt with other topics? ❏❏ ❏ ❏❏ ❏Link positive feelings with the new ideas you learn?Take account of the ways of thinking that helped you to learn best?See yourself making progress see that you are getting somewhere?Find it easy to remember what you have learnt in this subject?Practise what you have already learnt in this subject?Find it easy to apply and use what you have learnt in other situations?Show what you have learnt in assessment tasks?What might you do to improve learning in this subject in the future? 6You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Part 2: Understanding how you learn: Abstract word learning or imagery learning? People learn in different ways. Why do you need to know about this?  The teaching you get at school matches some ways of learning more than others. Some learning styles find it easier to learn school work that others.  How you remember what you have learnt depends on your approach to learning.  How well you do in assignments and exams depends on how you learn. There are several aspects of a student's learning style:  Whether you learn and think more in words and abstract ideas or in pictures and actions  Whether you think more in a bit by bit way or more in a big-picture way  How you manage and control your learning Do you think and learn more in abstract words or in images and actions? When we learn new ideas, we can think about them in different ways: Imagery VerbalWe learn about the new ideas in We learn the new ideas as a rule thatparticular situations as mental we say over to ourselves; we learnimages. We imagine the new ideas. the new ideas as words in a rule.Although most people do both, we usually do more of one than the other.The following article is taken from the Student Update section of The Age 29/8/94: How can you discover what your learning style is? Although there are tests that claim to help you to here, most are not very useful. You get a more accurate impression by putting together a picture of how you learn. To do this you need to know what you should look for. Then you can select what describes best how you learn. Learning by using language: Some students learn best when they use language. They think in words and learn by putting ideas into their own words, saying ideas in different ways, discussing, arguing, debating and using spoken explanations. They often talk to themselves about what they are learning and remember best ideas presented verbally. They are good at explaining, arguing and analysing in words. This is a verbal learning preference. Learning by applying scientific logic: Some students learn best when they apply scientific logic to what they are learning. They think by using abstract concepts and symbols. They analyse patterns, make 'objective' observations, draw conclusions and formulate hypotheses as well as applying general rules to situations. They look for logic, order and consistency, in what they are learning. They find it easy to follow and understand mathematics and scientific ideas and to use scientific-type formulae. They prefer things to be organized and logical. This is a mathematical learning preference. Learning by making images: Some people prefer to learn by making images of what they are learning. The ideas are linked together in mental pictures either of real-life, everyday contexts or imaginary, created contexts. Ideas in an episode are linked in space or time. They can 'look at an idea' in their mind from different perspectives, make 7You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

predictions about it, move it around and imagine acting on it and changing it in various ways. This approach helps people to think in wholes. Pieces of information are ‘slotted' into a mental picture; the context provides 'hooks' on which ideas can be hung. This is an imagery learning preference. Learning by using actions: Some people learn best by using actions to represent ideas. Each concept and relationship has its own action. Actions often have a direction and an intensity or strength. Some people understand the emotions, for example, by the actions that show their meaning rather than by words or mental images. The concept 'love' may be represented by a strong upward action, the concept 'like' by a weaker upward action and the concept 'adore' by a stronger upward action. Mathematical and scientific ideas can be understood through actions. When learning about graphs students can move their finger to map out a straight line or parabola. Chemical reactions can be represented by imagining each particle moving in the reaction. Commerce students can think of credits and debits as opposite actions. This type of thinking is often referred to as a 'mechanical' or kinaesthetic learning preference. Pupils preferring this format often learn best with their hands and have difficulty remembering the names of things. Learning by using rhythm: Some people learn by using rhythm, repetition, rhyme and rote. What is learnt is a total image or complete episode. Its components can be used only by taking apart the episode and looking for patterns between the items. Learning poetry, coding systems, mnemonic systems such as SOHCAHTOA, embedding ideas in a tune, are examples of this. Learning by using emotions: Some people learn ideas by using emotions. They link moods and feelings with ideas being learnt. Learning by over-using their cultural, historical, social or religious values and beliefs: Some people learn and understand new ideas by using their existing historical, social, cultural or religious knowledge. Cultural, historical religious affiliations may for example, build different interpretations of the same ideas. One culture may encourage a greater degree of unquestioning acceptance of an idea than another. One religious faith may assume that two concepts are necessarily linked in a cause-effect way while another rejects this. Some societies assume a gender difference in learning particular ideas, for example, that males have a greater right to mathematics learning than females.Each way of learning is an 'ideas garden bed'. There are a few things we need to keep in mind about them:  most of us don't learn new ideas in use just one garden bed but at least two or three, depending on what we are learning.  we all use some ideas beds more easily than others. If you know your preferred beds you can use them more easily to build difficult ideas.  different subjects are often learnt in different beds.  when you have to show what you know about a topic, for example, in an essay, a test or a demonstration, the garden bed in which you've grown it matters. To write an essay or talk about what you've learnt, it is best that you grow the idea in the verbal garden bed. If you prefer to make mental pictures as you read, you may need to grow the idea first in the imagery bed and then spend time putting these into words in the verbal bed. 8You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Each of the garden beds allows you to think about the ideas in different ways:  to learn rules and procedures  say them in words or write formulae  to use in real-life situations  visualize them in the contexts or imagine the actions that go with them  to think creatively about ideas  visualize and imagine them in different contextsIf you have an imagery preference for learning:  Make mental pictures when you read or listen. \"Print\" the ideas in your mind.  When you have to answer questions in class, give yourself time to put the images into words. Remember the first few words you say may be 'verbal junk'.  As you learn the ideas, talk to yourself about them. Link words with the images you make.  Organise key ideas you have to learn by using pictures.  Remember things by thinking about what they looked like.  Make sure you record ideas first in pictures and then write things down.  Learn the language that each subject uses to describing the ideas. You can - read aloud regularly key parts of your text books - do dictation from your main text books regularly  Practise learning in the other ways.If you have a verbal or mathematical preference for learning:  Say over to yourself what you hear, see and read.  Attend to particular examples and details of ideas; you may easily forget or overlook them.  Imagine the ideas in particular situations and examples for ideas.  Listen for key ideas and try to relate other ideas to these; try to fit ideas together.  Use audio cassettes where possible; tape record important material.  Remember things by thinking about what you heard, saying over to yourself what you heard.  When you have to apply or use ideas, take time to imagine in particular situations.  Practise learning in the other ways.If you have an action preference for learning:  Use concrete, real-life or pictorial models. Where possible, act on these. Move parts of the models around, talk to yourself about them.  Draw pictures of the models that you use, or talk to yourself about them.  To help you remember ideas, think of the actions you did, do the actions with your hands.  When you hear things, focus on the actions that are being done.  Anticipate the outcomes of actions, eg, \"What would this look like after I've acted on it?\"  When you learn new ideas, think of the actions that they do or the actions that go with them. 9You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Name: How do you prefer to think?Read each description below. Decide how well it describes how you think. Tick the appropriate box. Types of thinking Never AlwaysUsing verbal thinking; Do you: 1 23 4 5 Think and make sense of ideas by talking about them? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Debate, discuss, argue to make links and think in words rather than pictures? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Often need to talk to yourself as you are thinking, have a conversation with yourself? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Often imagine people talking about what you are thinking? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ Remember information best when it is said or written? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ Recognize verbal-linguistic flaws in information? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ Often find it harder to handle nonverbal information, for example, do you miss or payless ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ attention to body language and pictorial information that are difficult to put words? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ Have difficulty using what you know in practical situations to solve real-life problems? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ Need time to put your ideas into actions? ❑ ❑Using mathematical thinking; Do you: ❑ Prefer to think using abstract concepts and symbols such as maths? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ Use 'scientific logic' or reasoning to think about ideas in other areas? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ Reason inductively and deductively in many situations? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ Analyse information using mathematical-type logic and look for patterns? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ Make objective observations, draw conclusions and formulate hypotheses, apply general ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ rules to situations rather than work in particulars, operate subjectively? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ Look for logic, order and consistency in information for example, cause and effect? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ Find it easy to follow and use mathematics and scientific-type formulae? