IMPROVING STUDENTS’
STUDY HABIT
RUSNANI BT SHARUDDIN
PENGETUA RPS
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The challenge
Most students have difficulty
concentrating in classes.They find
difficult and dull . They need a
method for thinking about and
organizing the materials that will
help them to do well on the test .
One such method is a study
technique called M.U.R.D.E.R.
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M.U.R.D.E.R. study system
Uses a mnemonic device to help students
remember it .each letter in M.U.R.D.E.R.
stands for steps in the process.
M – MOOD
U – UNDERSTAND
R - RECALL
D - DIGEST
E - EXPAND
R - REVIEW
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M - MOOD
Need to set a positive mood for yourself.
This mood should include study space and
personal attitude . A good attitude and a
quiet environment can make studying
much easies
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U - UNDERSTAND
While reading, note the informations that
you do not understand by highlighting the
section, using sticky notes or writing down
the page numbers on notepad.
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R- RECALL
After finished reading or studying the
section or unit that you are working on,
stop and recall what you learned. Put the
information into your own words as if you
were explaining it to a friend
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D - DIGEST
Go back to the section that you marked
because you did not understand it, find an
explanation. You can try asking your
teacher, looking on the internet or finding
another book on the subject.
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E - EXPAND
Ask yourself three types of questions about what you have just
learned.
1. What kind of questions would you ask if
you
could talk
directly to the author.Do you have criticism or other comments for
the author?
2. Can you make the material apply to your own life and the things
that interest you ?
3 What do you need to do to make this information easier for other
students to understand
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R - REVIEW
Consider the ways that you have tried to
remember information or concepts in the
past . What methods worked for u ? Can
you apply these methods to the current
material ?
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CONCENTRATION
It is hard to concentrate when reading textbooks
or studying for an exam. However, there are
techniques to practice that will help
build good concentration habits.
Focused concentration hard to do because of multiple
distractions, both internal and external.
The key to learning concentration is practicing
several techniques,
creating a plan and following it.
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PERSONAL ISSUES
• Thinking about significant othe
• Thinking about parents
• Thinking about friends
• Worrying about schoolwork
• Worrying about tests
• Worrying about grades
• Feeling Sicks
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ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS
• Did not bring the right textbook
• Did not bring the right notebook
• Did not bring the right equipment to study
• Did not write down the assignment
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STUDYING DISTRACTIONS
• Background noise
• Visual distraction
• People interruptions
• Break Issues
• Personal Issues
• Assignment Problems
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Get Into a Routine
Studying at the same time and same place
whenever possible will help build concentration skills.
Use a calendar or other time management tool
and schedule study time for the same time every day.
That time is blocked off for studying
Developing Concentration Habits :
The Ability to Focus Without Distraction is Called Concentration
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Schedule Study Times That Work
Some people are night people, others are morning people.
Schedule daily study times at the time that works best. It is
easier to concentrate when the brain is awake and alert.
Relax before the study session with some deep breathing,
signaling the brain that it is time to get to work
and concentrate on the reading material.
Sometimes the addition of soft music (without lyrics)
will help enhance learning.
Studies show that music can affect the brain waves
to stimulate creativity and enhance concentration.
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Start the Term With Good Study Habits
It is easier to create a habit than it is to break one,
so make sure that good habits are started
early in the term.
Good study habits include things like bringing all materials
necessary to the study session, sitting in a comfortable chair,
using a desk, having adequate lighting,
and using the designated study area for studying only.
The mind will start to know that it is time
to settle down and start studying
upon arrival in the designated study area.
Concentration will be much easier in familiar
surroundings.
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Increase Attention Span
Tricking the subconscious part of the brain
into thinking
that the material being studied is the most exciting
and interesting thing ever read
will help convince the conscious part of the brain that
it needs to concentrate.
To do this, start by pretending to be very interested in the
material. Soon the pretending will lead to real interest
and, with time, this technique
will improve concentration skills.
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Create an Environment Conducive to Concentration
The goal is to create a distraction free area to study in.
Try to study in the same place and
at the same time every day.
Take a deep breath, clear the mind, and prepare to
concentrate on the materials at hand.
Don't create internal distractions by thinking of things not
related to the task at hand, getting up and down to find
books,notes, pencils, etc.
Don't study in bed, or at the dinner table. Instead,
concentrate on creating a perfect study area
where the only activity is studying.
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Improve Concentration
How to Stay Focused and Improve Your Memory
Stress, too much coffee or energy drinks, boredom,
and even lack of exercise can cause poor memory
and lack of concentration.
