How To Learn New Words Quickly and Efficiently

How To Learn New Words Quickly and Efficiently

Neuroscientists uncover the secret of how our brains learn new words.

The brain is able to learn words so quickly because it remembers how the whole word ‘looks’, a new study finds.

The researchers found that a small part of our brain is holistically tuned to recognising words as a whole, rather than as parts or through individual letters.

“We are not recognizing words by quickly spelling them out or identifying parts of words, as some researchers have suggested.

Instead, neurons in a small brain area remember how the whole word looks — using what could be called a visual dictionary,”

A part of the brain called the ‘visual word form area’ is vital to how we learn new words.

Close by in the visual cortex is the fusiform gyrus, an area which helps us recognise faces.

“One area is selective for a whole face, allowing us to quickly recognize people, and the other is selective for a whole word, which helps us read quickly.”

Learn new words

For the study, 25 participants were asked to learn new words that were actually nonsense.

Their brains were scanned before and after the training to look at how it had changed.

The results showed that after learning the visual word form area began to respond to the nonsense words as though they were real words.

“This study is the first of its kind to show how neurons change their tuning with learning words, demonstrating the brain’s plasticity.”

People with reading disabilities may find it easier to learn words as a whole, anecdotal evidence suggests, rather than breaking them down.

“For people who cannot learn words by phonetically spelling them out — which is the usual method for teaching reading — learning the whole word as a visual object may be a good strategy.

The visual word form area does not care how the word sounds, just how the letters of the word look together.

The fact that this kind of learning only happens in one very small part of the brain is a nice example of selective plasticity in the brain.”

Beware! Junk Food can Decrease your Concentration Span

Beware! Junk Food can Decrease your Concentration Span

Junk food is tempting and tasty, so, much so, that while you are reading this article, your brain is already thinking about junk food. Right? But the harmful effects are many. One of them is that it decreases our concentration span.

Being a student, you cannot afford to lose your focus from study. So, if you thought that junk food is a great treat to your taste buds, then you must do a reality check.

Overconsumption of junk food can affect your ability to concentrate better, but that’s not all; our memory and behavior are also affected. According to experts, addiction to junk food can invite aggression in students which is not a positive sign.

What is more surprising is that even parents are encouraging the consumption of junk food. Healthy Tiffin boxes have been smoothly replaced by junk food packets which are easily accessible. Thus, the nutritional value has gone down, and health is at stake. If there is a lack of nutrition, how can we expect children to concentrate better on their studies?

Obesity is another major concern among parents. Don’t you think junk food is one of the potential reasons which contribute towards this problem? Obviously, it does! If this is not enough, junk food can also lead to dental problems.

School is the best place to learn things; hence, schools should ban or limit junk foods. As a parent, encourage your children to eat healthy. As a child, you must be aware of the nutritional value and choose between foods which are right for you. Here’s hoping you eat healthy.

How to Deal With Exam Stress

Exams are just to assess your preparation. So just relax, it is not the end of the world if you do not fare well in them. First and most important is your preparation before exam is to make sure you have prepared well and know the important topics well. On the day of the exam, completely avoid last minute mugging and stressing. You should have a good sleep of minimum 8 hours the previous night. The steps important for having a relaxed mind during exam are

1

Organize. Make sure you have all the things necessary for the exam: your stationery, your identity ticket, your watch etc. Last-minute searching for things can stress your mind further and create panic during the exam which can be disastrous.

2

Diet. Before you go to the exam, eat foods that are energy producing and at the same time not too heavy on your stomach that make you sleepy in the examination hall. Never go in on an empty stomach as you can end up concentrating more on your hunger than your exam paper. Fruits and proteins are good source of energy. Avoid intake of heavy carbohydrates like rice and potatoes which will make you sleepy. If possible carry a water bottle to the exam hall to rehydrate.

3

Relax. One hour before the exam, relax!! Don't stress yourself feeding more information to your already worked-up brain. Whatever you have learned, be confident of it and try to picture a calm stream, or take some deep breaths. You have done your preparation and now you should prepare yourself to give your best. A tired mind will do no good, so it is necessary to go into the hall with a refreshed mind. You have worked hard for it and nobody can take away your hard work. What you give always comes back to you. Remember this nature's law. If you not prepared well, let your mind accept the fact. It is not possible to go unprepared and expect no stress and good results. Instead of trying to revise that very last point you forgot to learn, try and briefly go over the different topics in your head so that way you keep an organised and open mind without putting pressure on yourself to learn that other point. The chances are you'll only remember what you learned just before the exam and panic with the other parts.

4

Plan. Once you get the question paper in your hand, read all the questions and make a quick rough plan how you are going to invest your time for doing your best. Mark the questions which you know the best and attempt them first. In this manner, you will increase your confidence further. Appreciate yourself for remembering the solutions and answers; your brain will work better. Never curse yourself if you forgot or didn't study something which you thought about studying. Remember it is too late now, and that your focus should be on the present moment.