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ Prefer things to be organized and logical? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ Have a 'logical' or 'scientific mind'? ❑Using imagery thinking; Do you: ❑ Think about ideas by making mental pictures and images of them? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ Link ideas based on where and when they occur, rather than on their general properties? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ Notice how things look and remember colours, shapes and how things are arranged? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ Often assume that ideas that occur in the same event or episode are related? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ Think in wholes by slotting specific pieces of information into an overall mental picture, look ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ ❑for bits of information to finish off a mental picture? ❑ ❑ Remember a set of items by visualizing them? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ Have difficulty putting your ideas into words or symbols automatically and need time to make ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑these translations? Become easily distracted or not concentrate well when dealing with verbal information? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ Have difficulty following abstract arguments and explanations, particularly when these Ideas ❑ ❑❑ ❑are not easily visualized? Combine ideas in idiosyncratic ways that might seem 'illogical' at the time?Using action thinking; Do you: Make sense of or understand ideas by using characteristic actions to represent them? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ Do actions to help you think about complex information that you hear or see? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ Show „mechanical thinking‟; you think will with your hands? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ Use actions to help you remember the names of things? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ Have difficulty showing what you know in words or symbols; you need time to translate your ❑ ❑❑ ❑ action knowledge into words?Using rhythmic thinking; Do you: Think by using rhythm, repetitive patterns and rhyme and sound patterns? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ Learn ideas by rote or by chanting? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ Find it easiest to recall an idea when you embed it in a tune or rhythm? ❑ ❑❑ ❑ 10You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Recording your knowledgeNot only do learners need to learn new ideas, they also need to move ideas from one form to another. Thiscan be needed in various situations, for example: A student has formed his knowledge of a novel in imagesHe needs to write about it in an essay. He needs to learn more about it by listening and discussesA student has formed her knowledge of how animals breathe in words and rulesShe needs to use it in dealing with She needs to see how animals areparticular problems, suggest solutions similar and different in how they breatheIn each of these situations the students need to „recode‟ their understanding to another form.ideas in your mindimagery knowledge put images into  write about knowledgeverbal knowledge words  answer question tasks  essay describing taught knowledge put words into contexts, images  apply ideas in particular situations  be creative  suggest possibilitiesRecoding your images into wordsAfter you have learnt a topic you can:  talk about images, symbols or formulae, say them aloud paraphrase them, take time to put your ideas in your own words  say how they are similar to and different from other things you know. List the key features of each concept. Look at how one main idea is different from similar ideas.  say questions they answer. Pretend you are being interviewed re the topic. What questions might you be asked? Pretend you are the interviewer. What questions might you ask?  say how you might use them in the future  summarise the ideas, select key concepts, outline key ideas or main theme of a topic(suggest a title or headline), say the meanings of key words in more general, abstract ways, organise ideas around a topic  predict new ideas from your images, discuss alternative outcomes, why particular events occurred, what might happen in the future, how they might change,  explain links between the ideas, explain cause and effect in situations, why particular things happen, debate them and give reasons to support your position.  say the words you might expect to hear in a discussion, for example, in an English topic.  put ideas into a story form.  work with other students; first write down all you know, then pair with another student, pool your lists and select the 5 most important points. 11You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

 say all you can about the topic in 1-minute (2-5-minutes) draw the new ideas on a network grid and use these to organise and summarise your knowledge of a topic, for example, for factorising in maths: Factorise + and/or – (…..) (…..)common 2 terms 3 terms 4 terms factor try DOPS try trinomial  complete the square  try 3+1 or 2+2Recode your knowledge into imageryAfter you have learnt a topic:  visualise the words or symbols, imagine them in particular situations, being used.  link ideas in space and time: \"What is a real-life context for these (abstract) ideas?\"  imagine the range of situations in which you could use the ideas.  compare images before and after a change, think of how a situation changes, what might have caused the change, why it changed?  predict the outcome of changing an image in a particular way, for example, imagine what electrons moving through a wire would look like and then imagine them moving through a wire that is more resistant.  analyse the spatial patterns in an image, for example, how an arrangement has changed?  categorise three or more episodes in terms of how they are similar.  generalise from two or more episodes and recognise or draw a summary episode, suggest icons for a set of ideas or a type of idea and apply the icon in different situations.  use visual symbols and signs to solve problems.  combine two ideas that would not otherwise occur in the same episode and investigate the possible outcomes, or combine two episodesRecode ideas into symbolic mathematical bed  generalise, look at logical underpinnings of ideas, say the information in general ways  use symbols for sets of ideas  manipulate ideas without reference to the real world meanings  apply general statements in unfamiliar situations.Recode ideas into an action motoric bed  imagine doing the idea, the idea being done; ask \"what will change?\"  think about reverse or opposite actions, for example, \"If I undo what I did, will I get back to the starting point? What is the reversing or undoing action here?\"  combine actions  decontextualise actions, transfer an action to different contexts  think in reverse, think backwards.Suppose you were asked to discuss the issue: Lady Macbeth was a schemer. You could develop yourunderstanding in each of the thinking beds as follows: Imagery bed Lady Macbeth was a schemer. Feeling bedVisualise a person being a schemer. What feelings, emotions do youWhat are they doing in particular Action bedsituations? What actions does a schemer do? link with being a schemer?Visualise what Lady Macbeth does? What action does Lady Macbeth do?Do her experiences suggest she is a How are these, the actions of a Verbal bedschemer? schemer? What words would you use to describe a schemer? Key adjectives, verbs, adverbs? Debate the topic 12You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Part 3: Understanding how you learn: Fine detail or big picture learning?How you work on the ideasAre you a big picture learner or a fine detail learner? Some students work better at the detail level while othersat the more general level. To do well, you need to do both.The following article is taken from the Student Update section of The Age 12/9/94: Read the following pairs of descriptions. Select the one that best describes how you learn. Do you:  usually work on bits of information at a time step by step, or do you scan for overall patterns and make impulsive, intuitive guesses?  learn step by step and delay giving an answer or do you leap in and answer quickly?  follow directions well or do you like to direct yourself?  prefer to learn in structured situations or to manage your own learning?  focus on detail and specific facts or on the overall idea and often miss detail?  think by moving in one direction or in several directions at once?  take things apart and work on the parts or do you deal with wholes better?  find it easy to learn other people's explanations or do you prefer to work out your own?  prefer to learn more abstract ideas or ideas in real-life contexts?If you selected more of he first descriptions, you are probably a detail learner, good at analysing andsequencing ideas in conventional ways.If you selected more of the second descriptions, you are probably a “big picture” or holistic learner who needsto get a broad overall impression of new ideas first.Whichever way you learn, you will learn better if you understand and value how you do this. You can alsobroaden how you learn. If you are more as a holistic learner, you can learn how to be more analytic. If yourpreference is analytic, you can work more on developing more general ideas. Also, try to see when you needto use each way of learning.If you use detail or 'analytic' strategies more than global strategies:  you learn best with step by step teaching and with clearly laid out ground rules.  you learn best by breaking things that you need to learn into small parts and working on each part at a time. If possible, pick out the first part, then the second part, etc.  when reading, pick out or highlight each idea at a time and then integrate them. Ask yourself \"How do these fit together? What is the key idea here?\"  write down each separate idea as you listen or read, or say them over to yourself.  you may find that you learn specific, isolated details or facts but not the broad understanding of the relationship; tell yourself to look for these.  you need to see how ideas are connected to each other and build them into a mental picture.  you will be good at analysing and sequencing ideas in conventional ways. 13You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

