0.3.3: Study Schedule
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Having a consistent study schedule is vital to your success this semester. While in-person classes have rigid class times, online classes are more flexible...but that means you will need to be intentional about your study schedule and make sure you put in the required time and effort.
Shorter (but focused) sessions tend to be more effective than long hours at a time. For most people, 30 minutes a day is a lot more effective than cramming 3 hours once a week in terms of retention. While most students tend to wait till the weekend to finish all of their assignments, spending a short amount of time reviewing vocabulary and completing the Práctica sections of each module everyday will be helpful.
Did we mention vocabulary? When learning a new language, there will be a lot of new vocabulary. There's no way around it - you need words to say in Spanish! Download the Canvas and Quizlet apps on your mobile devices - review vocabulary during work breaks, while waiting in line at a store, etc. Breaking up vocabulary throughout the week will help keep you from feeling overwhelmed.
Example Study Schedule:
Here's an example study schedule for:
Monday (or Day 1) : 1. Read the En contexto and Vocabulario pages in your book. Watch any videos provided by your teacher and take notes (20-30 min) 2. Use the Pronunciación pages that have vocabulary practices with clickable audio to listen to your vocabulary words (10-15 min) 3. Practice Quizlet flashcards (10-15 min)
Tuesday (or Day 2) : 1. Review notes (5-10 min) 2. Review the Vocabulario pages in your book (10-15 min) 3. Use the Pronunciation Practices to listen and practice speaking your vocabulary (10-15 min) 4. Start working on the activities on the Práctica pages (20-30 min)
Wednesday (or Day 3) : 1. Review notes (5-10 min) 2. Review vocabulary (10-15 min) 3. Continue working on the activities on the Práctica pages (20-30 min) 4. Go through the Conversación practices (20-30 min)
Thursday (or Day 4) : 1. Read the En contexto and Gramática pages in your book. Watch any videos provided by your teacher and take notes (20-30 min) 2. Use the vocabulary practices with clickable audio to listen to your vocabulary words (10-15 min) 3. Practice Quizlet flashcards (10-15 min) 4. Start working on the activities on the Práctica pages (20-30 min)
Friday (or Day 5) : 1. Review notes (5-10 min) 2. Review the Gramática pages in your book (10-15 min) 3. Use the Pronunciation Practices on Canvas to listen and practice speaking your vocabulary (10-15 min) 4. Continue working on the activities on the Práctica pages (20-30 min) 5. Practice Quizlet flashcards (10-15 min) 6. Go through the Conversación practices (20-30 min)
Saturday (or Day 6) : 1. Practice Quizlet flashcards (10-15 min) 2. Double check the Unit Objectives (can you do all of the ¨I can...¨ statements?) and the Unit Repaso (can you answer all of the questions in the Comunicación section of the Review page?) (15-20 min) 3. Complete any summative assignments at the bottom of the module - ex: Bongo speaking activity (These assignments are meant to be completed after you've reviewed the information all week and are used to show what you know!), essays, discussion posts, etc. (time will vary)
Note : Remember that you are always free to meet with your teacher for extra help. Butler also has Spanish tutors - and it's free ! These two options would also be great things to incorporate into your study schedule as well.
Again, this is just an example schedule - create one of your own to fit your schedule. Remember this is a 5 credit hour class and face-to face classes have 5 hours of seat time listening and practicing Spanish in addition to studying at home and completing homework.
Research suggests that students should spend approximately 2-3 hours, per credit hour , studying in order to be successful in their courses.
Don't try to cram the week´s lesson into a few hours at the end of the week. Make a habit of spreading out your studying habits to get more frequency. Watch the video below about the ¨Forgetting Curve¨ and how you must regularly reinforce vocabulary to be able to retain it.