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

Question

8. Can you put problems or other pressing concerns out of your mind to focus on a different task? How

can 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 study

plan. For example, say you work best in the morning but need total silence to work. If you have children, you

would be wise to schedule your study time early in the morning before the kids are up or first thing after they

leave for school. If you wait until they are in bed, you will have a quiet house, but you may be too tired to study

well. Similarly, if you have trouble concentrating when you are hungry, schedule study time for shortly after

meals, 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

^th

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 a

certain kind of paper. If so, make sure you have that pen or paper with you when you study. It will help you

feel more comfortable and relaxed as you work.

Learning How You Learn

Imagine that you need directions to a restaurant you’ve never been to before. Which of the following would

you 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’s

our dominant (strongest) learning style. How you would handle getting directions, for example, suggests

which learning style you use most often:

■

Visual. Visual learners learn best by seeing. If you would look at a map for directions, you are probably

a visual learner. You understand ideas best when they are in pictures or graphs. You may learn better by

using different colors as you take notes. Use a highlighter (or several, in different colors) as you read to

mark important ideas. Mapping and diagramming ideas are good learning strategies for visual learners.

■

Auditory. Auditory learners learn best by listening. If you would ask someone to tell you directions, you

are 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 to

your 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. (Kinesthetic means feeling the movements of the

body). 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 are

studying. Underline, take notes, and create note cards. Recopying material will help you remember it.

■

Sequential. Sequential learners learn best by putting things in order. If you would create a step-by-step

list 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 you

read 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 morequickly you will learn. Spend as much time as possible around people speaking English. Go to places where youwill 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 inEnglish, 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 comprehensionand writing skills. Good novel/movie combinations to try are those by John Grisham, including:A Time to Kill The FirmThe Client The Pelican BriefOf 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 MitchellThe Cider House Rules by John Irving The Joy Luck Club by Amy TanThe Color Purple by Alice Walker The Shipping News by E. Annie ProulxThe Commitments by Roddy Doyle Snow Falling on Cedars by David GutersonThe Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper LeeYou can also read English versions of books that you have already read in your native language. The plot andcharacters will already be familiar to you, so you will be able to understand more as you read.