Learning How To Learn
- berniceloon
- Dec 24, 2023
- 5 min read
Updated: May 21
Ever wondered why some students seem to grasp concepts effortlessly? It's not about possessing extraordinary abilities; it's about mastering the fundamental skill of learning how to learn. Think of this as your key to unlocking doors to knowledge and making every subject an enriching experience.
The Skill: Learning How to Learn
Before we delve into the latticework of theory, let's focus on a fundamental skill of learning how to learn. Effective learning isn't about your ability to memorise enormous amounts of factual information; it's about developing a deep understanding of concepts and acquiring critical thinking skills that enable you to apply knowledge in diverse and practical situations. This skill, while not always emphasised in school, is a catalyst for academic success.
So why are schools prioritising what to learn over how to learn? The truth is, schools have a lot on their plates, such as covering extensive syllabi, preparing for exams, and ensuring students meet certain standards. While the curriculum is meticulously designed, the essential skill of navigating the vast realm of knowledge can sometimes be overshadowed.
Learning how to learn is a meta-skill that multiplies the value of every hour you spend in class or revision. Knowledge behaves like compound interest: when you build the habit of reflecting on what worked, refining your methods and reinvesting the gains, understanding grows at an accelerating rate. Equally important is the inner story you tell yourself. If you routinely label yourself “bad at science” or “average at essays”, the label can become a self-fulfilling loop. Replace it with a narrative of incremental progress and you will notice fresh possibilities everywhere.
Learning how to learn empowers you to take charge of your intellectual journey, navigating through various subjects with confidence. Here's how:
Strategies That Will Help You Think in Lattices, Not in Silos
Integrated Approach to Subjects:
Be deliberate in identifying connections between different content concepts within the subject, as well as across different subjects that you're learning.
Explore how content concepts in different Geography topics can relate to one another. For instance, climate change can significantly impact the tourism sector in some regions (e.g. tourism-reliant low-lying countries who are unable to afford and maintain coastal defences), which will in turn affect the country's long term economic development, as well as the livelihoods and standard of living of local communities.
This can be applied across subjects too. Explore how Science can relate to Mathematics, or how historical events influence societal structures.
Start small: after every topic, ask where else the concept might matter and jot two connections on a mind-map. Recognising these links builds up a latticework of theory, improves your comprehension of the information, and enhances your decision-making abilities.
Leveraging Technology Effectively:
Digital tools can either scatter your attention or supercharge it. Used deliberately, they extend memory, automate repetition and provide instant feedback. Start small. After each lesson, spend five minutes chatting with an AI assistant to rephrase the key diagram in simpler words or to generate a micro-quiz on the topic. This immediate reflection locks the material in place before forgetting sets in.
Read this post to understand the use of AI tools like ChatGPT to aid in your learning.
Next, import ten concept-focused flashcards into a spaced-repetition app such as Anki or Quizlet. The software will schedule reviews just before you would normally forget, compressing months of revision into ten daily minutes.
When watching tutorial videos, pause every couple of minutes to predict the next step or type a one-sentence summary; the brief prediction forces your brain to stay active rather than sliding into passive viewing.
Finally, gather everything (mind maps, flashcard links, useful websites) on a single online dashboard in Notion or Google Docs, so retrieval never becomes a chore. With these habits, your phone evolves from a distraction engine into an extension of your intellect.
Technology, when used properly, can serve as tools to enhance your understanding and contribute to a dynamic learning experience.
Strategic Exam Preparation:
Approach exam preparations strategically. Instead of rote memorisation, focus on understanding concepts.
Here's my perspective: Singapore examinations reward depth of explanation, relevance and well-chosen evidence, qualities that flourish under strategic practice rather than last-minute memorisation.
At the start of each term, focus on understanding fundamentals and translating textbook diagrams into your own words or sketches.
Mid-term, shift to short-answer questions and mark them against official rubrics, keeping an error log that highlights recurring gaps.
As tests approach, blend topics by writing timed essay outlines, then graduate to full practice papers under exam conditions.
You can review the past O and N level examination answers here.
A simple daily cycle reinforces this long arc: attempt one past-paper question without notes, compare your answer with the mark scheme, and reattempt the weakest answer in perfect form. This routine compresses retrieval, feedback and refinement into half an hour, turning mistakes into guidance rather than discouragement. By the time you enter the examination hall you will have rehearsed both content and conditions, reducing anxiety and increasing precision.
Active Note-Taking:
During classes, adopt active note-taking techniques. Instead of passively transcribing, engage with the material. Use abbreviations, symbols, and your words to represent concepts, making your notes more personalised and easier to comprehend during revision.
Own Your Narrative
Academic pressure can tempt you to measure worth solely by class rank, yet long-term motivation grows from visible progress rather than comparison.
Keep a short nightly learning journal. Record three things you improved today, two areas that remain confusing and one question you want to explore tomorrow. Review the entries each month to see how curiosity evolves into competence.
Complement the journal with a simple progress dashboard that charts mock-exam scores, flashcard retention rates and the number of essays you have drafted. If possible, share these charts with a study partner once a week; celebrating small wins together and troubleshooting obstacles build mutual accountability.
Over time, this evidence rewrites self-limiting labels “I am bad at science” becomes “I am getting sharper at designing experiments” and turns motivation into a renewable resource.
At the end of the day, this is your journey, your intellectual quest. When you acquire the skills of learning how to learn coupled with the latticework of theory, the possibilities are boundless. All the best!
If you want to master essential skills, learn clear strategies, and gain confidence for your exams, consider this guidebook. I have distilled over a decade of teaching experience into practical advice tailored just for you.
You may also click on https://www.thatgeographyteacher.com/category/all-products to read about how you can use this guidebook effectively to enhance your learning of Geography.
For additional support to enhance your learning, head to
You’ll find sample answers to both the 2024 O and N-Level national exams. These are ideal for applying the techniques taught in Chapter 2, especially for understanding what a top-band LDQ or well-scaffolded structured answer looks like in reality. You can attempt the questions using the frameworks in the guidebook, then compare against the samples to learn from real answers.
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