Imagine a classroom full of 50 children among those 50 children, each one will learn differently. Some will learn by observing, some by listening, and some by performing. It has also been proven that institutional settings that emphasize catering to students’ learning styles contribute to building confidence in students and aiding them in grasping concepts and ideas more effectively. Personalised learning refers to modifying the pace of learning, instructional methods, curriculum, and even the learning environment to align with the student’s goals, weaknesses, and strengths. It is essential for both students and teachers to work together and pay more attention to personalised learning methods. In this blog, we will discuss ways to develop a learning plan that is tailored specifically for academic success.
Ways to Build a Personalised Learning Plan for Students
Understand the Current learning Style and Habits
The students need to analyse and assess their learning styles. They should determine if they are visual, auditory, kinesthetic, or the read/write learners. Analysing learning style also encompasses identifying the study habits of students, which include pinpointing their peak productivity times when they can make the most of their learning, from revising lectures to working on assignments. For example, for some students, the early hours of the morning are more conducive and provide them with enhanced learning opportunities. On the other hand, some students find themselves more productive during the late-night hours. Furthermore, students should also analyze an ideal study environment for themselves; some might feel more productive in a group setting.
In contrast, some individuals may find a quiet, distraction-free room, a library, or a café more favorable to their learning. It is also important to recognise the ideal learning span of the students, so that you can know, as students, how many minutes or hours you can give to your study schedule and how many minutes of break you need. For some, the ideal focus span is 30 minutes with a break of 5 to 10 minutes. On the other hand, some individuals may feel more concentrated for 45 to 60 minutes and may require a longer break of 10 to 15 minutes.
Personalise the Educational Route
Teachers can contribute to providing personalised learning to students by offering individualised support and guidance. For example, teachers can provide personalised advice on course selection, based on their observed interests and aptitude. Furthermore, teachers should encourage peer engagement, which will help save their time and effort, and also benefit students by encouraging them to open up to their friends and classmates. This will also help them learn, collaborate, and communicate more effectively with each other. Students can also rely on essay writing services UK to receive personalised help with writing their academic tasks.
Defining Academic Goals
To excel academically, it is essential for students to set SMART goals. This will help them set clear boundaries that can aid in modifying their learning styles. Firstly, it is crucial for students to establish specific goals for themselves, including clearly stating and scheduling what needs to be done. Rather than generalizing and saying that they will study more history, they should emphasize specifying the goal by allotting a number of chapters or topics for that day. Secondly, the students should focus on setting goals that are doable and can be done within a specific time frame.
Thirdly, they should focus on setting achievable targets that are realistic and don’t feel impossible. Fourthly, it is important to invest in the kind of goals that are relevant at that certain time and moment. For example, if studying history chapters is relevant and related to the preparation for the upcoming exam, then the student should focus on that. Lastly, it is also important for students to set a specific deadline for completing their assigned goal or task.
Integrating Effective Learning Methods
It is crucial for students to incorporate and adopt effective learning methods that align with their individual learning styles. This refers to moving beyond specific reading to summarizing the learned concepts, creating mind maps for lectures, engaging in problem-solving practices, using flashcards to learn complex concepts, especially those involving diagrams and statistics, and teaching concepts to peers. Furthermore, teachers also play a vital role in employing diverse teaching methods in the classroom, beyond giving lectures and providing notes, which can cater to everyone’s learning styles.
This includes recommending supplementary and technological tools, such as educational applications and online learning tutorials, that provide both auditory and visual guidance and cater to different learning preferences. These strategies can help the students develop both narrative and analytical abilities that go beyond academic writing and might also help with drafting other documents like an SOP. Students who lack these skills end up hiring a personal statement writer.
Focus on Building a Study Schedule
While creating a study schedule, it is essential to review your existing weekly schedule, identify the available time when you are not committed, and utilize that time exclusively. Then, block out your already scheduled routine. The next step is to prioritise your tasks, which include revisions, studying a new topic, and working on assignments and projects. You have to figure out the task that you should be focusing on the most. Set time for each task; you can also break them down by allotting both the actual study hours and breaks. For example, if you are planning to study history on Tuesday, then you will schedule it as:
9:00 AM – 9:05 AM: Warm-up (Review daily goals, gather materials)
9:05 AM – 9:50 AM: History Chapter 2 Study
9:50 AM – 10:00 AM: Short Break
10:00 AM – 10:45 AM: History Revision of Chapter 1
Final Thoughts
Academic success cannot be achieved by making the effort to fit every student into the same mould. It is essential for both teachers and students to develop a personalised learning plan that enables students to learn effectively, tailored to their individual learning styles and preferences. Moreover, a learning plan can be created by setting clear, defined, and SMART goals for students to help them achieve actionable targets. Additionally, scheduling regular study times based on the student’s preferred study time and considering their attention span during each session is also important.
