Ahmad Abad Education Service
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Preparing to Study | A Strategy for Taking Tests |
Good Listening In Class It is important for you to be a good listener in class. Much of what you will have to learn will be presented verbally by your teachers. Just hearing what your teachers say is not the same as listening to what they say. Listening is a cognitive act that requires you to pay attention and think about and mentally process what you hear.Here are some things you should do to be a good listener in class.Ahmad Abad Education Service Be Cognitively Ready to Listen When You Come to Class. Make sure you complete all assigned work andreadings. Review your notes from previous class sessions. Think about what you know about the topic that will be covered in class that day.Be Emotionally Ready to Listen When You Come to Class. Your attitude is important. Make a conscious choice to find the topic useful and interesting. Be committed to learning all that you can.Listen with a Purpose. Identify what you expect and hope to learn from the class session. Listen for these things as your teacher talks. Listen with an Open Mind. Be receptive to what your teacher says. It is good to question what is said as long as you remain open to points of view other than your own. Be Attentive. Focus on what your teacher is saying. Try
not to daydream and let your mind wander to other things. It helps to sit in the front and center of the class, and to maintain eye contact with your teacher. Be an Active Listener. You can think faster than your teacher can speak. Use this to your advantage by evaluating what is being said and trying to anticipate what will be said next. Take good written notes about what your teacher says. While you can think faster than your teacher can speak, you cannot write faster than your teacher can speak. Taking notes requires you to make decisions about what to write, and you have to be an active listener to do this.Meet the Challenge. Don’t give up and stop listening when you find the information being presented difficult to understand. Listen even more carefully at these times and work hard to understand what is being said. Don’t be reluctant to ask questions.Triumph Over the Environment. The classroom may too noisy, too hot, too cold, too bright, or too dark. Don’t give in to these inconveniences. Stay focused on the big picture – LEARNING. Ahmad Abad Education ServicePreparing to Study: A Good Study Place You need a good study place to be prepared to study. You should be able to answer YES to all of the following questions:1. Is my Study Place available to me whenever I need it?Your Study Place does you little good if you cannot use it when you need it. If you are using a Study Place that you must share with others for any reason, work out a schedule so that you know when you can use it.2. Is my Study Place free from interruptions?It is important to have uninterrupted study time. You may have to hang a DO NOT DISTURB sign on the door or take the phone off the hook.3. Is my Study Place free from distractions?Research shows that most students study best in a quiet environment. If you find that playing a stereo or TV improves your mood, keep the volume low.4. Does my Study Place contain all the study materials I need?Be sure your Study Place includes reference sources and supplies such as pens and pencils, paper, ruler, calculator, and whatever else you might need. If you use a computer for your schoolwork, it should be in your Study Place . 5. Does my Study Space contain a large enough desk or table? While working on an assignment or studying for a test, use a desk or table that is large enough to hold everything you need. Allow enough room for writing and try to avoid clutter. 6. Does my Study Place have enough storage space?You need enough room to store your study7. Does my Study Place have a comfortable chair?A chair that is not comfortable can cause discomfort or pain that will interfere with your studying. A chair that is too comfortable might make you sleepy. Select a chair in which you can sit for long periods while maintaining your attention.8. Does my Study Place have enough light?The amount of light you need depends on what you are doing. The important thing is that you can clearly see what you need to see without any strain or discomfort.9. Does my Study Place have a comfortable temperature?If your Study Place is too warm, you might become sleepy. If it is too cold, your thinking may slow down and become unclear. Select a temperature at which your mind and body function best. Having a good Study Place is important for good studying. Making an Oral Presentation When making an oral presentation in class, you must know your subject well and convince your audience that they have something to gain from listening to you. Here are some things you can do to make an effective oral presentation. Be prepared. Research your subject to ensure that you are
knowledgeable. Practice your presentation until you feel
comfortable. Make sure you can present your information
within whatever time limits you will have. Anticipate
questions you may be asked and prepare answers to these.Know your audience. Tailor your presentation to your
audience’s level of knowledge about the subject of your
presentation, what they need to know, and their interests.Be positive. Make it clear that you are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about your subject.Don’t read your presentation. Talk to your audience. Use your notes as prompts
as needed.Provide examples. Try to make your presentation as concrete and “down to earth” as possible. Add appropriate anecdotes and humor to drive home a point.Use visual aids. Supplement what you say with visual aids such as handouts, charts, transparencies, and slides. Make sure that everyone can easily see the visual aids. Don’t use visual aids that are so complex that the audience will spend its time trying to read them instead of listening to you. Visual aids are supplements to what you say, not replacements for what you say.Maintain eye contact. Shift your eye contact around the room so that everyone feels that you are talking to them.Actively involve your audience. People can only listen so long without their attention wandering. Making your presentation interesting will help you to capture and keep your audience’s attention for a while, but you must do more. Build in some simple and quick activities for your audience so that they are actively involved in your presentation. Ask questions that you are confident your audience will be able to answer.Use your voice effectively. Vary the tone of your voice and be careful not to talk too quickly. End on a high note. Leave your audience feeling upbeat about what they have just heard.