You may have difficulty:  forming more integrated impressions, seeing the 'big picture', 'getting above' the detail  doing open-ended tasks in which you need to put ideas together in new ways such as writing creative essays, giving your opinions or when you need to look at ideas from different perspectives. You may need to remind yourself to be flexible in your thinking.  building ideas into more general ideas and 'reading between the lines' in English and other subjects. When you are writing creative essays you can refer to unresolved issues. You can practise each of these.If you use global strategies more than detail or 'analytic' strategies you:  need to get a broad overall impression or 'big picture' of new ideas you are learning first and attend to specific details and analyse ideas later. Ask yourself \"What is it all about?\" and then start to fit in the smaller parts. This may be difficult in subjects that are taught sequentially such as maths and the sciences.  can skim through the text first when reading to get out the theme or main idea and then reread it; you may find you miss specific details.  try to discover the general theme when you read to learn and look for the overall idea first when you are learning an explanation.  start with the general idea first when writing and then ask yourself guiding questions, for example \"What will I say first, second,...?\"  may often put ideas together in unusual creative ways and reach solutions quickly.  need to keep track of the thinking strategies that help you. Set aside time each week to monitor these and keep a list of them, so that you can use them more effectively in the future.  think about the general context first when you need to remember an idea.You may find it difficult to:  organise your ideas in acceptable ways or give acceptable explanations. You may need to learn the conventional ways of displaying what you know.  analyse ideas or to get started on large tasks that requires you to identify components, such as a research project. Practise planning your way through these tasks and ask questions that direct your attention to the details of the topic.  note or remember specific details and analysing ideas. You may often ignore or miss specific details.  let others manage/control your learning.  take risks in front of your peers.  keep track of the thinking strategies you use.  organise your ideas in acceptable ways or give acceptable explanations.  extricate yourself from difficult situations.Describe your learning profile.When do you think you use imagery or verbal learning strategies? (For example, for some subjects,for most of the time?)When do you think you use analytic or global learning strategies? (For example, for some subjects,for most of the time?) 14You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Name:Are you a big picture learner or a fine detail learner?Do you: Always Often Often Always Do you: ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑work on little bits of information bit by ❑ ❑ look for overall patterns, scan and makebit ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ quick guesseslearn step by step and delay giving ❑ ❑ leap in and answer quicklyan answer ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ follow directions wellgo in your own direction, do your own ❑ ❑thing and sometimes misinterpret ❑ ❑ prefer to structure your own learninginstructions ❑ ❑ prefer to think in several directions atprefer to learn in situations structured oncefor you ❑ ❑ take things apart and work on the partsprefer to think by moving in one ❑ ❑ find it easy to learn other people'sdirection explanationswork on wholes better ❑ ❑ find it easy to learn ideas in real-lifework out your own explanations contextsprefer to learn more abstract ideas ❑❑ focus on detail and specific factsprefer to learn the overall idea and ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ think by moving in your own directionsoften miss detail ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ find it easy to learn the group or teacher's ❑ ❑think in direction provided by teacher ways of doing something ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ try to decide what you think the idea iswant to follow your own pathway for ❑ ❑learning the ideas ❑ ❑ and ask \"Is this what you mean? Am I on ❑ ❑ right track?\"take on board directly what your are ❑ ❑ use your own ways of thinking, think oftaught ❑ ❑ ideas that may seem 'off the track' ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ find it easy to analyse and sequencefind it easy to follow the line of ❑ ❑ ideas in taught waysreasoning taught by the teacher ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ prefer to work towards the goals or ❑ ❑ outcome the teacher has for youarrange and sequence ideas in your ❑ ❑ often have difficulty showing what youown ways know in the assessment tasks you are givenprefer flexible, more open-ended ❑ ❑ reflect about an idea often for a long timelearning contexts ❑ ❑ follow your own rules of playfind it easy in tests and assessment ❑ ❑ follow other people‟s directions welltasks to show what you know in theways you've been taught ❑ ❑ not easily programmed by the informationmore likely to 'guesstimate'find it easy to learn the „rules of play‟ ❑ ❑ prefer to develop our own ways ofof situations thinkingprefer to direct and manage your ownlearningeasily programmed by theinformation you are receivingfind it easy to learn the conventionalways of thinking and doing things 15You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Name: Your learning profile (1)Review your learning so far this year.Examine each of the subjects that you learnt.Write the name of each subject that you studied. What parts of it (for example, learning in the classroom,listening, doing research, homework, tests etc) did you find easy/hard?Write down your comments for each subject.Subject Your comments of how you learntEnglishMathematicsWhat do you see as your learning strengths? 16What difficulties have you experienced?You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Name:Your learning profile (2)Select a subject in which you would like to improve.The first thing you need to do to improve how you learn in a subject is to look at what you are doing now.Rate yourself on how well you do each of the following:When you are learning this subject, how often do you: Never Always 1 234 5 have a clear purpose or reason in your mind for learning the idea, for ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ example, a specific question you want to answer? have a clear idea of what you will end up knowing or be able to do? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ see a pathway for yourself to get to the outcome? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ find it relatively easy to make sense of the teaching by using what you ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ know? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ find you can control and direct your own learning in this subject? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ learn it 'on your own terms', making small changes at a time? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ getting useful feedback for seeing how you are going in this subject? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ find it easy to learn the more abstract, general aspects of this subject? review, summarise and consolidate what you have learnt with other ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ topics? link positive feelings with the new ideas you learn? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ take account of the ways of thinking that helped you to learn best? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ see yourself making progress with your learning, see that you are getting ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ somewhere? find it easy to remember what you have learnt in this subject? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ practise what you have already learnt in this subject? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ find it easy to apply and use what you have learnt in a range of ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ situations? show what you have learnt in assessment tasks? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑These are things we all need to do to learn efficiently. However, we do them in different ways.In the next section we will look at the different ways in which people do these things. 17You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Part 4: Organising yourself as a learnerOrganising = getting readyYou need to do things that:  get you ready to learn  allow you to learn in an organised, systematic efficient wayAreas in which you need to get ready, organise yourself to learn:Organising what you know to do big tasksTo help you to do big tasks, you can use the following pathway to organise what you knowSay the task in your own words,  What it is asking you to do?interpret it  Visualise what it is saying  What will the outcome be like?What do you know about thetopic?  What key questions might you need to answer?Research the topic, collect  What points do you know about these already?additional information or evidenceLink what you now know with task  Decide how you will gather information, research the topicdemands  Gather the research informationDecide how you will organise and Decide how you will link the information you have gathered with theshow what you have learnt. task demands. You can use a variety of procedures, for example:Look at what you have learnt fromdoing it.  a table to compare pros and cons  a flow chart to show cause and effect  concept map with key questions and key words 18You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Name: Getting your knowledge ready to change – getting ready to learnThis questionnaire looks at how well you get your knowledge ready for doing tasks and for learning.If the item is never true for you, tick the first box. If it is not often true for you, tick the second box and so on.Remember there is no correct answer for any item. Please answer truthfully.How easy is if for you to: Never Always 1 234 5 apply what you know to word problems in science and maths? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ know precisely which procedure to use in science and maths tasks? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ stay on task and get to the end of tasks? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ stay on track and answer the question asked, eg. in humanities subjects? ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ get started on longer tasks? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ link your knowledge with the questions set or asked in assignments? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ transfer what you have learnt to new situations? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ change what you know by reading? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ know exactly what you need to do by reading about it? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ change what you know by listening? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ use and apply formulae in maths/science, procedures in other subjects? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑What does this questionnaire tell you about things you can do to improve your learning efficiency?Set up your learning pathway to your goalWrite down 5 long term and 5 short term goals you have at presentLong term goals Short term goals 19You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

continued.. Getting your knowledge ready to change – getting ready to learnBreak one of your long term goals into a series of short-term observable goals.Do this by asking yourself:  How will I achieve the long term goal?  What do I need to do along the way?Here is an example: Medium term goals Short term goals Long term goalTo do better in maths Pass algebra maths test Simplify algebraic expressions Pass graphs maths test Factorise Pass trig maths test Solve linear equationsMastery goals and Performance goalsEpisode or daily goals are where you want to get to at the end of each learning session. They lead you to yourshort-term goals and then to the long-term goals. Here is an example:long term short term • factorise a mixed set of polynomials goal goal • decide when to use each procedure • factorise using DOPS • factorise by using the Factor Theorem • factorise 4-term expressions Set of daily or episode goals: Each night I will spend 20 minutes doing at least 10 tasks as followsYour daily or episode goals are where you want to get to at the end of each learning session. They give you apathway to your short-term goal. The sequence of daily goals is your action plan.Task:Select a short term goal you will need to achieve in the near future. Write a set of daily or episode goals for it.To help, ask yourself “What will I do each day to achieve the short term goal?” 20You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

