We’ve all been there. You have a big test coming up…in three months. You’ve got three options.
- Cram: Study the night before
- Binge: Study for hours once a week
- Nibble: Study for 10 minutes a day
I suggest that you nibble and study little by little. You can avoid three common mistakes that cause so much stress that you want to call your mom.
Avoid MOM.
M- Marathon Sessions
If every study session you have planned is going to take hours, you won’t stick with the habit. On top of that, if you only have one study session per week, you have 6 days to forget everything and start over every week.
If you start wth a Binge, you will end with a Cram and MOM level stress.
If you Nibble, you will end up feeling full and absorb the information.
According to elearning.adobe.com, if you commit to microlearning like Platzi, you:
- Can focus on specific topics and improve faster
- Can remember what you learned even after the test
- Are better able to apply the concepts in real life
But make sure you avoid…
O- Overstudying and ‘Underpracticing’
You’re taking this exam to prove your English level to the world, not show off your test taking skills. So, don’t make the mistakes of focusing on theory without practice. Did you learn a new phrase or a word? Start using it right away. Talk, read, write, listen in real life situations.
Always take time to meditate on how a new concept will help you in real life. If you’re studying for 15
minutes at least 5 of those minutes should be just thinking about how to apply the information to help it stick in your brain.
That leads us to the last mistake.
M- Memorizing without Context
I’ve done this before. I learned a word or phrase and wrote it down with a definition…but without an
example of how to use it. Then I panic when I need it again.
‘I know that, how can I put it in this sentence? Ay yi yi!’
Do your future self a favor and make yourself a digital Anki deck to make digital notes of words and
phrases with a DEFINTION and EXAMPLE SENTENCES.
You can find helpful example sentences in most dictionaries. I really like the dictionary.com app for
English – English or the Linguee app for Spanish or Portuguese - English for easy access.
Keep calm and learn little by little. You got this!
Check out our new course to find out how to nibble to prepare for your IELTS exam. See you there!
Curso de Inglés para Preparación de IELTS (2020)
