Accelerated learning is a collective term for a series of practical approaches to learning. In many ways it is simply an explanation of the way in which you learn, the logic being that if you understand how information gets into your head you will be able to speed up individual parts of that process and so learn faster.
Let’s have a look at what is involved in the accelerated learning process.
Learning tip 1
Use all of your senses. When learning think about the best way of processing information, if it doesn’t make sense having read it a few times, then why not draw a picture?
One of the big problems with learning is motivation and the secret to motivation is to set goals and have Outcomes. Before you start learning think what your objectives are both short and long term then write them down.
Learning tip 2
Write down your learning goals but make them positive and within your power. It is no good writing down I want to pass an exam when you cannot control that. It's better to write that you will practice 4 questions tonight, now you can do that.
Learning tip 3
Practice is vital. You can’t get away from the fact that the more you practice the better you get. Practice practice, practice…and practice again.
Learning tip 4
MIT stands for Multiple Intelligence Theory – Don’t ask how intelligent you are, ask which intelligence you have. Howard Gardner suggested that there were 8 different intelligences, ranging from musical to logical to interpersonal. Don’t get hung up about intelligence, it doesn’t help, chances are you're average. There are lots of types of intelligence and you may not like maths/logical subjects and are better at the written/linguistic papers. If you’re not good at maths just work harder at it, but have confidence that you are good at many other things. Intelligence is not one thing that you either have or don’t, it is more complicated.
Learning tip 5
If you are not in the right frame of mind then you won’t learn quickly. If you don’t feel in the right mood for learning, then change your mood. Get up walk around, make a coffee or remind yourself you have the exam in only two weeks time. That normally works!
Learning tip 6
Memory is not the same as intelligence, you can improve the speed at which you learn by using memory techniques. Learn and begin to use some simple memory techniques, mind mapping, acronyms and acrostics are a good start.
Learning tip 7
And finally – Reflection. No learning process is complete without thinking back over what you have learned. What might you do differently next time, can you explain what you have learned to others? Keep a Learning Log or at least take some time out of your day to think back on what you have learned.
It’s not magic but it will work. Accelerated or fast learning is not a magic bullet or a pill that you can take requiring no effort. What it is is an explanation of learning that stops you from thinking of learning as an event that happens only sometimes. It is just a process and the more you understand about that process the faster you can learn.