REVISION Essential College Learning Skills

Contents
Chapter 2: DISCOVERING AND USING YOUR LEARNING STYLE................3
1) How do you understand “learning styles” and “learning strategies”?..........3
2) What are three kinds of learners? Give an example for each kind...............3
Chapter 3: DEALING WITH STRESS.....................................................................4
3) What are the three types of reactions people might have to stress? Give an
example for each type............................................................................................4
4) How to cope with stress?..............................................................................4
Chapter 4: SETTING AND REACHING GOALS...................................................5
5) What are the steps for achieving goals? Positive (vs. negative) and
measurable (vs. too general) goals: definition/characteristics, examples?............5
6) What are the criteria for realistic goals? Example?......................................5
Chapter 5: MANAGING YOUR TIME....................................................................7
7) What are some ways to manage time effectively? List at least 3.................7
Chapter 8:  LISTENING IN CLASS AND TAKE GOOD CLASS NOTES............8
8) How do you understand “an active listener”?...............................................8
9) How to improve classroom listening? List at least 5....................................8
10) What are good listening strategies? How to ask questions in class? List at
least 5.....................................................................................................................8
11) What are the note-taking formats shared in the textbook? What is the type
of learning information which might be appropriate for each format?.................8
Chapter 9:   PREVIEWING TEXTBOOKS AND PREVIEWING CHAPTERS.....9
12) How to preview a textbook? What information of a textbook do we need to
preview, and why?.................................................................................................9
13) How to preview a chapter? You might also encounter questions that ask
you for the purpose of previewing each section of a chapter?..............................9
Chapter 10: MARKING YOUR BOOKS...............................................................10
14) How to mark books?...................................................................................10
Some ways to mark books: Numbers (numbering the key information), Vertical
lines, esp. for marking definitions and examples. Underlining key word….......10

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REVISION Essential College Learning Skills

15) How to look for details?..............................................................................10

Chapter 11:   MAKING NOTES FOR BOOKS......................................................11
16) Some common formats of making notes for books or of information:.......11

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REVISION Essential College Learning Skills

Chapter 2: DISCOVERING AND USING YOUR

LEARNING STYLE

1) How do you understand “learning styles” and “learning strategies”?

- Learning styles: general approaches (auditory, visual, kinesthetic) that are
used by students in studying or learning.
- Learning strategies: specific actions, behaviors, steps or techniques used by
students to enhance their own learning.
2) What are three kinds of learners? Give an example for each kind. 
- Visual leaners: the ones learn by reading materials, watching
demonstrations or illustration. (E.g: learn by graphics, drawings, cartoons,
maps…)
- Auditory learners: listening to lectures and discussing with others help
them learn better. (E.g: learn by discussing, debating,…)
- Kinethetic learners: there are physical movements during their learning
time, or real experiments. (E.g: learn by moving their body, experiments…)

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Chapter 3: DEALING WITH STRESS

3) What are the three types of reactions people might have to stress? Give an
example for each type.
- There are 3 main types of reactions to stress:
o Emotional reactions: for example, people who are experiencing from
stress often lose their temper easily. Not only short-tempered but they
may also sense fear, worthlessness, hopelessness, depression or
anxiety.
o Behavioral reactions: excessive or self-harming behaviors are reported
to be the results of stress. Moreover, they may overeat, overspend,
drink too much alcohol or have difficulty in concentrating on their
work.
o Physical reactions: stress are confirmed to be a main cause of several
illnesses. People who are feeling stressed may have headaches,
backache, sudden asthma attacks, excessive perspiration or so on.
4) How to cope with stress?
To cope with stress, first, make a list of stressors. Then identify how you react
with the stressors. Finally, use one of the following solutions to deal with stress:
o Eliminate stressors
o Manage your time
o Seek for help
o Exercise
o Set a nutritious diet
o Sleep sufficiently
o Value your ability
o Don’t insist on perfection
o Turn threats into challenges
o Change your goals
o Use relaxation techniques

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Chapter 4: SETTING AND REACHING GOALS

5) What are the steps for achieving goals?
Positive (vs. negative) and measurable (vs. too general) goals:
definition/characteristics, examples?
- Steps to achieve goals:
o Write primary goals (P.G)
o Make an effective plan for achieving primary goals that is expressed
in (intermediate goals) I.G and (current goals) C.Gs.
o Schedule the exact times you will accomplish your current goals.
o Do your best to achieve goals. Do not be discouraged by obstacles.
o Monitor and assess your progress in achieving your goals.
o Revise your intermediate and current goals when necessary.
Positive goals Negative goals
Def A positive goal states a behavior A positive goal states a behavior
you want you don’t want
Examples I will get a 8.0 IELTS certificate. I will try to stop delaying my
study.

