Do you understand when you read? To be able to remember when you read, the first thing is to understand when you read because reading without comprehension causes confusion and makes recalling of important facts difficult.
Some of the steps you can take to enhance comprehension include minimizing distractions when studying. Some people say they play light music when studying to silence other distractions in the environment but this does not work for most people. For many people, they need absolute quietness to be able to concentrate. You need to understand yourself and how you learn and apply what works for you. Other activities that could amount to distraction and jeopardize comprehension include chatting on social media while studying, watching a movie or attending to telephone calls.
Your emotional state while studying is also a crucial factor. You need to be emotionally stable in order to comprehend while you study. If there is anything bothering you, it would be helpful to talk to your counsellor,your parents or other trusted adults.
Do you meditate when you read? Having ensured that you understand as you read, it is important to ponder on what you have read, over and over, and try to apply it to practical situations. Apart from enhancing your comprehension, this exercise gives your brain the opportunity to master and therefore retain the information that you have acquired through reading. The truth is that you cannot recall anything unless your brain retains it.
How soon after reading do you try to recall what you have read? Some people could study for 5 hours on a stretch without pausing to try to recall what they have read. Such students often feel frustrated when they get into the examination hall, and find they can’t remember anything even though they have read for the examination.
Studying is not only about reading. An important aspect of studying is consciously tasking your self to recall what you have read. If you are studying for 2 hours for example, you can take a break after every 30 mins to try and recall what you have read. However, this timing depends on you and what works best for you. Some students can study for 2 hours and by the time they are done, they can say everything that they have read but it is not so for everyone.
The most important thing about trying to recall after studying, is the time gap between the time you acquire information through reading, and the time you attempt to recall. If you leave a long gap after reading before you try to recall, the tendency to forget would be high. Hence, it is helpful to practice recalling after reading. It is dangerous to read and wait till you got into the examination hall before you start to recall.
If after applying these tips, you do not record any improvement, please, discuss your challenge with your counsellor. Your counsellor may have to design an intervention plan for you,
based on detailed assessment of your learning style, study skills, attitude, motivation and other factors.