Support strategies for effective learning
Support strategies are, as the name suggests, strategies that are meant to support or help you in your learning. These strategies can help you to create the right conditions for effective and focused studying. There is a distinction between internal and external support strategies. Internal strategies depend on you while external ones depend on your environment and those around you.
Internal support strategies
The internal support strategies include:- Sleeping. You perform better when you are well rested and have enough energy. That's why a good, peaceful night's sleep of seven to eight hours is essential for the most effective learning possible. So go to bed early! You can start studying the next day when you are well-rested.
- Your mood and attitude. Having the right attitude can work wonders when it comes to focusing and studying. No matter what you're doing, to succeed you need to have the right mindset. So try to prepare yourself positively for learning and get motivated to take on the challenge. Just be aware that practising a positive mindset like this requires effort and that lapses in motivation happen to everyone!
- Breaks. You should take regular breaks from studying and reward yourself with some free time. Working constantly reduces your capacity to absorb and concentrate and worst of all, it can lead to you getting burnt-out. Take a walk or read a book to relax your brain. In addition to short breaks from studying, long breaks are also part of the learning process. For example, playing sports, meeting up with friends or enjoying a day off by yourself. Make sure you have a healthy balance between studying and personal time.
External support strategies
Some of the external support strategies may include:- A calm and undisturbed learning atmosphere. This means avoiding distractions such as the TV, your phone, younger siblings, loud music and so on. You should find a suitable place to learn and gather everything you need to study, including pencils, paper, your notes and textbooks. Make sure everything is in order before you begin and this will save you time and help you avoid distractions.
- Rituals. Small rituals that signal 'I am studying now' can help you get into the mood for learning. For example, before you start studying, do a five-minute yoga session to help activate your concentration, or put on your favourite study playlist which will motivate you to give it your all. Whatever ritual you choose, the most important thing is that it puts you in the mood for learning.
- Revision plan. A revision or study plan covers all of your current tasks and goals and the steps you are taking to reach those goals. Your thoughts, ideas and comments about your revision can also be included. Having a revision or study plan helps you track your accomplishments and your progress as well as helping you overcome obstacles. Just be careful not to spend too much valuable study time working on your revision plan! Check out our other blogs to learn more about how to create the perfect revision plan.
- Study groups. Humans are social beings and often feel more comfortable in groups. Therefore, it can be very effective to study with your classmates if you do it right. Learning in a group is much more fun and motivating than learning alone. However, in order to make sure you collaborate productively, you should consider:
- The size of the group and members
- Roles within the group, so that each member of the group feels useful and appreciated
- Common goals to work towards
- How to create a good atmosphere
- How to communicate effectively
- How to avoid distractions
- A defined structure for study sessions