Everyone learns differently. If you’re having trouble understanding what’s going on, sometimes a different approach can help and your marks will improve. There are always different methods to learn, and different strategies that you can try on a longer-term basis. I would suggest you look for alternative methods every once in a while, because someone may use a method that you had never thought of, and it might turn out to be incredibly helpful.
Many study methods use visual or audio aids. Visual aids don’t always have to be cue cards in your hands. The cue cards themselves could be separated by colour according to the subject, particularly if it’s a fact-heavy course, like English or History. They can be placed on your wall to read as you get ready for the day or at the end of the day as you get ready for some sleep. Practising memorization is easier when you write the test because “cramming” will not help you in the long run. You can create a poster with the same idea of graphic aids, as an attempt to be both creative and to help you remember. This is also helpful for math, since you have to remember a lot of formulas, especially in courses like algebra.
Social Sciences require you to know the facts, but tests and exams also require long paragraphs explaining your answer to a question, much like an essay question. This can be practised through visual aids by recalling the facts and being able to construct an essay quickly, so you can have time to write the answer. Visual aids can create questions for you to answer – they may not be the same question your teacher might use, but they can be helpful.
Audio is the other major study method, it can mean more than just “hearing” things. The reason for this is that it doesn’t always require simply listening to the professor. Try talking to yourself (out loud) with the information, perhaps in your room or some other place where you can talk without being self-conscious. You might also consider recording yourself talking about the subject (to increase your confidence); or to repeat patterns and sentences so you memorize it easily and quickly.
There are several creative options that can help you learn the material for any subject, for almost any kind of test. The idea is to understand and to quickly recall facts or formulas so you can ace that test. However, this doesn’t work if you do not put in the effort to do so. Without studying for your mid-year tests, you will do worse than not studying, since in some classes, there is more information than you will recall. (Yes, it’s true that most courses have “open book” tests and exams, but they tend to be very hard and don’t give you time to search out every fact you may need.) By studying early and often, you won’t have to spend so much time cramming for the final exams, which will cover the entire course.
