Learning is hard: 5 steps to knowing your work

Struggling to understand information can be frustrating. What’s worse is when you actually understand a lesson but the next day, you cannot remember anything. Learning is hard for many students so don’t think it’s just you.

There are strategies used in schools like Study Zone Institute that help students to overcome the challenges of learning new things. When learning is hard, you can use these 5 steps to get information in your head fast. 

1. Choose your learning style

When learning is hard for you, choose your learning style. Figure out if you are a read-write learner, visual learner, auditory learner or kinesthetic learner.

Some students struggle to understand information that is presented to them in writing only. If however you love to read but have problems understanding or remembering the words on the page, then try recording your notes to a beat, watching videos or making posters..

2. Find the right tools for learning

The visual learner needs posters, photos, videos and displays of real life situations. The auditory learner needs music, repeated voice recordings, rhythm and rhyme. The kinesthetic learner needs the lesson to be dramatised in plays, games, experiments and projects.

When you know your learning style, then you are ready to find the tools to help you learn. Download a video-creating app, purchase poster sheets, markers, glue and tape to work on projects to help you to learn faster.

3. Use the tools repeatedly when learning is hard

The trick to getting information in your head fast is to repeat, repeat, repeat. If you are a reader, then you read those notes again and again until it sticks. If you are a writer, you write over and over until you know the information by heart.

The same goes for the visual learner, you stare at those posters for long periods, close your eyes, visualise the information in your head and then say it out loud until you get it. The auditory learner must play those recordings consistently like an old broken record until you are forced to say every word. The kinesthetic learner must act out new knowledge by making consistent presentations to family members and friends.

4. Be consistent 

Okay, so you’ve memorised your notes on Monday, new notes on Tuesday, more new notes on Wednesday and so on. Eventually, new notes will override the old notes in your head and all your hard work will be in vain. You have to be consistent and repeat Monday’s notes on Tuesday along with Tuesday’s notes.

On Wednesday, you must repeat the notes from Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and so forth. If you do not study like this, then learning will always be hard for you. Overcome your problem by following these steps to get it right.

5. Test yourself

Finally, you need to gather those exam past papers and test yourself. You don’t have to wait until your teacher gives you an exam to see if your hard work has paid off. Students all around the world are testing themselves and their peers during study time.

If you are not doing this, then make it part of your daily routine. Try doing the tests under the time given without looking at your notes. Ask your friends from other classes and schools to share their test papers for you to work on. The more questions you attempt, the better you would be prepared to pass your exams.