Even if you are absorbed in a project, external disturbances
can interrupt your train of thought. You may try to get back to
your task, but find that the intrusion threw you off balance,
making it difficult to concentrate.
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Relaxation and Stress Reduction
Staying focused is often difficult when under a great deal of stress.
Learning to improve your concentration and memory may be as easy as
getting into the habit of bringing your mind back to your current project
instead of allowing it to wander.
Techniques like meditation or yoga can help quiet a restless mind, and
improve memory and concentration.
Relaxing can be as simple as sitting quietly for a few moments each day
listening to soothing music while letting your thoughts flow wherever they
wish. This may sound counter-productive since you’d like to improve
memory and concentration, but this method can work since you’re giving
your mind permission to drift and daydream for awhile.
Taking time out to de-stress may be all it takes to help you concentrate
better.
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Exercise and Deep Breathing
A quick and easy way to calm a racing mind and improve concentration is to
practice deep breathing exercises.
Whenever you feel unfocused, stop whatever you’re doing, close your
eyes, inhale deeply through your nose for a count of five, hold for a count of
five, then release your breath slowly through your mouth as you count to
ten. (Imagine blowing on a spoonful of hot soup as you blow out.)
Repeat this exercise three to ten times until you feel more relaxed and
focused.
Also, exercising for just 20 minutes a day, whether a walk around the block
or time spent on a bike or treadmill, releases endorphins—chemicals in the
brain that can boost your mood and clear your mind.
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Caffeine and Anxiety
Drinking too many caffeine-laden coffee or energy drinks
may be the reason behind poor concentration in some people.
The mind will soon protest by refusing to focus.
Caffeine has many side effects such as causing fuzzy thinking, anxiety,
adrenal exhaustion, and even fatigue once the coffee or energy drink wears
off.
Try to limit yourself to two cups of coffee per day.
Better yet, replace caffeine drinks with herbal teas or water.
Poor concentration and memory problems can usually be corrected through
exercise, stress reduction, and cutting back on caffeine
Within a week or two you should see substantial result in mental focus.
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Boosting Student Memory
long-term memory
The Forgetting Act
short-term memory
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Learning Concept Map
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Boosting Student Memory
Memory Lessons
To minimize forgetting,
information should be repeated frequently,
with the intent to learn and remember—and always out loud.
Recitation is the most powerful memory tool of all
when coupled with repetition. Chunking,
or grouping information, is helpful, too, as in flash cards.
After the first go-through, your child ends up with an I-know-these pile
and one for the not-so-well-known, which require repeated,
recited sessions until all are memorized.
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BOOSTING STUDENTS’ MEMORY
For memorizing lists,
creating sentence cues is effective.
For instance: “My Very Elegant Mother Just Served Us
Nachos” helps recall the planets in order—without Pluto.
Or suggest acronyms, such as ROY G. BIV for remembering
the colors of the visible spectrum as they appear: red, orange,
yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet
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Boosting Student Memory
creating a mental picture in our "mind's eye" sends an electrical impulse to our
brain’s vision center, and this, too, is an effective memory tool.
Think of Aesop’s “The Fox and the Crow.” Can you “see” that bird drop the cheese
right into the fox’s mouth?
And for all those tricky spelling words, help your child generate some mnemonics,
like My nIEce loves pIE and WE are WEird. Need help? Check out Murray Suid's
Demonic Mnemonics.
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Memory Tips
ShorterBoosting
nightly sessions work
better than Memory
a long one the night before;
Student
cramming invites forgetting.
Believing in our capacity to remember improves the odds.
Recollection requires mindful focusing on the information at hand.
Gesturing while reciting improves thinking and recall.
Writing triggers the memory process, causing the brain to refine thinking
and deeply process information.
Unchecked anxiety interferes with out ability to learn and remember.
Carbohydrates (whole wheat breads and pasta, fruits and veggies) eaten 15-20 minutes
before a memory-demanding task improves performance.
A diet rich in fish, chicken, eggs, peanuts, sweet potatoes, spinach, strawberries, and
blueberries--the "brain berry"--enhances memory.
Losing just two hours of sleep one night can impair recall the next day.
Reducing to-be-studied facts to about six, analyzing their relationships and then forming a
mental picture, makes them easier to remember.
Clapping out information under study or repeating it to the beat of a familiar tune cements
recall. Lyrics stick around.
Role playing, such as acting out historic battles or ocean currents, bolsters remembering.
Walking briskly three times a week improves reasoning ability and decision-making by
improving circulation.
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THE END
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