Kathmandu:

Most students need to study if they want to do well. There is no denying this fact. But for each student, and for each subject, the method of studying that is most effective will vary. One thing that is for sure, is that they will be using one or more of their five senses to accomplish it:

Taste

Did you know candy can help children get better grades? And I don’t mean as a bribe or reward for a job well done. I am referring to using candy as a study tool.

Any type of hard candy that comes in a variety of fruit flavours will work for this. Pick a different flavour for each subject and don’t change flavours for it, (Math = raspberry, English = pineapple).

Whenever you are studying that subject, suck on a candy of the flavour selected for that subject. When it is time to take the test, tuck that subject’s flavour in your mouth. This will help you recall information you learned while experiencing that flavour in the past.

Tip: Try not to eat any when you are not actively participating in something to do with that subject, as you don’t want to associate other memories with the flavours.

Touch

While studying, drape a piece of fabric of a particular texture on your lap. Pick a different one for each subject (velvet, satin, corduroy, flannel, denim). Keep one hand on your lap in contact with that fabric, while studying, moving it around so you get the feeling of it and can associate it with the subject you are studying.

When it comes time to take the test, wear pants or a skirt made of the fabric that matches the subject. (lucky history pants, you might call it). This works the same way as the candies, associating your sense of touch with memory of the info learned while feeling it.

Smell

If you are using the candies from the taste method, you will get the benefits of smell as well, since those two senses are tied together. I could suggest candles or something similar, but the smell would be very difficult to take with you and duplicate at test time.

Sight

This is the one sense that is used most while studying, but most students don’t use it to its fullest potential. Sure you are using your eyes when you study, but you probably aren’t using them effectively.

Try writing out the material you need to learn in different colours, changing colours with each point. Decorate with a small related doodle for each. Try organising it like a web page, with header and footer sections, where you write all the way across the page at the top and bottom, and at least two columns for the body of it. You might also want to break up the centre section with an additional section where you write all the way across the page like at the top and bottom. It doesn’t matter what goes in each section, just important that there is a lot visual variety to the page.

When it comes time to take the test, you might not be able to recall the information at first, but if you can visualise the page you wrote, remembering the position, the colour, or the doodle may help you remember the words you wrote before.

Hearing

Turn off the radio, TV, etc and go where it is quiet and nobody will be adding any distracting noise to your environment (no, a library isn’t good for this one).

Record yourself reading your notes, and play it back a few times. While you are absorbing the material by hearing it, you are also making mental notes criticising your own voice at various points, either consciously or unconsciously. They will help later when you take the test, to be able to stop, and then play back the audio in your head to recall the information again. — Agencies