continued.. Getting your knowledge ready to change – getting ready to learn - cont.Goals for improving how well you studyExamples are:  to set aside 30 minutes for study each night  to plan effectively  to do regular revision of this topicHow effective has your goal-setting been so far?In the table following note any problems you have had with goal setting and how you will overcome these inthe future. Problems you have had with setting gaols: What you will do to set better goals in the future:To give yourself goals that are most useful make sure they:  give you a direction, an action plan  say what you will be able to do  are achievable for you from where you are nowTask:Write out an action plan for Term 2 for some of your subjects. Make sure it shows your short term goals andyour episode goals. Write goals that say exactly what you will learn to do or know. 21You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Name:Managing your learning most effectivelyThink back over the study sessions you have had over the last few weeks.What things have made the sessions less effective? What study problems arose for you?At the beginning of each session, how often did you: Never Always  have a clear purpose or reason in your mind for studying for example, a 1 234 5 specific question you want to answer? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑  have a clear idea of what you will end up knowing or be able to do?  work out a pathway for you to get to the outcome? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑During the learning, how often did you: ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑  check how well you were learning?  review, summarise and consolidate what you were learning? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑Towards the end of the session, how often did you: ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑  pull out the key ideas, review, revise, consolidate them?  say or write them as briefly as possible? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑  write concept and task summary cards? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑  put the ideas into real life contexts, think of 1 or 2 examples? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑  imagine using the ideas in the future? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑  think about what learning actions worked for you during the session? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑  link the new ideas with what you knew by drawing them on network ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑ maps?  see yourself making progress with your learning? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑  think of how you might apply and use the new ideas in other situations? ❑ ❑❑❑ ❑How can you get the most benefit for the time that you invest in learning?One way is by developing your concept of the learning episode. A learning episode is all that you do in theperiod of time you set aside for learning something. 22You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

A learning episodeA successful learning episode lasts for as long as you want it to. Depending on your aims, level ofconcentration, age, etc., it can last for 5 or 40 minutes. It consists of 3 main phases:Aiming phase Change phase Review phaseyou aim or direct what and this is when you actually learn, this is when you review and consolidatehow you will learn you change what you know what you have learntDuring the aiming phase Don't immediately start doing part of the task but look at the material and theoverall activity. Use the first few minutes to:  Imagine what you will end up with at the end of the session. Ask yourself What is it about? What are the key exercises here? What I might know when I have finished the session? What will I be able to do or understand that I can't do now? Imagine looking at the finished essay, working through unfamiliar maths tasks or talking about geography ideas.  Ask yourself What do I know about this already? What does it remind me of? Put down all you know or say it onto a cassette recorder. Brain-storm what you know about the issue.  Imagine a pathway from what you can do now to where you will end up. Work out an action plan. Break the path into small steps. What will I do first/second, etc.?  See if there are any efficiency steps you can take going through the activities. Don‟t focus on the ½ hour itself while studying, but rather on what you will be able to do or know.During the change phase you move along the learning pathway. The learning actions you use depend onwhat you are learning and why. When learning a new set of ideas you might:  Quickly scan the information you will use and note its format. Remind yourself of what has worked best for you in the particular type of format in the past.  Work on a small piece of information at a time. Say it to yourself, visualise it or imagine it as an action. Ask \"What question is it asking or answering? How is it different from what I already knew?\" You may decide to try to apply the idea, or record it in some way.  Integrate and link new ideas with what you know, fit them together. \"To what do the ideas apply? How will I use them in the future? How are they different from what I knew?\"  Spend a few minutes learning to use the ideas more and more automatically.  Record new ideas as you learn them.Make sure you are being productive.Every 5 or 10 minutes check that you have learnt something over the last 5 minutes that you can talk about. 23You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

During the review phase look back over what you have learnt during the session and store it in long termmemory. Things that you can do are:  Pull out the key ideas you have been working on during the session, review, revise, consolidate them, say or write them as briefly as possible, record them on network maps, write concept and task summary cards. Ask yourself: - What has been main procedure/ideas? - How do they link with what I already know? - When can they be used? Put them into real life contexts, think of 1 or 2 examples.  Imagine using the ideas in the future. What will you do to show that you have learnt them?  Think about what learning actions worked for you during the session and what you might use when you are learning in the future.  See where the new ideas fit in on your journey through the subject. Where do they slot in?Different types of learning episodes for:  learning new ideas  showing what you know  problem-solving  revising and synthesising what you have learnt.Develop the habit of thinking in these units -you will learn more effectively. They help you allocate and manageyour time as you work over a term or year.This information leads to the student activity on next page. 24You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Name:Improving learning episodesThink over your last few study sessions at home or learning sessions.What aspects of your learning episodes do you think you need to improve? How will you do this? Things you will improve What will you do to improve them?Aiming phase how you  aim or direct the learning  get startedChange phase how you  learn  change what you know  record what you learnReview phase how you  review and consolidate what you have learnt  'put away' what you have learntDeveloping a learning commitments scheduleUse the learning episodes to work out a 'learning commitments schedule' to achieve your short term goal:  estimate how many study sessions you needs to finish each commitment (leave 1-2 safety valve or 'pick-up the slack' sessions), slot the sessions into the calendar.  use this with the episodes to manage and discipline your learning.  if you 'go off the track' during an episode, remind yourself that you will have time later for this and re-direct yourself.How do you use your time now?Think back over the past few weeks. List down problems you have had managing your time and suggestpractical things you can do about it:Difficulties I have managing my time: Things I can do about it: 25You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Improving learning episodes – cont.Analyse how you used your time after school over the previous week. Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Weekend4.00pm4.305.005.306.006.307.007.308.008.309.009.3010.00Use the following chart to analyse how you are using your time: Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri W'end Total time Time spent actuallyMinutes for • doing school tasks;productive, • revising, test preparation;learning • research • learning new ideasMinutes for • talking to friends on phonerelaxation, • playing sport, clubsrecreation • on hobbies • television, musicMinutesused for • eating mealsessential • hygieneliving • preparing clothesactivities • household chores • jobsOther • cleaning room • organising room for studyAdd up the minutes for each category. Look at your totals and see:  Where is your time going each week? Are you using your study time wisely?  How much time do you spend doing things that you don't need to?  What things could you do more quickly?Pinpoint where you wasted time. Circle those that are under your control. Work out ways in which you can dealwith the time wasters under your control. 26You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Writing an action plan for an essayWhen learning by researching and writing an extended project, where all the information is not provided, youcan begin by thinking of the final product and then work backwards:Short term goal: An essay on the topic Mac Beth does monstrous acts but the play doesn't paint his as a monster. To what extent do you agree with this statement?Episode goal Sessions Date/s Material needed Was goal needed for goal achieved?write final draft by proof-reading, editing draftwrite second draft by correcting first draft 2write first draft showing the main ideas sequences 2organise the information for the response; link the 2information collected with the task requirements 2research key questions by looking for evidence in thetext develop additional key questions 2-3Check your interpretation of the task 1• continue to list what you know re questions 1• develop an action planInterpret the task• decide the key questions you will answer• begin to list what you knowChecklist for a large task such as a project or essay; Check that you:clarify what you is required to do • say the types of questions you will attempt to answer • check the specification of the assignment, what it is asking.list, collate and organise what you • ask yourself What is it like? What does it remind me of?know that is relevant • check your impression against the task statement and think/plan your way through it. To clarify task requirements with your teacher, interpret it and ask \"Is this what you mean? Is this on the track?