Learning Strategies

Space Awareness: to solve problems of spatial orientation and moving objects through space such as driving a car
_ Place new information on labeled shelves in imaginary kitchen cupboards,
or on a workbench.

Artistic Design: to create artistic designs, drawings, paintings or other crafts
_ Watch, Visualize, Sketch.
_ Think of a simile, metaphor or an exaggerated, odd picture.
_ Make notes with different colored pens.
_ Use page layout or shapes for note taking.
_ Make “Visual Maps” to organize new information.
_ Take photographs, video or make a sketch.
_ Add attractive personal style or decorations.
_ Daydream, make a movie in your mind.
_ Create a cartoon, picture book or sculpture.
_ Organize information in a colorful, spatial layout.

Working with Objects: to make, build, fix, or assemble things
_ Look at it 3 times (making different mental images each time).
_ Demonstrate it all at once so you get the Big Picture.
_ Draw a puzzle, map, design or graph.
_ Build a model using the new information

How to Study:
” I can use my Spatial, imagination and artistic abilities to learn anything! I can organize my notes on the page in a clear design. I can use “mapping” to visually arrange new information. I can use different colored pens, markers, paper or notebooks. I will visualize real life” situations involving the information. I can do some drawing or building before reading to warm-up my brain. I can picture myself knowing how to use the new information very well on a test or project. I will look to see how the whole problem works from beginning to end and then break it down into chunks and pieces. I can use doodles, drawings or other symbols to help me to memorize things. I can make cartoons or a video tape to explain complicated stuff and practice skills. I can ask someone to show me how it works while I watch carefully.”

Athletics: ability to move the whole body for physical activities such as balancing, coordination and sports
_ Do it 3 times for practice.
_ Touch, walk and talk to keep attention focused.
_ Play and move through it step‑by‑step like a mime.
_ Be patient as it moves through you.
_ Take “movement” breaks often.

Dexterity: to use the hands with dexterity and skill for detailed activities and expressive moment
_ Do it 3 times for practice.
_ Use “hand‑over‑hand” demonstration.
_ Write it large or over and over again.
_ Dramatize it to get a “feel” for it in your bones,
_ Hold on to it and use gestures.
_ Tinker with it, build a model.
_ Explore it with your hands or move through it in imagination.

How to Study:
“I can use my Body to learn anything! I can try moving around while I study. I can take movement breaks or walk while I study my notes. I can manually write out the information over & over. I can “do it” not just talk about it. I can get a feel for it and follow hunches. I can physically sort out my notes and rearrange the information using note cards. I will practice, practice and practice. I will try to imitate exactly how someone else does it. I can find ways to act out or dramatize the information. I can play make believe and pantomime it. I can invent gestures to describe what I’m learning. I can tinker with it and build a model. “

Everyday Math: use math effectively in everyday life
_ Count, Calculate and Categorize.
_ Create a ‘story problem’ out of the new information

School Math: performs well in math at school
_ Count, Calculate and Categorize.
_ Count, Calculate and Categorize.

Everyday Problem Solving: able to use logical reasoning to solve everyday problems, curiosity
_ Strive to understand‑‑ how, why & what.
_ Question, Count and Categorize.
_ Ask why and how.
_ Explain it step‑by‑step in detail.
_ Analyze it.
_ Experiment with it.
_ Find a pattern that is new or fits.
_ Explore the possibilities.
_ Test an answer logically.
_ Collect, Compare and Critique.

Strategy Games: good at games of skill and strategy
_ Create a game board or 20 Questions with the information

How To Study:
“I can use my Logical skills to learn anything! I can use logic to find explanations for how things work. I can create detailed plans about connections and relationships between things. I can seek out solutions like a detective. I can make a game and challenge myself to find a more efficient and better way to study. I can test myself and analyze my mistakes. I can count my errors and chart my progress. I can tackle a problem in an orderly way: first things first. I can often ask WHY and HOW. I can outline the logical pattern of the information and determine what’s most important and least. I will wonder about the possibilities and test out answers.”

Social Sensitivity: sensitivity to and understanding of other people’s moods, feelings and point of view
_ Study in a group, have family discussions.
_ Understand why it’s important to someone else.
_ Join a team in competition or in cooperation.
_ Study with a partner.
_ Listen just to learn without questioning or interrupting.

Social Persuasion: ability for influencing other people
_ Understand why it’s important to someone else.
_ Teach it to a friend until she understands it.
_ Create a lesson plan to teach it to someone else.
_ Teach it so even a child could understand.

Interpersonal Work: interest and skill for jobs involving working with people
_ Study in a group, have family discussions.
_ Join a team in competition or in cooperation.

How To Study:
“I can use my Interpersonal skills to learn anything! I can try real hard to understand what the teacher wants to be able to do and what to know. I will “read his mind” and then check it out to see if I am right. I will ask 2 or 3 people in the class or a friend what I am supposed to know. I will ask the student who is a whiz to explain it to me. I will have fun “playing the role” or the person who is an expert. I will lead a “study group”. I will talk to a best friend on the phone and we’ll study it together. I will do my best to teach the new information to someone else and then have them teach it back to me. I will be my own best cheerleader while I am learning something real hard. I will remind myself that someone important is counting on me to do my best. I will try to sell or persuade someone that I am an expert. I will dramatize the information.”

Personal Knowledge / Efficacy: awareness of one’s own ideas, abilities; able to achieve personal goals
_ Ask how this agrees or disagrees with your past experiences. _ Ask what you already know about this.
_ What is your opinion about this information.
_ What don’t you know, need to know & how to find out.
_ Work at it alone.
_ Stop to reflect often about this information.
_ Challenge yourself to learn it.
_ Test yourself.
_ Use your best other skills for memorizing it.
_ Convince yourself that you will be a better person by learning it.

