How We Learn Unlock the ability to study more efficiently. Mark Maclaine Stephanie Satariano
How We Learn Tutorfair co- founder Mark Maclaine, and Educational Psychologist Stephanie Satariano, explain the steps students take when mastering a new skill. Understanding how we learn unlocks our ability to study more efficiently. Mark Maclaine Mark has over 16 years of experience as a professional tutor. His clients range from royal families and billionaires to children living in inner- city council estates. His specialisms are Maths, Science and school entrance in the UK and US. Mark s own stuggles in school have become his strength when tutoring, enabling him to empathise with his students. Stephanie Satariano An educational and child psychologist, Stephanie recently completed a doctoral thesis on the impact boredom has on intellectually gifted students and their achievements. Stephanie has a keen interest in unpicking the complexities of life, and developing action plans that aim to help children and young people fulfil their potential. 1
How We Learn How do I help my child... The answers to these questions aren t simple, especially given the sheer number of theories and research studies tackling the question: How do we learn? Given that many of these papers contradict one another it can be hard to know where to begin. We have therefore attempted to distil some of our favourite ideas that we hope will be useful to you, either as a learner, or as a parent who wishes to help support your child learn more effectively. Stephanie prefers Haring et al Stephanie prefers Haring et al s (1978) Hierarchy of Learning Theory. This has provided me with the best structure to understanding how to help the students I work with. This hierarchy is presented as a pyramid (shown below), and should be read from the bottom upwards: 4 3 2 1 2
How We Learn Stage 1: ACQUISITION The first stage of this hierarchy: beginning to learn a new skill. Picking up a new skill isn t easy and requires a great deal of concentration. The speed at which these skills are acquired can vary greatly from person to person, for instance: somone who learns languages quickly may not pick up a dance routine as quickly. The main goal of this stage is to improve accuracy. Stephanie: When I first started driving, I could do little more than drive. Even having the radio on would have been too great a distraction for me. TOP TIPS REPETITION Babies and toddlers love to hear the same story over and over again or sing the same nursery rhyme because this repetition helps them learn. PATIENCE & ENCOURAGEMENT This stage can be frustrating, encourage students to be patient with themselves. 3
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How We Learn Stage 2: FLUENCY The skill can be performed accurately, but slowly. The aim of this stage is to increase the response speed (fluency). In order to develop fluency learners must continue to practise, to overlearn, so that they no longer need every ounce of their concentration to carry out the action. The main goal of this stage is to increase the student s confidence and speed in performing the given task. Stephanie: This is when I was able to concentrate on more than just driving, I could actually pay attention to where I was going. It is at this stage that I could have the radio on without worrying about crashing. TOP TIPS PRACTICE Many students feel like the process of learning is over when they have only grasped the basics of a task. It is important to encourage them to continue practising, and pushing themselves up the hierarchy. POSITIVE FEEDBACK This can be a very boring stage, as it can become very repetitive. Constant positive feedback is vital. 5
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How We Learn Stage 3: GENERALISATION Once a student has developed fluency, the next step is generalisation. This is the stage where they learners apply what they have learnt to a number of situations. The goal of this phase is to get the student using the skill in the widest possible range of situations, while differentiating this skill from others that may appear similar. Stephanie: In this stage I am now learning how to drive in a number of different weather conditions and times of day. TOP TIPS CREATIVITY It s important to come up with ideas that stretch your child s learning in fun ways. INVOLVEMENT Ask your child / student to help you come up with these creative ideas. 7
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How We Learn MASTERY This Hierarchy is useful in being able to plot the position students are at with respect to their learning. However, far from being a linear process, many advances often involve taking a step backwards before we take two forwards. In his book Mastery: The Keys to Success and Long Term Fulfilment, George In his book Mastery: Leonard describes the Mastery Curve. Anyone attempting to master a skill will see a small burst of improvement followed by a slip back to a plateau. MASTERY CURVE Your child / student may stay on this plateau for some time before seeing another burst. Time spent without seeing any progress can be enough to put them off, especially if they feel that no matter how much effort they put in: they re not really getting anywhere. Mark Maclaine says I see this on a fairly regular basis, not just in my work, but also in friends and even myself. It is remarkably common for people to worry when they start to slip back and they stop. This is when most people quit. 11
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