\"imagine what the final outcome See it in your mind.will be likedevelop a framework of questions The aim here is to end up with a ground plan or pathway through which youthat breaks the large task into can see yourself moving to get the task finishedsmall bitsdecide how you will see yourselfmaking progressorganise what you have learnt inconventional written wayswrite, proof-read 27You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Developing an overall plan or ‘learning commitments schedule’You usually need to allocate time each week to one or more of your subjects. You need to look at the totaltime you have available for study and schedule in the learning episodes you need.Problems can arise with scheduling. You may spend excessive time on some of your work (for example, apoetry commentary) and have difficulty getting other things done:  you need for a commitments calendar that shows all of your future tasks. Add new tasks as you get them.  suppose you have an English essay due in 2 weeks and a French assignment. Estimate how many study sessions you need to finish each (leave 1-2 'pick-up the slack' sessions). Slot the sessions into the calendar, if possible, no more than one in each subject per day. It doesn't matter when on a day you do them, only that you get them done.  most people have difficulty estimating how much time something will take; you can only learn this by experience but you need to make a start somewhere.  use this with the episodes to manage and discipline your learning. You can timetable onto your schedule the times of the day when you will think about non-academic things.  if you find yourself 'going off the track' during an episode, know that you will have time later for this. Give yourself time in the day for thinking about other things.  planning your study time like this gives you have more time for leisure and you won't have to worry about getting the study done because it is taken care of by the schedule.If you have two or three learning tasks to complete in the next few weeks (for example, prepare for a test, writean essay, catch up with your learning), develop a complete schedule that shows the times that you haveavailable for studying and learning: Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Weekend *Maths testCommitment due French Maths mock French French English 55.30pm English 3 Test Maths final Music History English 56.00 English 3 Dinner revision \"\" History Dinner6.30 Dinner Basketball Dinner Dinner7.00 \"\" Dinner7.30 Maths \"\" English 48.00 Maths \"\" English 4 French8.30 English 3 French9.00 History revise9.30 History10.00Points to note:  fill in 'non-study' times, you use for activities such as jobs, meal-times, recreation;  mark in your commitments; These are your short-term goals.  How much time each day will you use for study?  have a break of at least 10-15 minutes between learning sessions.  enter on the schedule the goals for each episode for each commitment.  decide whether one short-term goals is more important than another.Check your schedule:  is balanced; time has been allowed for recreational and social activities;  is realistic;  doesn't 'over-organised you;  has rewards built in. 28You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Name: Know your preferred physical conditions for learningRead each item and decide, from what you know about how you learn in various situations, how it applies to you.Mark your approximate position on the line. From this construct your profile.Physical environment that you prefer Silence Background noiseDo you like noise? Little light Well litHow much light do you like? Cool WarmHow hot do you like it? Sitting at desk Relaxed posturePreferred learning posture?Emotional aspects; how do you feel when you are learning?While learning do you:feel anxious? Not anxious Overly anxious Be in controllike to be in control? Be controlled Very persistent Prefer self directpersist with learning a topic? Give up easily Easily distracted Easy startedlike to operate independently? Prefer direction Wait, delaybecome easily distracted? Not easily distractedhard to get started when learning? Hard to get startedlearn impulsively? ImpulsiveWorking in groups; do you prefer to learn by workingin small groups? Never Alwaysby yourself? Never Alwaysin large groups? Never AlwaysPerceptual preferences; do you prefer tolearn visually, by seeing what you are Never Alwayslearning?auditorally, by listening? Never Always Never Alwaysactively by doing, acting ?Psychological preferences; do you find it Never Alwaysremember what you have learnt? Never Alwaysplan how you will do a task? Never Alwaysshow what you know by talking? Never Alwaysshow what you know by drawing? Never Alwaystake risks when learning? Worried by errors Not worriedmake errors while learning? Never Alwayslearn a bit at a time Never Alwaysmake an overall guess first? Never Alwaysuse what you have know in new situations? Never Alwayslearn by being structured when learning ? Never Alwayswork by yourself when learning?What are your preferred learning conditions?How will you learn to cope with those conditions that are not ideal for you? 29You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Examples of planning your way through tasksTo answer questions like Mac Beth does monstrous acts but the play doesn't paint his as a monster. To whatextent do you agree with this statement?In this question you need to go beyond the literal level – what the text actually says and 'read between thelines' – why were things said, how were they said, what was intended but not said, what do these things tell usabout the beliefs and feelings of people.Learning actions for you to take Application to MacBeth The play doesn't paint his as a monster ---->Planning strategies; clarify what the task is asking They want you to say whether play shows he is aand what the final outcome will be like. monster.Take apart the statement you are given. Mac Beth does monstrous acts? YesSay each part of the statement in your own words. The play doesn't paint him as a monster Yes'What do I have to do?Decide what they are asking for.Clarify the types of questions you will attempt toanswer.Decide what examiners will look for inyour work: they want to see whether you• decide whether you agree with each part• give evidence for your positionImagine what the outcome will be like. Decide what end-product of the task will be like. What will I finish up with?Collate and organise what you already know that isrelevant.Relate the task to his existing knowledge.What does this remind me of?Decide what things support each part Mac Beth does monstrous acts• events that show he does monstrous things • killed MacDuff's family• events that show play doesn't treat his as monster • killed DuncanHow does it treat him?Jot down in key words what will support your How does play show MacBeth?position • killing D – it doesn't show he is as a monsterorganise what you know/have learnt in conventional • making the plans, organising the murder. Itwritten wayswrite, proof-read paints him as a 'tool' in the hands of cunning, crafty, sly manipulators • after killing D – self doubts re his outcome.How well do you organise your knowledge of major topics in your subjects? How often do you:  make summaries of the topics you are studying?  draw network maps, particularly in subjects like science and maths?  work on definitions of the key terms in each area?  talk about the ideas you have learnt, say them in different ways?  answer questions about the key ideas, offer explanations in words for them?  develop an action plan for getting through set assignments? 30You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Part 5: Things that stop me from learning or studyingI couldn't get motivated to start doing thingsStudents often say this. They want to 'be given' motivation. This doesn't happen. You motivate yourself, eitherto do some things or others. It is you who will learn or change what you can do. No-one else can do this foryou. If you find you can't 'get motivated', try to work out where your barrier is arising.Ask yourself:Do I want the outcome of the learning?If you answer YES, there are things you can do.If you answer NO, there are things you can do.What are the time constraints on me?Do I need to work on learning part of it now?Do I need to do part of the work now, rather than doing other competing things?If you decide to do part of the work now, work through the steps we have discussed for the learning episodes:  Take time to \"get yourself ready\" or \"get your mind into gear\"  Visualise your outcome, what you will have done  Use how you handled similar past tasks successfully  Write down all that you know already about the topic  Work out a goals-time action plan; break tasks into small parts and allocate time to each part.This information leads to the student activity on next page. 31You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Name: Analyse how efficiently you learnTo improve how you manage and use your time when you need to do tasks in study/or exams, which of thefollowing areas take up most of your time? CommentTrying to get clear what the task says and requires you to do?Matching the task with what you know, deciding how it fits withwhat you know?Retaining parts of the task while you are doing it, for example,you need to look back at written directions, request instructionsto be repeated, have difficulty handling answering longer, many-word bits of information?Going off in the wrong direction, needing to back-track, do againwhat you did earlier?Losing concentration, going off-task, losing sight of where youneed to end up?Trying to handle the amount of information; do you often feeloverloaded or 'flooded' with the information?Showing what you know in writing? You may forget what youwanted to say or when you begin to write you may forget theideas you intended to write next. 32You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Identifying areas to improve your learningOnce you have identified what you think are areas in which you can improve your learning, you can use therecommendations in the following table to help you improve your learning efficiency.Type of problem Things to try out and to work on furtherDifficulty getting started on tasks • take time to \"get yourself ready\" or \"get your mind into gear\". Look at how you handled similar past tasks successfully.Trying to get clear what the task says and requires • develop a goals-time action plan; break tasks intoyou to do small parts and allocate time to each part. Visualize the final productMatching the task with what you know, deciding howit fits with what you know • automatise what you know about the topic • practise summarisingRetaining parts of the task while you are doing it. • practise working on interpreting the taskFor example, you need to look back at written • make up mock tasksdirections, request instructions to be repeated, have • convert your knowledge to questions.difficulty handling answering longer, many-word bitsof information • practise categorising the types of tasks for this topicGoing off in the wrong direction, needing to back- • use task-summary cardstrack, do again what you did earlier • convert your knowledge to questionsLosing concentration, going off-task, losing sight ofwhere you need to end up • visualise the outcome • rehearse the task, say it over to yourselfShowing what you know in writing • decide how the task is like earlier tasks you have learntTrying to handle the amount of information – do youoften feel overloaded or 'flooded' with the • plan your way through this type of task in your mindinformation? • practise spotting 'danger areas' • plan your way through this type of task in your mind • imagine the outcome of the task • practise and use the mental actions that will help you to concentrate • try to concentrate for a short while • develop a plan for how you will concentrate • using keywords, diagrams to unload what you know • dictation practice prior to exam/task • try to organise the information into small bites • select 2 or 3 ideas to work on • pause briefly, work on these and then select more ideas • consolidate what you learn 33You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Name: Part 6: Learn by doing tasksBeing an effectivelistener1. What do we do when we listen? Reflect on the listening process and list things you might do to help you to listen better.2. Are you a good listener?3. What sorts of things do you have to listen for when you are learning? Analyse two or three short oral presentations typical of your class and note the purpose for listening and how the teacher organized the ideas 4. What things can make listening difficult for you? 34 5. What things can you do to help you to listen better?You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Learning through writingSteps in writing a narrative or a semi-technical reportWork through the following stages:1. Decide your purpose for writing – What do I want to write about? What do I want the reader to know/feel? For semi-technical print, \"Why am I writing? What question/s am I answering?