CAN YOU PUT PROBLEMS OR OTHER PRESSING CONCERNS OUT OF YOUR MIND TO...

8. Can you put problems or other pressing concerns out of your mind to focus on a different task? Howcan you minimize distractions so you can fully focus on your work?Think carefully about each of these questions. Write down your answers so you can develop a good studyplan. For example, say you work best in the morning but need total silence to work. If you have children, youwould be wise to schedule your study time early in the morning before the kids are up or first thing after theyleave for school. If you wait until they are in bed, you will have a quiet house, but you may be too tired to studywell. Similarly, if you have trouble concentrating when you are hungry, schedule study time for shortly aftermeals, or be sure to start your study sessions with a healthy snack.

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Help make your study session successful by having the right learning tools. As you study for the TOEFL exam,have:

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a good English-language dictionary, such as Webster’s 10

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Edition

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paper or legal pads

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pencils (and a pencil sharpener) or pens

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a highlighter, or several, in different colors

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index or other note cards

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folders or notebooks

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a calendar or Personal Digital Assistant, such as a Palm Pilot®Keep your personal preferences in mind. Perhaps you like to write with a certain kind of pen or on acertain kind of paper. If so, make sure you have that pen or paper with you when you study. It will help youfeel more comfortable and relaxed as you work.Learning How You LearnImagine that you need directions to a restaurant you’ve never been to before. Which of the following wouldyou do?

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Ask someone how to get there.

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Look on a map.

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List step-by-step directions.

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Draw a map or copy someone’s written directions.Most people learn in a variety of ways. They learn by seeing, hearing, doing, and organizing informa-tion from the world around them. But most of us tend to use one of these ways more than the others. That’sour dominant(strongest) learning style. How you would handle getting directions, for example, suggestswhich learning style you use most often:

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Visual.Visual learners learn best by seeing.If you would look at a map for directions, you are probablya visual learner. You understand ideas best when they are in pictures or graphs. You may learn better byusing different colors as you take notes. Use a highlighter (or several, in different colors) as you read tomark important ideas. Mapping and diagramming ideas are good learning strategies for visual learners.

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Auditory.Auditory learners learn best by listening.If you would ask someone to tell you directions, youare probably an auditory learner. You would probably rather listen to a lecture than read a textbook,and you may learn better by reading aloud. Try recording your notes on a tape player and listening toyour tapes. You may also benefit from listening to programs in English on the radio.

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Kinesthetic.Kinesthetic learners learn best by doing.(Kinestheticmeans feeling the movements of thebody). They like to keep their hands and bodies moving. If you would draw a map or copy down direc-tions, you are probably a kinesthetic learner. You will benefit from interacting with the material you arestudying. Underline, take notes, and create note cards. Recopying material will help you remember it.

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Sequential.Sequential learners learn best by putting things in order.If you would create a step-by-steplist of driving directions, you are probably a sequential learner. You may learn better by creating out-lines and grouping ideas together into categories.Think carefully about how you learn. Which is your dominant learning style? Keep it in mind as youread about Learning Strategies in Part II of this chapter.

Learning Language

WHATEVER your general learning style, most of us learn to speak and understand language best by listening.

So as you practice understanding spoken English, close your eyes and listen.

Let your ears do the work of under-

standing what you hear. The more familiar you become with the sounds and rhythms of the language, the more

quickly you will learn. Spend as much time as possible around people speaking English. Go to places where you

will see and hear English, such as to plays or to the cinema.

Learning to read in English takes longer than learning to speak. Fortunately, the more you listen to and speak in

English, the easier it will be to write it. But the best thing to do to improve your English writing skills is to read.

Read as much as you can in English to learn the structure and style of the language. Rent movies based on nov-

els. Watch the film to build your listening skills, and then read the book to improve your reading comprehension

and writing skills. Good novel/movie combinations to try are those by John Grisham, including:

A Time to Kill

The Firm

The Client

The Pelican Brief

Of course, there’s more to movie adaptations than legal thrillers. Here are some more good choices, from clas-

sics to contemporary, from American to world literature:

Angela’s Ashes

by Frank McCourt

Gone With the Wind

by Margaret Mitchell

The Cider House Rules

by John Irving

The Joy Luck Club

by Amy Tan

The Color Purple

by Alice Walker

The Shipping News

by E. Annie Proulx

The Commitments

by Roddy Doyle

Snow Falling on Cedars

by David Guterson

The Count of Monte Cristo

by Alexander Dumas

To Kill a Mockingbird

by Harper Lee

You can also read English versions of books that you have already read in your native language. The plot and

characters will already be familiar to you, so you will be able to understand more as you read.

Creating a Study PlanSometimes we put off work because the task just seems too big to handle. But you can make any taskmanageable by creating a project plan. Follow these four steps to creating a successful study plan for theTOEFL exam: