Lesson 22 – Learning to learn

Warm Up

1. How do you learn new information or revise before tests or exams? Have you got any special or unusual ways of revising? 
2. Where do you study outside school or college? Do you usually work in the same place? Do you study with music or the TV on? Do you prefer quiet? 
3. Do you think the same ways of studying or revising are good for everyone? Or are some ways better for different people? 

Main Activity

1. Your teacher will tell you about the topic that psychologists believe that different types of people learn, think and remember things in different ways. After that, you are going to find out what type you are.
2. In groups of three or four, see the questions.
   What type of learner are you?
   Many psychologists believe that different people learn in different ways. Answer the questions and find out how you learn. Score each question from 1 to 5:
   1 Almost never        2 Not usually        3 Sometimes           4 Often         5 Usually
   
   How to find your score:

   Write your scores. Then find the total for each type. If one total is a lot bigger, that is the type you are. If two or three scores are similar, you are a mixed type.

   Question 2 7 9 11 13 Total V score

   Question 3. 10 12 14 15 Total A score

   Question 1. 4 5 6 8 Total H score

   V = Visual type: You learn by reading information or seeing pictures or diagrams. Looking at your teachers when they speak can help you understand. Some ideas that might help Write information down and make lots of notes in class. Look at your notes and copy them again in a more organised way. Use coloured pens to show the important information. Ask your teacher to say things again. when you do not understand. Sit near the front of the class, but not near the windows or door.

   A = Auditory type: You learn by hearing Information. Speaking about ideas helps you study. Listening to recordings is good too. Some ideas that might help: before you read a text, look at the headings and any pictures. Talk to yourself or a friend about what it will say. Do homework and revise with a friend so you can talk about your work. When there are things you want to remember, say them to yourself several times. Make recordings of your notes, and listen to them to study.

   H= Haptic type: You learn by moving around and doing things. Touching and feeling things can help you to study. Using colours is also good. Some ideas that might help: When you are studying, work for about 25 minutes and then relax for 5 minutes. Do not watch TV or talk on the phone. Then go back to your studies. When there are things you want to remember, walk around while you say them to yourself or read them. Cover your desk with a big sheet of coloured paper to put your books on. Study with music playing

3. Read the questions together and talk about your answers. Please help each other with words that your friends do not understand, and ask your teacher if there is anything you are not sure about.
4. When you find the score, tell your teacher who the visual type you are. Do you think the description of the type is true for you? Do the same for the other two types, and ‘mixed types’
5. Look at the list for help, your teacher will explain to you that psychologists think that good learners use more ways of learning.Which ideas do you have:
   – Use already?
   – Do you think it might be useful?
   – Want to try?
   Talk with your partner about it.

   7. Talk with your partner about the useful ways of studying. Visual, Auditory, or Haptic
   8. Your teacher will check and ask which list the ideas should be in. Write the ideas in the appropriate list. Give your opinion on which are good ideas that you might try.

Follow up

• for fun, the groups think of unusual ways of studying for each of the three types.
• The class listens to each group’s ideas and your teacher will ask questions about you and your class.
• The class votes on which ideas are:
  – The most useful
  – The strangest
  – The ones you want to try
  Your teacher will announce the winner in each category

Exercises