\" You need to know what particular writing actions such as: - to explain - to summarise, paraphrase - to analyse - to discuss - to criticise - to evaluate - to argue against or in support of, etc mean and the particular outcomes of using each action. When you are given a written assignment, take the task question apart and note the subordinate questions that you might answer. You can assemble the key questions on a schematic map. Ask yourself \"How well do these questions meet the task demands? Do they answer directly the prescribed questions/ relate precisely to the topic?\" You may need to adjust the questions so that the writing proceeds in the required direction.2. Decide what you know about the topic/ the questions? The brainstorming stage at which relevant ideas are collected and listed. You can visualise each key question and talk about your thoughts. The ideas can be recorded orally, written in point form, key words, drawing sand on schematic maps Self-instructional statements for the pre-writing, planning stage include: What do I know about the topic? What do I think of when I hear the topic? Do I know enough? Where can I go to find more information? Have I collected enough information? Why am I writing this? Who will read what I write? What form should my writing take? What will my finished attempt look like? Have I gathered enough information? How will I arrange it? What order will I put it in? Does it answer the set question/topic?3. Collect additional ideas through in-depth reading and research for the topic, reflection, talk with peers, conferencing, etc. Ideas can be jotted down in point form, key words, drawings etc. Relate the information you have gathered to the questions you have already asked. For each piece of information ask \"What question does this information answer?\" Ideas can be jotted on the yellow \"stick-on\" papers. These can be modified, added to etc. You can also add new questions and modify existing ones as you know more. Try to clarify your ideas. As well, \"What will the finished product be like?”4. Organise the ideas. For narratives, sequence or order the key ideas to tell the intended story. \"Is this how I would tell the story? What would I say first /second? Have I said where the story happens/who is in the story/ when it takes place/what it was like? You can record your attempt on cassette tape, in print, in a sequence of pictures, etc. 35You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

For expository, semi-technical print, organise the ideas around themes or questions, or else into paragraphs orunder sub-headings. Each paragraph will generally have a main idea and its subordinate ideas. To do this, listthe main ideas and arrange the supporting ideas under them. Review the sequence of main ideas and decidewhether this list suits the purpose.5. The ideas are recorded in complete sentences. Read your draft aloud, discuss and clarify what you have written etc. For expository or semi technical print, check that it answers the specified questions and achieves the intended purpose. You should write: (a) a sentence that summarises or introduces each main idea and that says what will, in general terms, be examined in the paragraph or section; the first sentence of each paragraph. (b) the supporting ideas in sentences, and (c) the final sentence that sums up one paragraph and leads to the next, perhaps by a question. Self-instructional statements for the while-writing, planning stage include: What is the first important idea I want to say? How will I say it? What ideas go with it? What is the second important idea? What ideas do with it? How will I start the writing? What do I want to tell the reader first? How will I tell the reader about the main idea of the passage? How will I finish off the writing? What will each paragraph be? What is the main idea in each paragraph?6. Re-write and proof-read the draft. Again this can be done by reading it aloud. Use the list of questions below to remind yourself of what to look for when proof-reading and editing. Be prepared to re-check that the information answers the questions asked. Ask yourself \"What am I saying here? Is it really necessary to say this? Should I say this here?” Be prepared as well for a good deal of \"cutting and pasting\", moving information around in the essay, may go on here. Boxes and arrows can help to re-organise information here. Self-instructional statements for the while-writing, planning stage include: Is the writing on the right track? Does it do what it is supposed to do? Do I say too much/ too little? Is the passage easy to understand? Does it say what I want it to say? Are parts confusing? Are the main points in the right order? Does the writing begin smoothly? Does it begin by interesting the reader? Do I take too long to get started? Does each paragraph have one main idea? Are the paragraphs linked together well? Will I use sub-headings? Does the writing finish well? Is all of the information accurate? Have I checked it all? Have I used any words that I am not sure of? Have I checked the writing for correct grammar and sentence spelling/punctuation? \"Where would I pause when I read it\", or \"Where does the idea end?\" 36You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Does each sentence have one idea? Do the sentences sound right? Could I say this idea another way? Does it make sense? Have I used pictures etc well? What will I call the passage of writing?7. Students select the format for their writing. Give options (short story, diary, comic strip, poster)8. Students write a final draft and illustrate their material.You can assess your final draft by examining your:  fluency; the quality of verbal output; sentence length, types of sentences (incomplete, simple, compound and complex)  use of vocabulary; the variety of relevant words used  structure; the physical organisation of the writing, structural aspects (punctuation capitalisation, etc) and use of grammar (verb tense, noun-pronoun agreement, etc),  content; its accuracy (relevance of the ideas to topic, the sufficiency of information), the clarity of expression of each idea, organisation (well-defined introduction/main body/conclusion, each paragraph has a main idea and supporting ideas, the sequencing of ideas), variation in sentence structure (phrasing, etc) and selection of appropriate vocabulary.If you have difficulty writing, keep in mind the following points;1. Who are you writing for? What guidelines (style, time, etc) have you been given? Be aware of thecharacteristics of various types of print that you are expected to write and practise recognising examples ofeach. For example: (i) expository (explains something) (ii) narrative (tells a story) (iii) descriptive (describes something)2. What is the topic? How much do you know about it?3. Examine your plans: How do you go at planning? What did you actually do during planning? Did they know how to start planning, or did they waste time getting started? Have they written plans? How much time was spent planning? Who else was involved in the planning? Would further planning assist in overcoming the present difficulty? What formats did the students seem most comfortable using to record ideas (pictures, key words, etc.)?4. Look at your first draft and the editing attempts. Have the ideas been sequenced and organised appropriately? How much did the students write? How much time was spent writing? How much was written with/out planning? Did you re-read or revise what you had written? What did you do during editing? Did you spend time re-reading, composing your thoughts?5. Were there things that you wanted to say in the writing but didn't? Does acting things out with your body language help you to write ideas? 37You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

6. To what extent does the writing achieve its purpose? Can you see a mis-match?7. How well does your series of attempts 'hang together‟?8. Keep samples of your writing, a statement of the writing task in each case and the conditions under which they were written. Look back at these and see where you can improve your writing.9. Develop and organise your sequence of ideas in your oral language as much as possible when writing.10. Develop positive attitudes to writing, for example, that it is OK to write several drafts, to make spelling errors in the first draft, to need to re-arrange ideas, etc. and that it is OK to write a plan and first draft without needing to attend to other issues, (eg. spelling)11. Remove the focus from the final product; show that drafts, plans are valued by rewarding these.Writing as a technique to facilitate learning and study Note taking while reading for meaning Lecture note taking, jotting Writing as a study, memory and revision strategyThis information leads to the student activity on next page. 38You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Name:Things that can stop me from learning or studying and things I can doThink back over recent leaning experiences and pick out things that may have restricted your learning.What things, do you believe, stopped you from learning as well as you could have?To what extent could each one be due to a teaching-learning mis-match?Beside each one list some possible actions that you could take to deal with them.Things that have stopped me from Are they a Possible actions to takelearning teaching-learning mis-match? 39You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Name: Part 7: Remembering what you have learnt What do you do to remember information long term?Being able to remember what you have learnt is very important for later learning.What do you do to remember each case?Try out the following memory tasks and reflect on what you do to remember.Memory challenge What do you remember? What did you do toWhat did you do at 11.00am three Saturdays ago? remember it?Who was the leader of Victorian Opposition beforeJohn Brumby?In what year did white settlement begin in Port PhillipBay?Name 7 current Australian tennis champions.Who did you sit next to in Grade 4?What does subterfuge mean?Suggest 3 synonyms for twitch.Write five words that are the opposites of resentment.What words appear under the Apple logo in the iMacTV commercials?How well do you use your memory? Your commentsWhat things do you find easy to remember?What things do you find hard to remember?What things have you tried to do to help you remember whatyou have learnt?Do you find it easy or hard to remember things in words?Do you find you often remember only part of the information orremember things in the wrong order?Do you often feel overloaded with the amount of informationyou remember?Do you find it easy or hard to remember things in mentalpictures? 