• Learns best by seeing

• Responds well to demonstrations

• Enjoys visually pleasing presentations

• Thinks in pictures

• Takes detailed notes

• Likes to sit at the front of class

• Very creative/artistic

If you are a visual learner, try these study techniques!

Flashcards: Making and using visual aids such as flashcards or posters are a very helpful resource for visual learners, and can make all the difference when studying for an exam.

Learning tools & flashcards, for free | Quizlet 

Whiteboards: Use whiteboards or paper to write out mind maps or draw charts and diagrams to assist with understanding and learning. 

YouTube: educational YouTube channels may be useful as a learning resource! Such as TED ED or BBC Teach. 

• Graphs, charts, diagrams, illustrations or videos are useful. Visual learners prefer to see information as an illustration rather than in written form. 

• Try turning your written notes into diagrams or an illustration so that you can remember it easier!

QUICKFIRE TIPS

1. Ask for a demonstration. 

Visual learners need to see how something is done. Whenever possible, ask your teacher for a visual demonstration. Once you see the concept or principle in action, you'll have an easier time understanding it and recalling it later.

2. Request handouts.

 Before class begins, ask the teacher if there is a handout you can review during the lecture. Handouts will help you keep track of the information being presented in the lecture.

3. Incorporate white space in your notes. 

White space is important for visual learners. When too much information is crammed together, it becomes difficult to read. Think of white space as an organisational tool like any other and use it to separate information in your notes.

4. Draw symbols and pictures. 

Use symbols like exclamation points (for important information), question marks (for information that's confusing or that you need to study further) and stars (for information you understand fully). In addition, consider illustrating complex concepts or processes.

5. Use flashcards. 

Flashcards can help you remember key terms and vocabulary words. Create a set of flashcards and illustrate them with relevant pictures and symbols to boost your retention.

6. Create graphs and charts.

 If you are learning information that can be organised as a graph or chart, take the time to make one. No need to be fancy—just scribble it in the margins of your notebook). Seeing information in this structured format will help you remember it.

7. Make outlines.

 Outlines are an excellent organisational tool for the visual learner. In an outline, you can structure a large amount of information using headings, subheadings, and bullet points. Outline textbook chapters as you read, then review your outlines when preparing for exams.

8. Write your own practice test. 

When you make your own practice test, you get to see the relevant test information right in front of you, which is a big help for visual learners. Use study guides, chapter notes, and relevant class assignments to put your original practice test together.

• Learns by best by (hearing information) listening and verbalising

• Listens for keywords and phrases

• Responds well when things are read aloud

• Thinks in a linear fashion

• Reads slowly

• Prefers to hear, rather than read information

If you are an auditory learner, try these study techniques!

Dictaphone: Auditory learners do well when they can listen again to lessons or notes being read aloud. Record lessons or yourself reading notes aloud so that you can listen again later.  (Can also use voice notes/ voice record.)

Podcasts: Listening to educational podcasts is a great resource for auditory learners. Here are some examples: TED Talks, Youth Radio, Dear Hank and John, Radiolab, Science Friday, Stuff You Missed in History Class.

Studying with Others: Studying with friends or in a group is going to work wonders for auditory learners. It means students can talk out loud and hear the information being discussed, making it much easier to remember (just make sure you actually study!)

Try reading the information out loud: You may remember the information better. Try creating a short song or mnemonic to help you remember key information. 

QUICKFIRE TIPS

1. Find a study buddy. 

Team up with a study group or a reliable study partner and quiz each other on the content. Verbally reinforcing the information will help you retain it, especially if you have to memorise lots of details.

2. Record important class concepts. 

Ask your instructor's permission to create audio recordings of your class. During class, focus your brain power on listening closely to the lecture. You'll process the information much better this way than if you try to jot down every word the teacher says. Later, you can listen back to the recording and take notes on the most important information. (Even if you don't do this in high school this is a good tip for university!

3. Sit near the front of the room.

 Find a spot in the front row so that you can hear every word of class.

4. Listen to classical/Lo-fi/chill music. 

Listen to lyric-free music while you study. (Music with lyrics may be too distracting.)

5. Participate in class discussions as much as possible. 

Talking about your ideas and voicing your questions will increase your understanding of the material. Encourage other students when they speak so that others feel just as comfortable as you do speaking in front of a group. 

6. Record yourself reading key terms and their definitions out loud.

 Then, listen to the recording while you walk to class, exercise, or get ready for bed.

