Super learning techniques

These days we have extreme amounts of information available around us and internet being among other things, this information will expand at a rapid rate too in every field we work. To compete in this information world, a student needs some special ways of learning so that they can swallow more information at a faster rate. Super learning techniques provide a tool for learning new things, and also utilize an integrative approach by incorporating both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. This allows great amounts of information to be retained in a short amount of time.

The typical teaching method primarily focuses on left hemispherical operations, which are responsible for activities such as verbal reasoning and logic, but super learning techniques also use tactics that include right hemispherical activities such as creativity. With super learning techniques, several factors are manipulated to ensure a more effective and long-term learning process. These factors include room temperature, music, using multiple colors to take notes, multiple short learning cycles and even movement during the learning process. This practice consists of diverse courses and methods, but all seek to establish permanent growth and changes in memory, which will serve as a tool for acquiring new skills. Below are a few techniques, adopted from the Leaders.

• Music – Pick up a good classical Baroque CD or tape and play it softly in the background whenever you are reading/studying anything you want or need to remember.
• Color—Always have at least two different color pens handy to take notes (alternate colors every paragraph or so), and get in the habit of highlighting key points, again with at least two different color highlighters (fluorescent colors are good).
• Learning Cycles – Use a countdown timer for your learning/studying sessions, and be sure to take at least a 5-minute break every 50-minutes. Remember to reset and start the timer when you begin each new learning cycle.
• Movement – Make it a habit to do some kind of movement ritual for 1-2 minutes at the start of each new 20-50 minute learning cycle (e.g. stretching, quick yoga, etc.)

Why it works: Though the left and right hemispheres work together in any task that you do, they do have strengths in more specialized functions. The left hemisphere of the brain is responsible for activities such as language and math. This hemisphere tends to be more logical and technical in nature. Contrarily, the right hemisphere of the brain is responsible for creative tasks such as music and spatial knowledge or the ability to visualize images. By incorporating music and colored highlighters for visualization while studying verbal knowledge, you force yourself to use most of your sense organs and both hemispheres to work together more readily. All 5 senses have Different amount of Memories and when 2 or more memories hold the same information as others, it can be retrieved whenever we want as it is stored permanently in our brain. These tools act as a brain hack and this makes the learning experience more powerful and meaningful. Using rhymes Simple rhymes are thought to be innate in most cultures. From the time young children begin to talk, many enjoy playing and experimenting with sounds by themselves – a precursor to later enjoyment of rhymes. Most seem to have skills and a built-in drive that enable them to imitate the sounds and pick up the language and special rhythms of rhymes. Picking up and repeating the particular language of rhymes is another form of play for young children. They learn rhymes unconsciously and effortlessly; it is not the laborious task for them like it can be for some adults. Young children, who are sometimes shy about speaking English, often begin to speak by sharing rhymes with an encouraging adult. Through sharing a fixed, fun text, their confidence grows until they find they can say most of a short rhyme by themselves. Recording MP3 players with space to record provide excellent opportunities to:

• listen to a recording (like audiobooks)
• make a recording
• play back a recording and see where our knowledge can be improved
• make a second, improved recording.

People who are critical of their ‘mistakes’ and most want to rerecord each time, persisting until they are satisfied with their studies are the ones who succeed in life.