How can you use the Study Without Tears Method in Your Classroom?

Stimulate learning in your classroom by teaching students to understand their own learning style. The Study Without Tears strategy will help you teach on every level for every student.

What is the ‘Study Without Tears’ technique?

Study Without Tears, also known as the SWOT strategies, framed by Flemings, was designed to help students identify ineffective practices and modify or improve their existing study habits to enhance their performance in tests and learning. Simply put, it recognizes that every strategy does not work for every student, so it is important to understand all ways of learning. Here we will describe the different learning styles and apply the Study Without Tears strategy to each of them.

How to apply the “Study Without Tears” technique in the classroom?

No two students learn in the same way. Learning styles or the learning preferences of a student refers to the primary sensory modality using which students assimilate, process and retain information. While most students have a strong preference for one modality, some may have more than two strong preferences. A third category of students may have no such high affinity towards any of these learning styles and can work well with any one of them. In order for your students to SWOT it is essential to teach according all the learning styles.

Why is it important to understand the different learning styles?

 According to the VARK model, learning style greatly influences student behavior and learning. Students learn and comprehend the lesson best when the information is delivered in the style of their preferred learning. For teachers, understanding the different learning styles is essential, as it helps with planning and incorporating different teaching strategies and tools that can help stimulate the best learning in the classroom.

What are the different learning styles?

 Neil Fleming’s VARK Model of Student Learning, primarily categorizes students into four different learning styles. These are Visual, Auditory, Reading/Writing and Kinesthetic. These are described below:

Visual Learners

Visual learners learn best through use of pictorial content, graphic organizers, highlighting content, gestures, videos and slides. When applying the Study Without Tears strategy, visual learners can do the following:

• Convert their lecture notes into graphical or pictorial representations
• Highlight key words and information
• Use symbols or initials instead of important words
• Reduce the lecture notes into readable small picture pages

• Use pictures as aids to recall facts
• Reconvert the pictures to words

Auditory Learners

Auditory learners take in information by listening to lectures, engaging in discussions, explaining or describing information and by using recorders and mnemonics. Using the SWOT strategy, students are instructed to:

• Expand their notes by discussing with others and gleaning information from other resources
• Create audio notes which can then be played repeatedly
• Request permission for recording lectures
• Readand Think aloud and explain the learned material to another student.

• Learn in quiet places and reflect on the content
• Say aloud the answers, or imagine repeating them to the examiner
• While writing exams, students are instructed to listen to their inner voices

Reading/Writing Learners

 Learners in this category can benefit from using lists, headings in their writing, use of essay writing, reading more resources and researching. The SWOT strategy requires students to perform the following to strengthen their learning:

• Read or write the same content repeatedly until it is memorized
• Convert all diagrammatic and graphical representations into essay styles
• Rewrite short notes into detailed learning materials

Kinesthetic Learners

 Kinesthetic learners are ‘hands-on’ learners and benefit from practical demonstrations, trips and examples. Students should be given ample opportunities to try out activities and mostly succeed through trial and error based learning. Application of the SWOT strategy to this category may not focus on the notes taken in class, but on the examples heard. It is recommend that these students:

• ‘Go out’ and find real life applications of the lessons taught
• Learn through exploration, experimentation and doing

Help your students identify and apply their learning styles in order to make a difference in their learning outcomes. Swot will help each student individualize their learning.

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