Learning to Learn - Student Workbook - Chapter 1

workbook

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The Super Generation
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14

Section 1 : Introduction
Transitioning and
Section 1:
Settling into Study
We know that the sooner you can settle into your learning and
study, the sooner you begin to make progress in your studies and
achieve the grades you wish for.
The focus for this section is to
assist you the student in settling
into your learning and study as
quickly and efficiently as possible.
This section may be broken up into
the following areas:
Chapters 1 and 2 look at the
key skills that will help you
settle in and adjust to your
new learning environment and
also introduce you to the key
skills you will be developing for
the Junior Cycle.
Chapters 3 and 4 explore
your new subjects bothfor
class and for doing homework.
Finally, Chapter 10 will
introduce you to some simple
memory techniques which
you can use in your study
and revision.
There is an End of section
reflection for you to reflect
on what it is you have
personally learned from
this section and how it can
improve your learning and
study going forward.
You will be given the opportunity
to practise all these new skills
with some of the subjects you
will be doing for the Junior Cycle.
Chapter 5 looks at how your
brain works and how you can
improve your learning.
Chapters 6 to 9 share with
you strategies for managing
all the new information you
will be engaging with. You will
explore strategies to aid you
in your thinking, note taking,
reading and writing.
15

Section 1:
Chapter
1 Settling into Secondary school
Lesson 1: My Timetable
Lesson 2: Being Organised
Lesson 3: Filling in my Homework Journal
2 Behaviours for Learning
Chapter
Lesson 4: Behaviours for Learning 1
Lesson 5: Skills and Attitudes
Lesson 6: Behaviour for Learning 2
Lesson 7: Key Skills for Junior Cycle
3 My Subjects
Chapter
Lesson 8: What are my Subjects?
Lesson 9: Subjects and Topics
Lesson 10: Topics and Keywords
4 What is Homework?
Chapter
Lesson 11: The Purpose of Homework
Lesson 12: Types of Homework
Lesson 13: Completing Homework Assignments
5 My Brain and Learning
Chapter
Lesson 14: Growing my Brain
Lesson 15: Improving our Learning
Lesson 16: Paired and Group Learning

6 Managing Information and Thinking
Chapter
Section 1:
Lesson 17: Developing Curiosity
Lesson 18: Command Words 1
Lesson 19: Command Words 2
7 Managing Information and Note Taking
Chapter
Lesson 20: Writing Frames
Lesson 21: Visual Notes
8 Managing Information and Reading
Chapter
Lesson 22: Active Reading 1
Lesson 23: Active Reading 2 – T2M2C Model
Lesson 24: Active Reading 3 – T2M2C Model
9 Managing Information and Listening
Chapter
Lesson 25: Skills for Learning – Listening 1
Lesson 26: Skills for Learning – Listening 2
10 Memory Techniques
Chapter
Lesson 27: Memory Techniques 1
Lesson 28: Memory Techniques 2

Chapter 1
Lesson 1
My Timetable
Aim
To learn how to effectively use
my school timetable
Learning Point 1
My own timetable
The school day can appear quite busy and confusing initially, trying to figure
out where you are supposed to be and when. With all these new subjects, in
different classrooms with different teachers, it can be quite confusing. Most
schools hand out timetables to students with abbreviations of the subject
and teachers’ initials simply to fit everything in; maybe you might need help in
decoding all these new abbreviations.
exercise1
The words in the first
column are the subjects
you might be studying.
Do you know what the
initials are for all your
subjects?
Try and fill in the following grid
with the initials of each subject,
the room number /name and the
teacher’s name/ abbreviation. There are
spaces at the end to add any subject
which might not be included here.
Subject Initials Room Teacher
Metalwork
Science
French
History
Business Studies
German
26