40You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Remembering what you have learntStore what you know Practise remembering it accurately Automatise itTypes of long-term memory1. Verbal memory; ideas are stored in terms of their conceptual relationships, in words. Ideas are linked in abstract categories.2. Experiential memory; ideas are stored in experiences, as images and prototypes. Things that occurred in the same place or at the same time or as part of the same events are linked.3. Action memory: sequences of actions are remembered.4. Memory for emotions, feelings.To remember ideas, try to store them in more than one type of memory.Storing ideas in long term memory  Say or describe the main ideas that you want to remember as concisely as possible: o practise telling your parents, peers what you will remember o for several related ideas, put them into 3 or 4 major steps. If you don't say what you will remember, you are less likely to remember it.  Link the ideas with other things that you already know, for example: o how the new ideas are like or similar to what you already know and how they differ o Ask: “What do these ideas remind me of? How are they like /different from things that I have already learnt?\" o where the new ideas fit in to their existing knowledge. What topic do they fit in? o how they might use the new ideas in the future. Knowing the topics the information is coming from can help you recall them.  Draw a picture of the main ideas, do actions that represent them or use a concrete model of them, showing how ideas are related.  Link ideas in a rhyme a jingle or in a sentence, for example: o by making an acronym, eg. All good boys deserve fruit o linking the ideas in a sentence or image All good boys deserve fruit; My very excellent men, just show us nine planets o saying the items to be remembered in a jingle; this encodes them in a rhythmic code  Use memory or “mnemonics” to represent the symbols mean.one is a bun two is a shoe three is a tree four is a door five is a hivesix are sticks seven is heaven eight is a gate nine in a line Ten is a henTo use this:  Learn the mnemonic  Select the ideas you want to remember  Link each idea with one of the images in the sequence 41You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

A 3rd year Economics student used this to recall the major factors that influence a transnational companyestablishing a branch in a new country. The ideas and images he used:key ideas to be remembered and the imagery usedjudicial system in available educational level of unionism in transport in the host levelshost country workforce host country country 'Method of loci'-you use a set of fixed, familiar images to remember a set of ideas. You 'nail' the ideas in an image. Fixed sets of images can include: o each room in your house o 10 key points you see on a trip home or o shelves in a cupboard. Key word method: to remember unfamiliar words, link with it a similar familiar sounding word and then a visual image, for example, to learn connections between words in French and English: Auditory link a courier -------> Imagery linkcourier (to run) -------> a courier runningle vent (the wind) -------> a vent -------> a vent with ribbon blowing Build the sequence of ideas into a 'mental videotape' and replay it frequently so you 'see again' or 'relive' the series of actions. Use when the ideas are easy to visualise and when you want to add more information to or up-date the picture. Write about the ideas as key words. Draw a semantic map, concept map or flow chart showing how the ideas fit together. Describe when you will use the ideas in the future. How can the idea be used? What does it allow me to do? When will I use it in the future? What problems it will help me solve? Imagine remembering the idea at a future time.When you are using these strategies:  Give yourself time to apply these actions to the information. Try to grab a few seconds following each set of ideas or try to momentarily halt the flow of information.  Try out these memory strategies, see what works best for you in various situations.  Avoid doing other things while you are recalling knowledge. Talking about or listening to something else while you store the information will interfere with how well you remember it.  Quickly writing down key bits of the information, writing down key words or drawing 'doodles' that you can use to help you remember parts of the information can help. 42You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Retrieving information from memory by reconstructing itWhen you recall the idea on the next few occasions, do not demand total retrieval or recall. Graduallyreconstruct it. These things can help:  think of the general theme or context in which you last heard or used the ideas.  think of things you did to produce the idea on the last occasion. Knowing what to do to produce the ideas, if you can't remember them automatically, helps in getting to the automatic recall.  put down all you can think of. Don't worry about the ideas being organised or linked. Simply unload them or 'brain storm'.  try to fill in the gaps in the ideas.  look back at the information source, your reference or notes, see what bits you left out and try to slot them in. Think of how you will remember to do this in the future.  your preferred learning style affects how you recall ideas. Visual and action-kinaesthetic preferers are more likely to recall ideas when they visualise them or imagine them in experiences. Verbal preferers recall the ideas better when they talk about them.Once you can recall the topic accurately, you need to strengthen the links between the groups of ideas so thatone idea stimulates several related ideas. To take your knowledge to this point:  build regular revision into your study program. Note the importance of revision, regularly revisit and summarise the ideas. Practise retrieving them; this helps you to automatise it.  write summaries of the topic and summarise the summaries. Keep compressing the ideas.  write summary cards with key idea on one sideMacbeth‟s character Types of bonding Example ionic covalent metallicSuperstitions types of units?Easily manipulated examples?Lacking self conduct electricityconfidence draw network diagrams of topics learnt, put knowledge into categories. Use tables to help you compress the information for example: To compare 2 triangles Are they identical? Are they similar?Same Same Same same angle and 2 matchingASA? SAS? SSS? AAA? sides in same ratio? 43You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

 write summary task cards with typical or prototype question/task on one side and solution/answer on the other:Describe Macbeth and Macbeth Say the type of TypeLady Macbeth’s Lady Macbeth bonding andcharacters properties of NaBr, NaBr Ionic CS2 and Al CS2 covalent Al metallic minimise how much you need to switch gears between writing and thinking. When you have a task, think your way through it in your mind as far as you can first and then write. Try to see a pathway through the task and spot any danger areas. Write to confirm what you know. speed up the time you take to decide how to do tasks. After you have finished studying a topic, make up sample tasks and mix them up, practise switching between different types of tasks. For example: What type of function is each of the following? State the domain of each. 2x-3y = 4 2 y= 2x +8x -2 2 (y+3) +(x -2) = 9 x = 3y y = 3 x -1Practise classifying each task as fast as you can and plan your way through it in your mind before you beginto work through it on paper:  Manage your emotions. If you can't remember parts of an idea at any time, don't panic and don't tell yourself you won't be able to remember it. Remind yourself that you know it and allow it to 'come to the surface' of your memory. Go on and do something else but keep your memory 'open' for the idea. Return to the task in a few minutes and put down all you know about it If you don't remember it on the second occasion, go back to the reference materials, see what parts you didn't remember and tell yourself how you will remember them in the future. Practise doing this. 44You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Part 8: Planning for the examWork and re-work your knowledgeDraw up your study planPrepare a study plan for each subject. Go through your notes and textbooks for the subject and note the maintopics and the subordinate topics.Be active when revising by readingAs you work through your notes or texts on a topic, don't passively read but actively work on the ideas.Before you begin reading, ask yourself:What are the key ideas here?What do I already know about them?What questions do they answer?As you read, make notes, underline or say aloud the main ideas. At the end of each paragraph and chapter,summarize what you have read.  Are you a verbal learner? Write down main ideas and list subordinate ideas in point form.  Do you learn best by visualising? Put ideas into a picture, either in your mind or on paper.  Replay pictures or say aloud as often as possible.Every 10 minutes or so, review and consolidate what you have just learnt.How are the ideas linked?You need to know how the ideas are linked. Draw network maps or concept maps to show the links.  Look for how you can get from one idea to another. As you work through each topic, ask yourself \"How can I remember ...... (one idea) from ..... (another idea)?  When things are hard to understand, think about them in different ways, a bit at a time.Summarise and then write summaries of the summariesWrite summaries of topics and then summaries of the summaries. Pack as much information as possible intoeach key word or picture. Write each summary on a small index card. In some subjects your summary can belists of questions and answers. Compress ideas down and link ideas to other ideas. Begin with a detailedconcept map and end up with a few key words.Ask yourself different types of questions about the ideas that you are learningIn most subjects you may need to do more than simply remember ideas. Practise asking the following types ofquestions. They help you get ready what you know.Briefly write the topic: Can I Example Mock questions Answerremember what I have learnt? Why does a molten form of NaCl• say ideas in my words? conduct electricity while molten• summarize them? wax does not conduct.• explain to others what I know What types of bonds would youabout them? expect in NaBr, CS2 Cs (a• compare given examples? metal)• apply or use the ideas in Could an ionic compound that consisted of 2 non metals everfamiliar situations? exist. Explain your decision.• classify examples?• take the ideas apart, note howthey are linked• compare and contrast?• investigate 45You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