5

Cross-check. It is very, very important to check your answers again in the end. The last 15 minutes should be to review your paper. Recheck every answer with patience and you will be surprised by how many careless faults you come across. Make the necessary corrections.

6

Forget. Most of the time after the exam is over, we worry about the results or waste time discussing what our friends have written. Realize that the time to do something about the results passed when you handed the answer sheet to the examiner. Knowing how your friend did on the paper will only add more worry. Chances are that even the friend who told you he did not do well would have lied to you. Accept that everybody tries their best in the exams. Regardless, you are losing your time and peace of mind trying to know what others did or spending energy on worrying which is already past. Concentrate on how you will face your next exam or how you are going to spend your time efficiently.

Polygon Properties

What is a Polygon?
A closed plane figure made up of several line segments that are joined together. The sides do not cross each other. Exactly two sides meet at every vertex.

Types of Polygons
Regular - all angles are equal and all sides are the same length. Regular polygons are both equiangular and equilateral.
Equiangular - all angles are equal.
Equilateral - all sides are the same length.

	Convex - a straight line drawn through a convex polygoncrosses at most two sides. Every interior angle is less than 180°.
	Concave - you can draw at least one straight line through a concave polygon that crosses more than two sides. At least one interior angle is more than 180°.

Polygon Formulas
(N = # of sides and S = length from center to a corner)

Area of a regular polygon = (1/2) N sin(360°/N) S²

Sum of the interior angles of a polygon = (N - 2) x 180°

The number of diagonals in a polygon = 1/2 N(N-3)
The number of triangles (when you draw all the diagonals from one vertex) in a polygon = (N - 2)

Polygon Parts

Side - one of the line segments that make up the polygon. Vertex - point where two sides meet. Two or more of these points are called vertices. Diagonal - a line connecting two vertices that isn't a side. Interior Angle - Angle formed by two adjacent sides inside the polygon. Exterior Angle - Angle formed by two adjacent sides outside the polygon.

Special PolygonsSpecial Quadrilaterals - square, rhombus, parallelogram, rectangle, and the trapezoid.

Special Triangles - right, equilateral, isosceles, scalene, acute, obtuse.

Polygon Names
Generally accepted names

Sides	Name
n	N-gon
3	Triangle
4	Quadrilateral
5	Pentagon
6	Hexagon
7	Heptagon
8	Octagon
10	Decagon
12	Dodecagon

Names for other polygons have been proposed.

Sides	Name
9	Nonagon, Enneagon
11	Undecagon, Hendecagon
13	Tridecagon, Triskaidecagon
14	Tetradecagon, Tetrakaidecagon
15	Pentadecagon, Pentakaidecagon
16	Hexadecagon, Hexakaidecagon
17	Heptadecagon, Heptakaidecagon
18	Octadecagon, Octakaidecagon
19	Enneadecagon, Enneakaidecagon
20	Icosagon
30	Triacontagon
40	Tetracontagon
50	Pentacontagon
60	Hexacontagon
70	Heptacontagon
80	Octacontagon
90	Enneacontagon
100	Hectogon, Hecatontagon
1,000	Chiliagon
10,000	Myriagon

To construct a name, combine the prefix+suffix

Sides Prefix 20 Icosikai... 30 Triacontakai... 40 Tetracontakai... 50 Pentacontakai... 60 Hexacontakai... 70 Heptacontakai... 80 Octacontakai... 90 Enneacontakai...

+

Sides Suffix +1 ...henagon +2 ...digon +3 ...trigon +4 ...tetragon +5 ...pentagon +6 ...hexagon +7 ...heptagon +8 ...octagon +9 ...enneagon

Examples:
46 sided polygon - Tetracontakaihexagon

28 sided polygon - Icosikaioctagon

However, many people use the form n-gon, as in 46-gon, or 28-gon instead of these names.

CELEBRATE A SAFE DIWALI

CELEBRATE A SAFE DIWALI

The festival of lights, Diwali, brings fun, joy and togetherness. Children and youth look eagerly forward for the arrival of the festival. In fact, they begin bursting of crackers and playing with fireworks well before the festival. Diwali marks the triumph of good over evil and dispels darkness. Unfortunately, improper handling and playing with fireworks, mar the celebrations every year.

Every year a number of people across the country, lose their eyesight and sustain burns during the festival. Property is also damaged in mishaps.

Ishwar Tuition Classes has suggested a number of do's and don'ts to prevent loss of eyesight and other mishaps during the ensuing Diwali festival.

