Sharpening Classroom

Skills
Module: Study Skills
Classroom Skills:
• Learning is often a solitary process. However, the learning
you do in class is mostly collaborative.
• Have you ever tried to think on the following questions after
classroom learning?
• How prepared were you?
• Did you get as much out of the class as you should have?
• Did you participate with enthusiasm?
• How did you listen?
• What notes did you take?
PACE Yourself:
• There are four strategies that will help you to get the most of
the class and enjoy it more as well:
1. Prepare for class
2. Become an active listener
3. Commit to using a note-taking system
4. Engage in learning with others
1. Prepare for Class:
• Remember the first letter of ‘PACE’ stands for preparation.
• The more prepared you are for the class, the more able you
are to take an active role in class.
• Students often overlook the following factors, which in turn
sabotages their learning:
1. Regularity:
• Absenteeism has always been a problem in universities.
• Absence from classes hurts you in three different ways.
1. Prepare for Class:
a) Loss of understanding: Repeated cuts from classes lessens your
understanding and make you suffer by damaging your grade.
b) Skipped steps in sequence: Every new lesson is build upon the
previous one and the level is raised gradually over the entire time.
So, cutting classes will cut you out of the information loop.
c) Missed opportunities for learning: Some concepts are only easy to
understand through instructors’ explanation, class discussion and
planned activities. So, you are going to lose this opportunity by
cutting the classes.
1. Prepare for Class:
2. Punctuality: is as important as attendance. It is a quality
of being on time.
• Whether you arrive late or leave early, you are surely going to
miss something. Additionally, it is distracting, disruptive and
discourteous.
• Chronic lateness sends the message of your irresponsibility as
punctuality is purely a time-management issue.
• Remember, your tuition fee buys you a place at the table, it
doesn’t buy you the right to behave any way you choose.
1. Prepare for Class:
3. Etiquettes:
• Enter the class quietly.
• Find your seat quickly.
• Arrange your material with a minimum fuss.
• Turn your cellphone off and your mind on.
• Avoid ‘texting’ as it is annoying for your instructor as well as classmates.
• Be respectful to your classmates and instructor.
• Take part in class discussions.
• Raise your hand and wait for acknowledgement.
• Dozing at your seat, studying for another class, socializing with friends, murmuring and
commenting show disrespect.
• Remember, a classroom is not a casual place.
1. Prepare for Class:
4. Anticipate the next lesson: you can anticipate the new lesson by:
a) Reviewing the previous lesson
b) Previewing the next day’s assignment

• Use your syllabus, course outline or content list.

• Bring textbooks and other supplements to class every day.
• Do assignments: as they provide the practice you need to acquire new
knowledge or skill.

By following the above mentioned tips, you will always know what to expect
from your classes. You won’t feel lost and you will be in the proper frame of
mind to listen attentively.
2. Active Listening:
• The second letter of ‘PACE’ stands for active listening.
• Increase listening efficiency through concentration and
application of appropriate strategies.
• Active listening differs from simple hearing.
• Active listening is involved listening in which your vision,
hearing, posture and mind, each plays a role. It is a decisive
act which also involves visual or tactile kinesthetic senses.
• It is a purposeful process which requires concentration and
critical thinking.
2. Active Listening:
• While listening to a lecture, you are focusing your attention on the speaker,
watching the gestures for getting cues, taking notes, and making a conscious
effort to ignore other stimuli which will affect your attention.
• On the other hand, passive listeners do more ‘hearing’ than ‘listening’.
• They are aware that the instructor is speaking but they aren’t making any sense
out of it.
• Passive listeners are uninvolved, inattentive and detached from the process.
• Passive listeners are the students who are mostly externally motivated, while
active listeners are internally motivated. They practice the strategies to keep
themselves focused and involved.
2. Active Listening:
The five important strategies for active listening are:
a) Decide to listen: It will strengthen your commitment
towards learning and push you to take an active role instead
of sitting passively.

b) Listen with a positive frame of mind: Try to find out

things that interest you. Assume that listening will expand your
knowledge and understanding of the subject.
2. Active Listening:
c) Take the posture of involvement: Try to sit straight, of course
comfortably. Make an eye contact with the speaker. Use your expressions
and gestures to communicate your understanding or confusion. Your
involvement will pay you off instantly.

d) Decide what is important: Listen for repeated terms and ideas.

Repetitions are used to emphasize important points. Listen for the single
words or phrases which are used to conclude or to reason, to compare, to
differentiate and so on.

Take notes: It also helps you to concentrate. It activates your tactile-

kinesthetic sense. Take notes consistently and choose a note taking system
that suits you.