Subject Initials Room Teacher
Geography
Technical
Drawing
Social Personal and
Health Education
Religion
Civic, Social and
Political Education
Maths
Metalwork
Gaeilge (Irish)
Spanish
Home Economics
Technology
Physical Education
27

exercise2
Deciphering your timetable
This is a sample timetable with the subjects, locations and times
of each class. Study this timetable and see if you can answer the
questions that follow.
School timetable
Time mon tue wed thu fri
9.00-9.40 Eng R1 Gae R14 Hi R3 Metal MR PE Gym
9.40-10.20 Sci Lab3 RE R11 Sci Lab3 Metal MR Art Art R.
10.20-10.55 His R6 Mat R3 Mat R3 Geo R10 Mat R3
10.55-11.10 Break
11.10-11.50 Gae R14 En R1 Bus R5 Gae R14 RE R11
11.50-12.25 Mus Music R Fren R7 Eng R1 Eng R1 His R3
12.25-13.05 SPHE R20 PE Gym CSPE R2 Mat R3 Fren R7
13.05-13.45 Lunch
13.45-14.25 Mat R3 Bus R5 Fren R7 Art Art R. Eng R1
14.25-15.05 Fren R7 Art Art R. Gae R14 Bus R5 Geo R10
15.05-15.45 Geo R10 His R3 RE R11 Sci Lab3 Gae R14
1. How often does this student have religion in the week?
2. In what room is the science class held?
3. How many periods of English does this student have?
4. What class has this student got at 12.25 on Friday?
5. Where is this student supposed to be on Wednesday at 14.25?
28

Subject Initials Room
Geography
Learning Point 2
My own timetable
How familiar are you already with your own timetable?
Technical
Drawing
social Personal and
Health education
Religion
3
exercise
Cover your timetable and do not look at it for
the answers. Try and answer as many of the
following questions as possible, how many did
you get right?
1. School begins at what time?
2. How many classes do you have each day?
3. How long is each class?
Civic, social and
Political education
Maths
Metalwork
Gaeilge (Irish)
spanish
Home economics
Technology
Physical education
4. How many times a week do you have English?
5. How many classes are there between the break time and lunchtime?
6. Lunchtime begins at what time and finishes at what time?
7. How many classes of SPHE do you have each week?
8. What classroom do you have geography in?
9. How many classes a week do you have?
10. School finishes at what time?
11. What class do you have after lunch on a Wednesday?
12. What is your last class of the week?
29

4
exercise
As a quick recap and summary of the lesson, fill in the
following summary table of the timetable and subjects.
Subject What is the
Subject?
Ir
Number
of Classes
Who is
my Teacher?
Eng
Maths
Sci
Bus
Hist
Geog
Wk
Met
RE
CSPE
SPHE
TG
Music
Art
30

Do you have a favourite subject yet?
Why?
What new subject are you looking forward to finding out more about?
Why?
Pause and Reflect
1. What have you learned in this lesson?
2. How did you learn this?
3. How can you use what you learned in your schoolwork/study?
Mental Note
Develop a passion for learning. If you do you
“
will never cease to grow. – Anthony D. J’Angelo
”
31

Schools should provide a space for “learning opportunities designed to
develop self-management and personal organisation skills including goal
setting, study skills, coping skills and reflection skills.”
- NCCA guidelines on Well-Being for The Junior Cycle
The Learning to Learn workbook provides a structured course for Junior
Cycle students, equipping them with the essential skills to be successful in their
academic life. The programme assists students in understanding themselves
better, being more organised and confident as learners along with having a
proven study system and assessment approach which will reduce their stress
level and add to their sense of well-being.
There is a key focus for each section accompanying students through the Junior Cycle.
Section 1 – Transition and Study, supports students to quickly adapt to
the new expectations placed upon them in their learning.
Section 2 - Goal Setting and Study, provides students with the
motivation and skills to become effective at learning and studying.
Section 3 - Study and assessment preparation, aids students in working
towards success in their learning.
Section 4 - Study Journal assist students in planning and recording their
study and revision.
Each Chapter has key learning points with practical exercises taken from a
variety of subjects being studied by students during the Junior Cycle, along with
a reflective opportunity at the end of the lesson where the students reflect
on and record where they intend to implement what they learned into their
regular study.
”It is full of ideas, methods and techniques that will help busy teachers planning
their course work if they wish to launch a short course in “How We Learn”. It’s a
practical book and in my view an essential workbook for all students and an ideal
book for teaching learning for their teacher, tutor and year head.“
- Patrica Atkins, Former Principal
Learning to Learn The Super Generation
35 Finglas Business Park, Tolka Valley Road, Finglas, Dublin 11 D11 YF40
T: 01 808 1494 - F: 01 836 2739 - E: info@thesupergeneration.com