7. Repeat facts with your eyes closed.

 This technique will help you focus your attention on the auditory process, rather than any other visual stimuli that might be in front of you.

8. Read assignments out loud.

 If you're given a homework that involves reading a lengthy chapter, don't feel like you're trapped into a silent reading session. Instead, curl up in your room or another study space and read aloud to yourself. (You can even make it interesting by using goofy voices.)

Read-Write Learners

• Learns best by reading and writing

• Easily understands explanations on paper/screen

• Takes plenty of notes in class

• Organises thoughts by making lists

• Translates lessons into words

• Enjoys reading

Lots of Notebooks and Textbooks: Read-Write learners thrive using more traditional study techniques such as reading textbooks and taking detailed notes. Having plenty of blank notebooks is an important learning resource that students can use to write bullet point lists during lessons, translate graphs into their own written summary, re-write their own notes or write out their own questions and answer them.

Read through the textbook and your notes. Create lists, handouts and presentations on paper. The act of writing notes out on paper and presenting the information in a neat and organised way is an effective study technique. 

Rewrite your Notes: Rewrite you notes in your own words, so you're able to see how your ideas are seen on paper, not just other peoples perceptions of what you are learning.

• Learns through trial and error

• Learn from doing

• Prefers a ‘hands on’ approach

• Uses multiple senses to engage with material

• Enjoys solving real life problems

• Short attention span

If you are a kinesthetic learner, try these study techniques!

Materials and Objects: Kinesthetic learners love to manipulate things in the environment and doing so as they work with ideas helps the material stick. Use materials and objects in your surroundings. This resource is often extremely effective.

Access to Outside: Playing sports or just getting outside and moving before or after study sessions stimulates learning for kinesthetic learners. Having this as a resource might seem a little unconventional, however being able to move is crucial!

• Moving also promotes blood flow around the brain! Great for before a study session.

Whiteboard/Poster Materials: Kinesthetic learners benefit from moving their hands to help reinforce what they're studying. Having a whiteboard or poster materials means students can draw images or write out words to help them learn.

QUICKFIRE TIPS

1. Stand Up Instead of Sitting Down. 

You already know that sitting for extended periods of time is bad for your health. But did you know that, as a kinesthetic learner, standing up will improve your comprehension and retention? When you stand up, your body is more engaged and connected to the learning process. Investing in a book stand or standing desk may help you concentrate for longer periods of time and remember more of what you read.

2. Combine Your Study Session With Exercise. 

Instead of plopping on the sofa with your notes, get up and do burpees or jumping jacks in between chapters. Ask a friend or family member to quiz you on your study guide while you shoot hoops or jump rope. Combining activity keeps you energised and cements the ideas you're studying in your brain. Plus, as a kinesthetic learner, you need a physical outlet for your excess energy, even when you have to study.

3. Utilise Small Movements. 

It's not always possible to stand up and do high knees during a study session, but you can still use kinesthetic study strategies to keep yourself engaged. Bounce a tennis ball against the floor and catch it every time you answer a question. Twist a rubber band around your wrist or a pencil while you read. Even if the motions are small, they'll help you stay focused and attentive.

4. Use a Pen.  

Use a Pencil. Use a Highlighter. Underline important vocabulary or concepts while you read. Highlight and colour code passages that connect to one another. Use a pencil to draw flow charts in your books that help break down the passage into small pieces. Add sticky notes that show main ideas and your own inferences. Using effective reading strategies combined with movement makes studying easier for kinesthetic learners. 

5. Try Tension and Relaxation. 

When you're in a study situation that truly limits your ability to move, use this tension and relaxation technique to stay focused. In intervals of five to ten seconds, tighten a particular muscle. Then relax when the seconds have passed. This technique helps to release unwanted tension, which is something kinesthetic learners often experience during idle times.

6. Get Creative.

 If a topic has become difficult for you, approach it from another angle. Use materials you can manipulate, like blocks or figurines, to visualise a battle scene or explore mathematical concepts.  YouTube videos can also help with this. Draw pictures about the topic you're learning or design a video or storyboard explaining the ideas to someone new. You have excellent motor memory; you're likely to better remember something you built than something you read.

End-of-year exams are 3 hours for each subject and are either in the morning (9:30am-12:30pm) or the afternoon (2:00pm to 5:00pm). Make sure you know when your exams are well before they start! More information will come out closer to exam time. 

The 2024 End of year examination timetable for NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship will run from Tuesday 5 November until Friday 29 November.