Reading is my enemy

I can say that reading is the most important part of studying for the courses. There are lot of readings withing every courses that I am taking. Even in math, there is reading. All the courses that I am taking now has almost first priority of reading texts. Without reading, I could not catch up well with the classes. For a kinesthetic learner like me, I am very bad with reading. I learn much much better when I am actually writing things down on the flashcards or on the side instead of just reading and reading. So I have tried two strategies with my econ class.

First I tried the TART strategy. Before my lectures, I wrote down the terms according to the chapters that we were going to cover in class. Then during the lecture, I wrote down some of the definition professor said in class. And after the class, the terms that were left blank because the professor really did not go over them in class, I went home and read the textbooks then wrote down the definitions. After reading the text and attending the lecture, the terms were clarified and I understood the terms much better. After filling out all the terms, I had created a questions according to the terms so the questions can also help me do well in the exam.

The next stradegy I have used was NSAS, which was the No Salt and Sauce. I also used this technique for my econ class. For this technique, I had read the text book and actually highlighted the main focus in the topics. Also, on the side of the highlighted sentences, I had written down quesitons that might help me on a exam. The next thing I did was print out all the lecture slides on blackboard. I printed out the lecture slides and wrote down notes on the side, every slides just like creating a flashcards. I wrote down terms on the side and then wrote down definitions according to the lecture slides.

These are the images that I have used for NSAS technique. I have printed out all the lecture slides from blackboard, then I have written down terms, definitions, and questions on the side.

As a strong kinesthetic learner, I have to say the NSAS technique worked better for me. I actually learn lot better when I am actually writing things down. For NSAS, I was reading and highlighting at the same time which helped me focus just on the highlighted parts which are the important notes. And also by looking at the lecture slides were so much easier than just simply reading off from textbooks. The slides seemed more clear and easier to read and I liked how I can write the notes on the side. TART and NSAS was both a good stradegy but I have to say for a kinesthetic learner like me, NSAS was a better choice for a reading assignment.