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Lesson 5: Study methods and skills to improve memory (1 hour
6. What did Crab do then? 7. What was Fox’s conclusion?
(2) [10]
These questions are for self-assessment. It means that you have to mark your own questions and allocate marks. Use the reading matter as well as the memorandum in the facilitator’s guide.
After you have marked the questions and allocated marks, use the criteria below to measure your ability to read with comprehension.
If you feel it is not yet up to standard, use the given method in lesson 4 to help you improve it.
Marks out of 10: 8 – 10: Excellent comprehension 5 – 7: Good comprehension (acceptable) 3 – 4: Weak comprehension 1 – 2: Very weak comprehension (below average)
Remember: Don’t give up hope. Just keep on practising.
1.5 Lesson 5: Study methods and skills to improve memory (1 hour)
1.5.1 Study methods
Your personality will determine your method of studying. Each person’s brain works in a different manner. The part of your brain with which you think will determine your brain dominance. It may seem like big words, but it is easy to assess.
People with left-brain dominance have the following characteristics: 1. They are logical and focus on detail. 2. They like following a set routine. 3. They prefer to break down a problem in parts and handle each part in sequence. 4. Prefer multiple questions in an examination. 5. They are very task orientated. 6. They are set on time and like to set aims for themselves and put a time limit to them. 7. They primarily rely on language in their thoughts and memory. 8. They regulate their feelings. 9. React optimally on hearing and seeing. 10. They like definite borders: what is wrong and right?
People with right-brain dominance have the following characteristics: 1. The focus on the whole. 2. They like trying out new things and don’t have a set routine. 3. They solve a problem by looking at the whole and then use their intuition and feelings. 4. Prefer questions in an examination where they can give their own opinions. 5. They are people orientated and are very social. 6. They follow their own time schedule. 7. They primarily rely on pictures in their heads and memory. 8. They are very spontaneous with their feelings. 9. Reacts best on movement and action. 10. They are very changeable and adjustable.
It can be that you show characteristics of both mentioned. Therefore nobody can prescribe a study method. You have to work it out for yourself. It is better if you try all the methods and then see what works best for you.
We will briefly look at two types of summaries.
1. The first method is the mind map. Learners who are more right-brain dominated will benefit from this method.
How do you make a mind map?
Firstly learn through your assignment Take a clean page (A4 or larger) and write the main header in the middle of the page. You can also link it to a picture and draw it in the middle. Now write down all the important facts (or draw them) around your main point. You can now add branches to lift out less important facts. It helps to use different colours.
Brain joist
Small brain The brain Brain cortex
Brain stem
This is just an example – you can now add other smaller branches with each branch to explain it more clearly.
2. The second method we call a flow diagram or a point-by-point summary. Persons who are more left brained dominant choose this method. They are more logical and it makes more sense to them.
Do it as follows: Read through your work. Get a good picture in your head about what the work is about. Read through it again and see what the core fact in each paragraph is. Summarise the core of the paragraph in your own sentence. Do it with the whole assignment. Go through your summary and make sure that it makes sense to you. An example of a bulleted summary is as follows: “The small brain is a pleated lobe that lies under the cerebrum. It controls and co-ordinates the muscles for fine motor movements like walking.”
Summary of the paragraph Small brain: - Pleated lobe - Under cerebrum - Controls, co-ordinates - Fine motor, for example walking
You can now try out both methods and choose the method that works best for you.
DEFINE:
Study methods: It is the method you use to memorise facts so that you can convey them correctly. Memory: It is the part of your brain which helps you to remember things. Brain dominance: It is the part of your brain which controls your actions and thoughts. Visualisation: It is when you form a concept with the help of a picture. Association: To link something you have to remember to something which will remind you and help you to remember it easier.
1.5.2 Skills to develop memory
A person is born with an unrestricted learning capability. Our forefathers did not have to remember as many things that we have to. They just had to ascertain the source of their food, water and dangers. Our brains are therefore developed in such a way to remember things in clear images.
