Listening Actively:
- Students should be able to “fill in the blanks” and anticipate what the speaker will say next. It will keep them mentally involved, thinking, and actively listening.
- To determine important information, students should listen for verbal clues from the professor (e.g., pausing, repeating the same point, slowing down at the rate they normally speak at, speaking loudly, stating, “This is important!”)
- These phrases signify important material:
- “First of all”
- “Most importantly”
- “As a result”
- Pay attention to the professor’s nonverbal language. This may help to signify important material:
- Writing something on the blackboard
- Making eye contact
- Dramatically gesturing
Understanding or Seeking Clarification:
- Students should focus on the crucial parts of a speaker’s presentation (10% of what speakers say is crucial).
- To understand the essence of the presentation, they should reinstate in their minds what the speaker is saying.
- If students do not understand something, they should seek clarification from the professor.
Participation During Lectures:
- When students comment during class, it helps them to follow along with notetaking.
- Commenting during class means offering their own perspective, adding supporting material, and/or offering a different perspective.
- This helps to generate interest in the class material.
Ignore Distraction:
- Encourage students to not let distractions divert their minds.
- Continued practice with concentration helps to reduce distracted.
Adapted From:
Fry. R. (1996). Get organized. Franklin Lakes, NJ: Career Press.
Stine, J. M. (1997). Double your brain power: Increase your memory by using all of your brain all of the time. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.