Maximize your Time

I have stressed before how important it is to pay attention to different aspects of learning. Yes, it's good to do something you really enjoy, but make sure you're not neglecting other areas. If you enjoy speaking so much, and notice that you've made great progress, make sure that you're equally good in other areas like grammar and writing or reading. Knowing your priorities and allotting enough time for them regularly is important.

It's easy to make some excuses when we're too busy. But in fact, we can squeeze them in if we really want.

I have heard many English learners who complain that they don't have enough time to study English like other people. So what they do is allot a couple of hours for studying English once a week.

While they're thinking that a long time of studying will compensate for the other days they weren't able to study, they're mistaken. Learning a language is like exercising. It's never going to work effectively if you only do it once a week, even for a long time. It's more important to do it more often, even for just a short time.

To maximize your time, try listening to English audio lessons or podcasts while commuting on the train or while you get ready for work in the morning. While listening to it, you can do other things, so it will not make you late for work. You can also do it when you're having lunch or dinner, unless of course, you're eating with someone.

It's also easier to put certain things into your long-term memory if you study in the morning and then before you go to sleep.

Well, I hope you find these tips helpful. Remember that it's not just about studying hard,but studying wisely. See you again next time!

Thinking Skills

I have so many ideas on what to write about, but pardon me for not implementing them right away. It's just so different when you have to manage 7 subjects, including the thesis proposal.

For today, I want to share what a sociology professor said. Actually, this principle is applicable not only to Sociology but for almost all subjects. We're talking about thinking skills.

Do you still remember when you were in elementary, or even in high school? As a student, you once expected several exams. But most of you would have wanted an exam that merely asks you to choose from a multiple choices, fill in the blanks or match certain items. These are called lower-order thinking skills (LOTS)

Understandably, these tasks are much easier than writing a long, long essay, and developing arguments. We refer to them as higher-order thinking skills (HOTS). It's also easier to remember things when you're not required to come up with everything. In essays, you have to start from scratch because you will be writing everything, while the professor only gives the questions. Aside from that, you have to think about your grammar and logic when you write. Thus, it takes a longer time to finish an essay exam than a multiple-choice exam.

So, it's not a wonder why most students complain to teachers when they get essay exams. But, there's still truth in the saying that 'adversity is the best teacher.' Of course, no one wants to have a hard time. I guess nobody ever wished to be poor or to have many problems. However, God allows these things to happen so we'll be stronger.

We can apply this principle in learning English. When we're beginners, it's alright to stick to simple workbooks and lessons where we simply have to fill in the blanks, choose the correct letter and match items.

But, if we are serious in getting better, we have to love doing the more difficult things. That is why, reading is always helpful. It shows you examples of good writing and develops your reasoning.

When you write an essay, your brain is stimulated. You learn to think on your own, develop logic and reasoning, and organize your ideas. There's also a certain pressure for it to work hard, which is almost equivalent to exercising for the body. With LOTS, there's also brain activity, but it's minimal as compared to doing HOTS.

So, the next time, your English teacher asks you to summarize what you've read or to answer a difficult question, be thankful. Work hard at it and quit complaining because the more you practice these things, the better you will get.