6) What are the criteria for realistic goals? Example? 

- Achievable: You have the abilities to achieve the goal.
E.g: You already had a 6.5 IELTS, and you set an IG to get 8.0 in one year,
which is possible. If a person who is at the beginner level, it is impossible
for that person to get 8.0 in one month.
- Time: You have enough time to achieve the goal.
E.g:
- Price: You are willing to pay the price necessary to achieve the goal.
E.g: To reach the 8.0 point, you may need to attend some IELTS training
courses, and paying for the trainers are compulsory. If you want to achieve
the goal, join the course and pay; that is ‘price’.
- Control: You are in control of the circumstances necessary to achieve the
goal: you should monitor and assess your progress. Revise your goals when
necessary.
E.g: A student set a goal to get 8.0 GPA. After the final exam, he should
check his results to see whether he achieved the goals or not. For example,
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REVISION Essential College Learning Skills

he got 9.0 chemistry, 9.5 maths, 8.0 literature, 8.5 history, then he was
achieving his goal.

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Chapter 5: MANAGING YOUR TIME

7) What are some ways to manage time effectively? List at least 3.
1. Decide how much to study.
2. Determine time available for study
3. Set priorities for what to study.
4. Decide when to study
5. Make better use of time
6. Balance your responsibilities.

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REVISION Essential College Learning Skills

Chapter 8:  LISTENING IN CLASS AND TAKE

GOOD CLASS NOTES
8) How do you understand “an active listener”?
- Active listeners are students who, when necessary, verify their
understanding by asking appropriate questions and who demonstrate their
understanding of what teachers say by making accurate notes of lecture
content.
9) How to improve classroom listening? List at least 5.
i. Prepare to listen
ii. Eliminate physical distractions
iii. Do not prejudge a teacher
iv. Focus on the teacher’s message: listen to opening comments, major
thoughts, details, examples, study hints
v. Watch the chalk board
vi. Atten to nonverbal clues
vii. Ask questions
10) What are good listening strategies? How to ask questions in class?
List at least 5.
- Good listening strategies:
o Listen for opening statements that provide an overview of a lecture
o Listen for major thoughts and use them as the basic structure for your
notes
o Listen for details and list them under major thoughts
o Listen for examples and include them in your notes.
o Listen for study hints and record them in your notes.
- To ask questions in class:
o Be patient
o Ask questons at the time instructors indicate they want to answer them
o If you still don’t understand, ask for an example
o Be polite
o Ask only questions that may also benefit other students

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11) What are the note-taking formats shared in the textbook? What is the
type of learning information which might be appropriate for each format?

Chapter 9:   PREVIEWING TEXTBOOKS AND

PREVIEWING CHAPTERS
12) How to preview a textbook? What information of a textbook do we need to
preview, and why?
1. Preview the front of the book (the title, author, publisher, copyright page,
publish year, table of contents,…)
2. Preview the back of the book (appendix, reference, glossaries, index,…)
13) How to preview a chapter? You might also encounter questions that ask you
for the purpose of
previewing each section of a chapter?
To preview a chapter:
1. Surver the beginning of the chapter (title, introduction, learning goals…)
2. Survey the body of the chapter (heading, graphs, diagrams, cartoons, inserts,
maginal notes…)
3. Survey the end of the chapter (summary, terminology, review questions,
exercises or problems…)

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REVISION Essential College Learning Skills

Chapter 10: MARKING YOUR BOOKS

14) How to mark books?
- Read a section before you mark it.
- Do not mark too much
- Mark information that will help you make notes
- Make major details stand out
- Mark definitions of terminology
- Mark examples
Some ways to mark books: Numbers (numbering the key information), Vertical
lines, esp. for marking definitions and examples. Underlining key word…
15) How to look for details?
- Look for subheadings  major details
- Words printed in Italics/Boldface
- Numbers
- Bullets
- Introductory statements

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REVISION Essential College Learning Skills

Chapter 11:   MAKING NOTES FOR BOOKS

16) Some common formats of making notes for books or of information: 
- Index card / flashcards
- Major and minor details (~ traditional format)
- Paragraph summary
- Definition of terminology
- Graphic organizers:
✓ Classification chart / table ; T-chart
✓ Time line
✓ Flowchart (“map” in the textbook)
✓ Mind map
 

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