Learning Strategies

Do you know the best state to be in to learn something? Did you know you can create it?

What

All learning is state-dependent. In other words… The key to an effective learning strategy is: HAVE FUN

How

Steps to an Effective Learning Strategy

• Begin in a positive state. Thinking of a time when you learned something easily. Anchor that state as many times as necessary to create a resourceful state. “Think of a time when you succeeded at learing something easily and rapidly.”
• Chunk down to a manageable task to avoid overwhelm.
• Know your desired outcome. “How will you know when you have learned this?”
• Make appropriate comparisons that give you a sens of accomplishment. i.e. don’t compare your rate of integrating of material to that of Albert Einstein’s or don’t compare your knowledge to your teacher’s
• Manage expectations. Expect to still have other things you don’t understand. Stay excited about learning them later.
• Exit before static moves from positive to negative so that you will want to return where you left off. Do not reinforce negative associations with learning.
• Acknowledge outcome. Anchor it with positive self-talk. Eliminate modal operators of necessity in regards to learning i.e “I must get this or else…” or “I should know the answer.”
• Future pace and link to future.