Family literacy 6

 

Family literacy

Croatian template for a workshop with parents

 

High school requires much better organization and more independence. The parent should always be with the child, but it is important to explain to the child how important his independence is and what is expected of him. Focus on work and study should come first.

Learning is a mental activity. Just as physical activity changes your body, learning changes your brain — and in a positive way. By learning, your mental muscle becomes stronger because new synapses, places and processes are created that enable communication between nerves. These learning techniques can help you create new synapses faster and thus speed up the learning process.

Good conditions for learning -  Studying should always take place in the same place and at the same time-, it is best for the brain to get used to learning in one place and at a certain time. Creating a stimulating and well-organized environment for learning without mess is also very important. According to psychologists, the studying should take place between from 9 to 11 a.m. and from 4 to 6 p.m. Materials for learning should suit the learner. If it is difficult form someone to learn from books, it is important to use other materials like videos, quizzes, etc…Taking a break from learning and engaging in relaxing activities is also important.

These learning techniques can be helpful:

The top-down technique means that we first look at the bigger picture, and only then focus on learning individual elements. This learning technique relies on your previous knowledge and experience.

The bottom-up learning and memorizing technique is completely the opposite. It implies the learning of individual elements of the material, which we then connect to each other in a larger picture. Most students and students learn exclusively in this way.

It has numerous advantages. It helps you connect new material with what you already know. That way you will learn with understanding, but also better understand the function of individual elements.

It is best to switch between these two techniques when learning — or to try both and then decide which one suits you better.

Connecting the material and real life

Learning actively, not passively - when you learn passively, you just absorb information without understanding it. After learning, you know how to state facts, but you do not know how to apply them. Active learning, on the other hand, implies that you are engaged during learning — you discover, ask questions and fit information into a meaningful whole in order to understand the essence of the lesson. This way of learning is far more effective than passive learning. The learned material acquires meaning and remains in the brain for a long time.

 Explain the material to someone else – if something is  really learnt, we will be able to explain in simple terms to others. This way we repeat the material, but also accurately determine weak points and parts of the material that it would not be bad to go over again.

Separate the important from the unimportant information - in a lesson, what is important is what is bold, italic and everything that contains key words — these are the words that are most often found in the very title of the lesson you are learning.

Taking care of memory and lifestyle - practicing concentration, memory is very important for improving learning process

As a parent you can:

Offer help to your child in the area the child is not doing well. Even if you are not expert in this area as well, it will mean a lot to your child if you do the research together and that you let him know you are there for him.

Help with the organization- make a good organizational plan together with all obligations, hobbies and activities of your child. Make a schedule on how to make those activities work. Teach him how to manage his/ her time. Let your child know how important it is to complete his tasks and obligations in order to enjoy his free time later peacefully.

The importance of taking notes during classes - It is important that you offer your child help and talk about it. Make a plan with your child that will make taking notes much easier.

Let him start writing on a new page every day and mark the new material with a date. This will make it much easier to find your way around later.

The most important terms should be marked immediately, in capital letters or in a different color, so that it is easier to recognize the most important ones later.

Let the child pay special attention to the sentences that the teachers emphasize as important. If the child fails to write something down, he should seek the help of his colleagues immediately after the lesson. The very next day, he probably won't remember what's missing from his notebook.

Using different learning techniques and finding the one that suits your child the best- reading aloud, creating cards for learning, watching videos, solving quizzes, etc…

In order to be able to learn the material well, the child must first master the learning technique

If nothing is working, regardless of what your child is learning, it is probably time for professional help. Instructors will be able to explain things that are not clear to the child much more easily.

 

 

 

 

This project was funded by the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author. The European Commission and the National Agency are not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.