Study Tips for Slow Learners

Let’s be honest, it can be difficult to cram material into your brain. This is especially true if you’re studying for an assessment the next day or trying to learn everything all at once. People don’t study the same, and certain methods can be more helpful than others. We’ve compiled a few for those who don’t grasp onto new content quickly, so if that’s you, then stick around!

Spaced Repetition

This study method focuses on covering the same material over a long period of time. Instead of cramming everything in the night before the test, repeat the material in the days leading up. And, this doesn’t mean doing the same thing over and over again, but instead taking the same content and absorbing it in different ways.

For instance, let’s say that you have a history test on Thursday and today is Monday. First, make sure you fully understand the information before you worry about memorizing it. Reread notes, watch videos, and ensure that everything makes sense. Then, on Tuesday, take a practice test or find some way to be assessed on the topics. Finally, on Wednesday, brush up on any missed content and practice active recall.

Chunking

For some people, the issue might not be the time that it takes to learn material, but how much material there is to begin with. In this case, you can use chunking. Split up the content into 5-10 different subtopics or ideas that you can learn individually. You can do this while studying or get ahead by taking your notes this way (and, we happen to have just released a new notes template that does just that!). Think about studying quality over quantity—a few perfectly understood topics are better than a blur of half-understood nonsense.

Maybe you’re studying the cell cycle for a biology test. You can split up the topics into the different phases: G1, S, G2, mitosis, and cytokinesis. This way, you can spend a day learning 1-2 concepts, rather than all of them in the same night.

Studying In Unconventional Places

Studying doesn’t have to be you sitting down at your desk and learning material. It can happen just about anywhere. And, it’s easy to take advantage of that! Listening to music on a walk? Play a recording from class or a different video explaining the same topic. Stressed about a test as you’re trying to fall asleep? Put on a video in the background (it can work its way into your dreams!). On a long car ride? Treat the other people in the car to a new lesson.

Visual Learning

Another way studying can be difficult is because of the presentation of the material. Long textbook readings or notes can make information difficult to consume. So, make a change that works for you! Try to use a mind map, flowchart, or other visual way to display the content. Turn your boring words into exciting ways to not only review the material, but to fully remember it. It will also help you avoid the “I remember where it was on the page, but I don’t remember what it was saying” dilemma.

Studying slow might seem counterintuitive, but it can end up helping you in the long run. Reviewing the content day by day will work more effectively than studying for just a single night, and if you liked this, check out our other posts below or in the Blog page.