Tips for Your Studies

Started by Vawmataw, September 15, 2019, 11:52:05 AM

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Vawmataw

I've had this post in my drafts for a long time. Now it's time to post it.

Many of you have started learning Na'vi. You will see that this is not always easy and that requires efforts. In order to improve your capacity of retaining, here are some good tips that I gathered for you. Please note that I am not an expert in the matter, that everyone is different and that you can always adapt these advices to your needs.

1. Repetition
Learning a language can actually take some time not only to learn all the stuff, but also to memorise it. You cannot simply learn and then go on. Otherwise, what you learned will be lost in space. I invite you to check this graph in order to understand how much your brain will normally retain.
As you can see, just going over it once is just not enough. Within a matter of 24 hours, half of what you learned will be gone. However, if you review the same content for a second time the day after, you will be able to stand for two days. Another try the following day and you'll probably remember your stuff next week. To help you structure your studies, you can always decide to review your recent learnings and then go on with new content. Also, instead of just opening the book and read a section, you can integrate your new knowledge in different situations. This is just an example.

2. Favour the retention
One more proof that our brains are not necessarily like computers, they tend to retain more information when you learn in more dynamic ways. If you just read, it is possible that you will forget most of your learning on the long run. Therefore, it is important to stimulate your brain when learning. If you participate in a discussion or a lesson, you will already have a great improvement. If you also practice and receive feedback, you will retain a lot on the long run. A more active (discussing, praticing and teaching) than passive (reading, hearing, seeing) learning will help you retain a lot.
Here are the learning pyramids that explain the average retention rate for a student after a few weeks:
The most important is to do whatever is possible for you. It doesn't mean that reading will not help you learn, but instead is not the most efficient way to retain things unless you incorporate some activity.

3. Guts
As Pamìrìk says:
QuotePractice what you learn here and help others practice. It's the only way to get good.
if practicing makes you nervous, remember that mastering anything takes GUTS.
Getting
Unconfortable
To
Succeed

Your comfort zone isn't going to challenge you enough to improve. Your comfort zone is comprised entirely of things you already know. No learning happens there.

4. Agenda Anaconda
Of course, you haven't paid lessons so your schedule is entirely up to you. However, you need to give yourself the time to learn and study. The schedule has to be adapted to you and your needs. Consider these criteria:

- At least 30 minutes per session (too little time is ineffective)
- Regular occurrence: At least once or twice per week
- Ability to keep up with that schedule on the long term

5. Environment
It is important to find the environment that is appropriate for learning. In fact, an inappopriate environment will bring distractions that will challenge your focus and retention. Therefore, while you have to leave your comfort zone for studying, you need to study in a comfortable place. ;D

Criteria you might want to consider:

- Appropriate lighting (not too dim, not too bright)
- No screens or flashy things other than the screen you use for studying (if applicable, otherwise no screens at all)
- Place that is quiet and infrequently visited by people
- Comfort: adjusted chair, wrists and hands at the right height, monitor at the right height, temperature, etc.
- Order: it creates space and removes distractions

A bedroom may not be a good idea if you share it with someone else or if you strongly associate it with resting. Also, apparently music can create a kind of bubble, so if you feel this will work, then do it. :) However, it can also become counterproductive if you spend your time skipping songs or focusing on the music.

If you have more tips, feel free to add them below.
Fmawn Ta 'Rrta - News IN NA'VI ONLY (Discord)
Traducteur francophone de Kelutral.org, dict-navi et Reykunyu

archaic

Hydration, a de-hydrated brain doesn't work as well as a properly hydrated brain.
This is often over looked, but it does make a difference.
Pasha, an Avatar story, my most recent fanfic, Avatar related, now complete.

The Dragon Affair my last fanfic, non Avatar related.

Toliman

Quote from: archaic on September 15, 2019, 03:08:27 PM
Hydration, a de-hydrated brain doesn't work as well as a properly hydrated brain.
This is often over looked, but it does make a difference.
You are definitelly right, this I know very well ::)