Right-Brained Learners — Study and Test-taking Skills
Dec 30th, 2007 by willa
I took these notes a year or so ago when I was learning about Right Brained Learners. As one myself, I think the most helpful tips for me have been the speed-reading to get the big picture, and the idea of visualizing as I read. As to minimizing distractions, I am one of the subset who actually works better with some background noise. I finally figured out in college that the best way to write a paper was to go to a cafe, and my work improved quite a bit after that. I tell my kids to experiment with different environments and see which one works best for them.
Notetaking and outlining usually are difficult for RBL to use well either for studying or for writing. When I was in college I took notes on lectures, but they were almost useless to look at later. The only thing that helped, for me, was to physically rewrite the notes, preferably in a new format so I could think about them in a new way.
What works far better for me is a keyword map. This works for both studying and writing. I just jot down a phrase or vivid word here and there and use it as a “peg” for retrieval.
Anyway, here are the notes.
Studying
Don’t nag
Minimize distractions
Short, intense study periods
Speed-reading techniques — read quickly, to get the big picture, then read again to fill in the details.
Use visualization to memorize charts and things.
Outlines and notecards often not effective for RBLs in writing. Just sit down and write, then put in shape as you go along. For a young child, help him start by helping him write out the first bit.
Follow study sessions with a motivating activity, vary pace.
Test-Taking
RBLs often do poorly in timed-test situation.
He should skim test until he finds a “sure bet”
If he is panicking, he should take a “mini vacation”
Save tougher questions for last
Avoid timed work when possible.
Hi, Willa. This post had me thinking. I have been wanting to start my 13yodd on some kind of notetaking lessons, but I keep running into the same issue– I don’t take very good notes, nor do I follow a particular pattern in my notetaking. (I think what I would really like is to be able to write fast enough to jot down every word that is said in a lecture! Barring that, I tend to write down phrases that stand out to me as the person is speaking.)
I think my daughter and I need to do a kind of notetaking exploration, rather than choosing a curriculum that says, “This is the only right way to take notes.” I was taught that the only proper way to take notes was in outline form, and I am continually surprised to see how many different ways of taking notes have sprung up since I was in school.
Yes, I notice that too. I like the Cornell note-taking system. You put keywords on one side and more detailed notes on the other side. So a bit like an outline but not as sequential. The sequential-ness of outlining always bogs me down.
I am glad the post helped since I hesitated whether or not to post something that was basically just an outline in itself ;-).
[…] until age 9 or so. It may not be so unusual, especially for a right brained” learner who has particular academic needs.. And why am I concerned with “Normal” anyway? We don’t live at that address […]