• build new ideas, put them Every compound is partly ionic and partly covalent. Explain.together in new ways• invent, compose, improve• evaluate or judge ideas A new chemical, brought back• judge, select, choose, decide, from the Moon, is believed to have ionic bonds. How wouldjustify, debate, verify, argue, you go about deciding if it were ionic?recommend, assess.Look at an idea from different anglesIn some tasks in Humanities and English you will need to look at ideas from different perspectives. Forexample, “Should the world's highest tower be built in Melbourne?”Select a topic: Types of questions Questions you will askFactual aspects, objective, facts & figures:What are the facts about the idea?Forecast, predict future events, creating new ideas andpossible outcomes, causes/effects of it:How might idea help us in future?Emotional view of the idea:What do you feel about this?Negative aspects of the idea:What shouldn't this be done?Reasons for not doing it?Positive, optimistic aspects?What are its benefits, good parts? Reasons for doing it?Organisational control, management.How will I organize the ideas?Planning and organising a specific outcomeDecision making; weigh aspects, evaluate alternatives,decide your preferred outcome, justify decisions youhave madeCommunication aspects:How will you communicate outcome most effectively?verbally, nonverbally , through drama, art, music, a quiza diaryUse these types of questions to broaden your responses when you write essays, reviews, critiques. 46You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Explain key ideas to someone elseYou need to help them understand the idea; if you can't you need to work over either your understanding orhow you are 'selling' it.  Make up 'mock' exams for yourself and use these to monitor your learning.  Develop your own discipline for any learning episode. Spend a few moments at the beginning imagining where you will end up and think about the questions you will answer. Towards the end of the session, review what you have learnt. Put it in your memory. Imagine yourself remembering it.Replay time or stretch timeWhen you have begun to summarise topics by linked key words, practise revising the key words at varioustimes in the day, for example, when you wake up you can replay the words you have for ionic bonding.Working with friends worksWork with one or more friends on one or more topics that you are all studying; this provides a good opportunityfor putting your ideas into words and discussing aspects that you find difficult.Fit the knowledge to the examKnow what you want to sayGet straight in your mind what you want to say for any task. Practise putting these together as concisely asyou can before each exam.Know how to show what you knowKnow the formats you will have for showing what you know. Practise using them. You may need to:  work on bits of ideas at a time, as multiple choice or short answer questions. You will need to compare bits of ideas, relate them, spot differences between them, know when they are used. If you often think in more global-wholistic ways, prepare by 'cutting the ideas up', take them apart, think in small bits of ideas and know about details. Put in order what you want to say and give enough detail.  work on major ideas, put them together in creative, unfamiliar ways in writing formats such as essays. If you learn more analytically, get above the detail level and look for main ideas and connections between them. Look at the ideas from different angles, by asking different questions about them. Tie ideas together well and develop more general ideas.Know the types of questions you will be askedLook back over the tasks in earlier tests and exams.What formats did you find easy or hard? Invent questions in each format for the main areas of your subjects.Plan how you will 'unload' your ideasIf writing isn't your strength and you have to write essays, you can unload your ideas in other ways first:  If you think visually or in actions, draw pictures or use actions for the key ideas  If you think more verbally, list the key words first.Practice answering exam tasksWhen you do practice exam tasks, match each task with what you have learnt. Check your interpretation; askyourself \"Does it mean .. or ... ?\" Imagine your end-product. Check that this is what you think the personmarking your work will be looking for.  Use your 'thinking space' as efficiently as possible. For long tasks such as a maths problem or an essay, plan your way through the major steps before you begin to write. Think through the main ideas first, so that when you write, you put down what you have already thought about.  Know the different ways in which you need to show your knowledge. For essays know the difference between 'describe', 'summarise', 'evaluate', 'critically analyse', 'discuss' and 'synthesise'. Know when you need to apply or transfer what you know, analyse it, think creatively or emotively. Practise applying the different actions to your knowledge in each subject. 47You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

 When you are answering multiple choice questions: - read the stem of each item, tell yourself what it is saying - try to eliminate or reject the alternatives that you think are incorrect - check over the alternatives you have left and decide which one is most likely to be correctDon't spend too much time on each task. If you can't answer each task relatively quickly, leave it and returnto it later.  Check your answers to the practice exams and see where you need to modify or change what you know. Use the feedback from the sample answers to up-date your knowledge.  If you forget important information, think of when you last heard or saw it. Imagine seeing the ideas written down or being spoken about. Build links between what you know and don't know.Plan how you will use your timeIf you know the types of tasks on the exam, make a rough plan about how you will use your time. If you knowthe exam has 2 essays and 50 multiple choice items, and is 2 hours long, you might decide to give 1 hour tothe multiple choice items and 1/2 hour to each essay. Discuss your time plan with your teacher.Feel confident about how well you can show what you know. Know that you have the ideas stored in yourmind and your job is now to display them.Preparing for subjects you 'can't' prepare for, eg English Try to see what teacher/examiner wants or values, that is: - what content - what processes – what ways of doing things do you need to show - what attitudes, ways of seeing things will they be looking for? Revise the content, draw network maps of each topic. Think of words that describe key ideas. Invent questions that the information answers and questions you could be asked about the ideasExample: Macbeth does monstrous acts but the play doesn't paint his as a monster. To what extent do you agree with this statement?Take apart the given statement The play doesn't paint his as a monster. They want you toUnderline each part say whether the play shows he is a monster.Say each part in your own words. Interpret it: what they areasking for ? Macbeth does monstrous acts? Yes The play doesn't paint his as a monster. YesDecide what examiners want : they want you todecide whether you agree with each part Macbeth does monstrous actsgive evidence for what your position  killed Macduff's family  killed DuncanImagine what the outcome will be like How does play show Macbeth?Decide what things support each part:  killing Duncan – he isn't shown as a monster,  events that show he does monstrous things planning, organising the murder. It paints him as a  events that show play doesn‟t treat him as a 'tool' in the hands of cunning, crafty, sly monster. How does it treat him? manipulators.  after killing Duncan – self doubts re his outcomeJot down in key words what will support our position. 48You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Living during the study periodGive your parents a role in your preparationDecide how you would like them to support you. Give them things to do. You may want them:  to help you to revise, to work over what you know with them  to give you emotional support  to give you a free rein.Help them to be effective members of your support team. Work out a home support plan.Managing stressSome key points to remember:  a little bit of temporary stress at the right time can help you learn and study better.  stress is caused by your self-talk, what you are saying to yourself, for example: - What if I can't remember …? - What if I don't pass .....? - I will never be able to do ....? To manage your stress, you first need to listen to what you are saying to yourself.  What is causing the stress? If you are feeling stressed because you haven't covered a particular topic, work on it as soon as you can. There is no value being stressed about things you can't control or manage.  Learn to control the physical aspects of stress. Practise relaxing physically by gradually allowing waves of relaxation to spread through your body and at the same time imagine the stress to drain out of your body.  Be aware of when you get stressed; ask yourself \"Is it useful for me to be stressed now?' If not, tell yourself to relax. If you feel yourself becoming stressed when doing a task, try to write down or say all that you know about the task. If you have already become stressed, you may decide to 'bail out' for a short time and return when you have relaxed.Things that may stress you and actions you can take to reduce the stressI won't remember what I have learnt  if you have done information compression andI haven't covered enough practised remembering, you will remember  remembering is often easier than you think -what you know will probably come flooding back to your mind  what you have covered may be sufficient  you can use what you have covered  your summaries have been good 49You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999

Keep your body goingRegular physical exercise; don't neglect physical activityTry to slot exercise breaks into your study program. If you want, you can replay a sequence of ideas in yourmind, if you have them sufficiently well developed. Exercise is a good stress-breaker.Sensible sleep patternsRelax before you go to sleep. Don't panic if you miss sleep on one night; you will make up for it on the nextnights.In the exam: A strategic exam planUsing the reading timeRead each question and decide:  What it is asking. Slot it into an area of your knowledge. This is about ....  What will your outcome be like ?  Plan a pathway through it in your mind, if it is an extended task such as an essay. Think through the task and see if you can spot any danger areas.  Decide the order in which you will do the items and how you will unload the information. You may want to begin with the easy questions and build up your confidence or you may prefer to get rid of the difficult questions first.  Check you time plan. You may decide to change how you plan to allocate your time, taking account of the number of questions and the number of marks given to each.When writing beginsRead each task again and check that:  What you thought earlier matches what you think now. If necessary, underline key words in longer questions and refer back to them to make sure you have the correct interpretation.  You know which parts are compulsory and what choices you have about which questions to answer.Use effective self-talkTell yourself that you will use the exam to show what you do know. If there are things you can't rememberabout a task, don't panic. Remember that they will probably come into your mind in a short while. Concentrateon what you do know, not on what you don't.Help the examiner see what you knowMake sure you do your best to show what you know as clearly as you can. Try to avoid the examiner needingto 'dig around' to see what you know. If you are writing an extended piece:  express each idea as simply and as clearly as possible  make sure each paragraph has a topic sentence that sums up what the paragraph says  number each part of each task as clearly as possible.Think of how you will convince the examiner of what you know. If you are arguing for a particular point of view,say your view as clearly as you can.Avoid the trap of writing all you know about a topic. Instead, direct your answer to the questions asked. 50You Can Learn It: Understanding yourself as a learner© John Munro 1999