Calculations: meta-cognition “thinking about thinking’ involving numerical operationsSpatial Problem Solving: self awareness to problem solve while moving self or objects through
Self Effectiveness: ability to relate oneself well to others and manage personal relationships
_ Why is it important for you to know it.
_ What don’t you know, need to know & how to find out.
_ Stop to reflect often about this information.
_ Challenge yourself to learn it.
_ Learn it just for yourself.
_ Learn to catch when your mind is wandering & bring back to task.

How to Study:
“I can use my Intrapersonal skills to improve my learning in anything! I can first ask myself, “What do I already know about this?” and “Why is this information important to me? How does it fit in my life and my future? Will I ever need to know or use this?” I can slow down my practice or study process to find and correct my mistakes or misunderstandings. I will review my work often and ask myself, “What did I just learn? Is it important to know and remember?” As I study a new subject I will remind myself of what my learning strengths and try to use them to learn. If I become discouraged or frustrated or sidetracked I will think of ways to focus my thoughts and think positive. I will learn to test myself to discover if I am learning. I will not put myself down because of my weaknesses. I will find ways to boost my self confidence and not give up. I will use positive –self talk when solving problems. I will remind myself that I am my own best teacher. I will check out my new learning with teachers or parents to be sure I have studied correctly.”

Vocal Ability: a good voice for singing in tune and in harmony
Notice how the words sound.
_ Repeat it until you can hear it clearly and it sounds just right.

_ Sing it to yourself.
_ Make up a song lyric that explains it.
_ Say it out loud sometimes slowly and sometimes quickly.
_ Emphasize the accent or the voice inflections.

Instrumental Skill: skill and experience in playing a musical instrument
Composer: makes up songs or poetry and has tunes on her mind
_ Make a musical beat to it.
_ Make up a song lyric that explains it.

Appreciation: actively enjoys listening to music of some kind
Use Rhyme, Rhythm and Repetition.
_ Notice how the words sound.
_ Does it ‘ring true’.
_ Make a musical beat to it.
_ Study with pleasant music, a metronome or with perfect quiet.
_ Say it out loud sometimes slowly and sometimes quickly.

How to Study:
“I can use my Musical skills to learning anything! I can play familiar or relaxing music before or during my study time. I can make up fun rhymes or lyrics using new information I must memorize. I will listen for rhythms and sound patterns in explanations. I energize my brain to study when I’m tired with strong music. I can hum to myself as I do my work. I can take musical breaks. I can make a DJ tape using the new information with appropriate music. I can look for music that pertains to what I must study.”

Animal Care:
_Skill for understanding animal behavior, needs, characteristics
_ Consider how the information fits into the natural world.
_ Discover how it has developed over time and look for growth.
_ Imagine how you are cultivating the knowledge to feed your mind.
_ Are there animal metaphors that fit with your new knowledge /skill?

Plant Care: ability to work with plants, i.e., gardening, farming and horticulture
_ Consider how the information fits into the natural world.
_ Discover how it has developed over time and look for growth.
_ Imagine how you are cultivating the knowledge to feed your mind.

Science: knowledge of natural living energy forces including cooking, weather and physics
_ Observe something carefully and identify patterns.
_ Record and organize data into a system that makes sense.
_ Imagine or build a “living model” that shows relationships.
_ Imagine how you are cultivating the knowledge to feed your mind.

How to Study:
I can use my Naturalist skills to improve my learning in anything! I can first observe carefully by using my senses to watch, listen, touch, smell and maybe even taste the new information. I can record and then organize all this data into a system that makes sense to me. I might make separate lists, use a graph, collage, mobile or “mind-map” to show relationships and connections between the different parts. I can follow a hunch then test it out. I can build or imagine a living model. I can think of animal metaphors and symbols for the new information to help me relate to it. I can discover how this information fits into the natural world scheme of plants, animals and human life. I can see how things have developed over time and look for growth, change and the evolution of ideas and products. I can imagine that I am a hunter tracking down the answers by following signs and footprints. I can imagine that I am gathering food for my mind so my brain won’t starve. I can imagine that I am cultivating a garden or raising the next generation of good ideas.”

Linguistic Sensitivity: skill in the use of words for expressive and practical purposes
_ Repeat it 3 times to yourself.
_ Make up an exciting, odd or scary story.
_ Look up definitions of unknown words/ write them out in your own words

Reading: skill in reading
_ Preview, Question, Read, Review & Test.
_ Listen, Question, Outline, Explain.
_ Write notes and questions in margins of book as you read (or on post it notes)

Writing: ability and interest in writing projects such as poems, stories, books or letters
_ Take detailed notes.
_ Write an outline. L/M
_ Make a list or checklist. L/M

Speaking/Rhetorical: skill in oral communication for persuasion, memorization and description
_ Make up memorable abbreviations.
_ Make up an exciting, odd or scary story.
_ Explain / teach it to someone else.
_ Talk about it into a tape recorder and review it.
_ Persuade someone else using all the information I

How to Study:
“I can use Linguistic activities to learn anything! I will read everything in the book carefully. I will listen especially to explanations and write detailed notes which I can then rewrite and translate them into my own words. I will pick out key words to memorize. I will build my vocabulary. I will learn the meaning of words that confuse me. I can use a tape recorder to help me study by talking out loud and then listening to the recording. I can make up a story. I can create a rhyme to help me remember. I can talk to someone about what I’m trying to learn. and try to teach or convince or sell them this new information. I will write a checklist of everything I need to know. I can make an outline of the information.”