Afrigather It is flashcards with a twist.
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Diversifying your learning methods is an effective way to maintain your self extra engaged as you be taught new info, so strive the Leitner system subsequent time you sort out a brand new topic. This memory-enhancing technique is finest for when you could have a considerable period of time to be taught your materials, so don’t use it for cramming, however do begin it straight away at first of a semester or chapter. Right here’s what to do.
What’s the Leitner system for learning?
This technique was devised by science author Sebastian Leitner in 1972, which is why he will get the honour of getting it named for him. (It’s from his ebook Study to Study, nevertheless it’s solely accessible in German, so simply belief me on this one.) The strategy depends on bodily instruments: flashcards and packing containers. (You’ll additionally want a pen or pencil to make the flashcards.) At its core, this can be a model of spaced repetition, an evidence-based method that helps learners soak up quite a few items of knowledge and retailer them of their reminiscence. The system is finest used when you could have ample time however should be taught a lot of ideas, phrases, or concepts—so use it for a whole course or a extremely hefty chapter as a substitute of a piece or matter that solely features a few new issues to be taught.
use the Leitner system
The very first thing you’re going to do is make your flashcards. Don’t fear concerning the different steps involving the packing containers simply but. Make the flashcards such as you usually would by together with vocabulary phrases, new ideas, phrases, essential dates, and the rest it is advisable know. It helps to first use a studying comprehension method to undergo the chapter or topic at hand, so strive the SQ3R technique, which has you determine questions you could have concerning the materials earlier than you begin studying, then has you write down the solutions to these questions as you discover them, plus the rest you be taught. You base these questions on subheadings, graphs, tables, summaries, and different key components of the chapter, however you may later base your flashcards on those self same items of knowledge, plus the solutions you discover. Be thorough and embrace ideas and phrases you already really feel assured you already know, even when that appears foolish. It’s all a part of the Leitner technique and can turn out to be useful.
After getting a complete flashcard deck, it’s time to make use of the tactic. You’ll want 5 packing containers (or envelopes and even labeled binder clips, so long as it’s one thing that may maintain large stacks of playing cards). You need to label them on a timeline, ideally by how lengthy it’s a must to grasp the knowledge. When you have a giant midterm in two months, as an example, label Field 1 “every day,” Field 2 “each different day,” Field 3 “weekly,” Field 4 “biweekly,” and Field 5 “month-to-month.”
Now, do a spherical of flashcards. Each card you get proper, transfer to Field 2. Each card you get unsuitable, preserve in Field 1. You see the place that is going, however I will spell it out: Field 1 is a every day evaluation, so that you do these flashcards on daily basis, however in the event you begin this exercise on a Monday and your Field 2 is designated for every-other-day examine, you received’t return to that one till Wednesday. For those who reply playing cards from Field 2 accurately, they’ll go to Field 3, which on this instance is your “weekly” field. For those who reply any playing cards in Field 2 incorrectly, you progress these again to Field 1, the place you’ll examine them on daily basis till you get them proper.
Briefly, once you reply a card proper, it strikes ahead right into a field that may have you ever reviewing it much less ceaselessly. Whenever you reply a card unsuitable, it strikes backward right into a field that may have you ever reviewing it extra ceaselessly. Ultimately, you’ll have playing cards all the way in which down in Field 5. These would be the playing cards containing info you could have successfully saved in your reminiscence and actually grasp, so that you don’t have to go over them as typically. Playing cards within the lower-numbered packing containers include info you’re not retaining as nicely and will go over extra.
Modifications and issues to remember concerning the Leitner system
How you utilize the system will rely upon how a lot time it’s a must to examine, in addition to how a lot it’s a must to be taught. For example, in case you have only a few ideas you wish to drill or you could have solely two weeks till a giant check, you may simply use three packing containers to designated every day, every-other-day, and weekly examine. You even have some wiggle room on the subject of incorrect solutions. Essentially the most trustworthy adherence to the tactic would have you ever shifting any incorrect playing cards all the way in which again to Field 1 it doesn’t matter what field it had beforehand made its option to, as an example, however you can also make a judgement name on whether or not getting it unsuitable one time means it is advisable examine it on daily basis or whether or not you assume it ought to solely be demoted one field.
You additionally have to be strategic once you’re learning on a day that entails a number of packing containers. For those who begin on a Monday and use a every day, every-other-day, and weekly setup on your first three packing containers, as an example, Friday goes to be fairly large for you. Begin with regardless of the highest field of the day is, then transfer backward. By doing this, you’ll get to review any you bought unsuitable and moved backward twice, however received’t have to review any you bought proper and moved ahead twice. Plus, it’ll be a little bit confidence increase to start out on the more durable ones and get some proper, shifting them to a field you received’t have to have a look at for some time.
The objective right here is to actually hammer the playing cards that include info that isn’t sticking for you with out bogging your self down learning stuff you already know. As extra playing cards transfer into the higher-numbered packing containers, add info from new chapters so your deck is a complete overview of the whole lot you’ll have to know for a cumulative check or, ideally, long-term within the real-world software of the knowledge.