Do's:

• An adult should always supervise the use of fireworks by children.
• Check the area before igniting fireworks to ensure that all inflammable and combustible materials are removed.
• Use a candle or an agarbathi to ignite fireworks. They burn without an open flame and provide a greater and safer distance between your hands and the fireworks.
• Open flames from matches and lighters can cause additional fire hazards.
• Keep a fire extinguisher or bucket of water nearby to extinguish any incipient fire.
• Use fireworks only outdoors.
• Light only one firework at a time.
• Firecrackers, bombs and flowerpots should not be lighted holding them. It is always safer to light them from the side without bending over them.
• Hold lighted sparklers away from the body.
• Flying fireworks - rockets, missiles, etc. - should always be lighted in open grounds pointing straight up.
• Discard used fireworks in a bucket of water.
• Wear close-fitting clothes of thick material instead of loose or flowing garments.
• Store fireworks in a cool and dry place.
• Consult an ophthalmologist immediately in case of eye injuries.

Don'ts:

     ·      Never give fireworks to small children.

·    Never ignite fireworks while holding them. Put them down, then ignite them and walk away.

·       Do not put fireworks in any container to ignite.

·         Never mix anything with the contents of fireworks or make fireworks at home.

·         Never ignite aerial fireworks where overhead obstruction (trees, wires, etc.) may interfere with trajectory into open air space.

·         Never ignite an aerial firework near an opening to a building.

·        Never re-light a firework which has not burnt properly. Wait for 15 to 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.

·         Never throw or point fireworks at other people.

·         Never carry fireworks in your pocket.

·         Never shoot fireworks in metal or glass containers.

·    Ensure that your children don't engage in dangerous pranks such as throwing lighted crackers or sparklers at others, or try to make fireworks themselves.

Say no to fireworks & fumes & celebrate an Eco-friendly Diwali ...

Happy & Safe Diwali..!!!

Success Lessons from Politicians!

                  Success Lessons from Politicians!    

 The title may elicit an exclamation from some of you “what is there to learn” as most of the society seems to be disillusioned form the politicians because of the governance and the corruption issues, but let us stop and think as to what our chosen representatives may be doing right and can we learn something from them.

Here are a few of the typical character traits which we can definitely imbibe:-

1. Persistence and Perseverance

Politicians never give up, no matter how much down the ladder they may appear to be. They have the uncanny ability and knack to resurrect themselves and bounce back.  It is worth analyzing this trait as it is not a small thing to brave all the odds when one is down in life and work/struggle/fight one’s way back to the top again. This needs tremendous faith and courage and a ‘never-say-die-spirit’ If we patiently work towards achieving our goals and persist despite some adverse situations, our chances of success increase manifolds.

2. Focus

Politicians are very much focused and never have any confusion, as far winning the elections and retaining their chairs is concerned. We must also never lose sight of our objectives and goals, which need to be pursued with a single minded devotion. Most of time we lose sight of the ‘forest’ and concentrate on the ‘trees’ alone, which distracts us from the larger picture.

3. Communication ability and Charisma

All the politicians are excellent communicators and tireless orators. They are able to expound on almost all the topics with passion and fervor. This ability to appeal and get across to others is an exceptional talent, which should be appreciated. Everyone can improve one’s communication ability through hard work and practice. Politicians’ Charisma is based on their ability to instantly connect with total strangers. They make everyone feel loved and wanted by maintaining a clear eye contact and firm hand shake and even by hugging total strangers. Normally a person is shy or reticent and cannot get across to others in a short span of time. It needs to be understood that others will get attracted towards us only if they get due attention and feel that we are genuinely interested in issues which concern them.

 4. Ability to face criticism

It is normally said that politicians have a very ‘thick’ skin and never have heart attacks. Actually they are used to divergent views, criticism and even humiliation at times and have to learn to live with all that. Even when attacked from all sides, seasoned politicians do not lose their cool, bide time to let the storm blow over and again set about their task with single minded focus. Being overly sensitive to remarks/comments and criticism of others in not a good trait and one has to learn to rise above that, if one wants to pursue the journey without getting derailed.

5. Hard Work

Politicians can work long hours, travel extensively and attend marathon meetings. All these things they do almost on a regular basis, besides meeting scores of people and listening to them. These are facts and need to be well understood. Traveling in heat and dust, meeting members of the public and attending sessions of the assembly need lot of stamina. The seemingly overweight and ageing politicians have an abundant mental stamina, even if they are not physically fit. The younger ones diligently work on their fitness and stay in top shape. The idea is to understand that there is no substitute to hard work and long hours, no matter what the profession is.

How to make a good Time Table for Study?

How to make a good Time Table for Study?

Time table may be defined as a system of organizing your schedule in a perfect manner to utilize your time efficiently and effectively. For a student time utilization is the most difficult part that every

student is confused about. Anyone can arrange for notes, books and tutors for you, but time manage-

ment is something that you have to manage yourself. Your peers or family may help you with your

 project work or making notes etc. but no one can really help you mange your time. Time management is the most important part of student life and every student wants to manage it well, but not all succeed to do so.

A study timetable is something that helps you to stay on track with your studies and helps you in

balancing your study time well so that you have time for other activities too. When you plan ahead of

your examinations, you know what you need to do and by when you need to do it also you become

aware about how much time you actually need to complete a particular topic. A timetable can also

help you to fit in other activities that are important to you and help you make time for other

important activities of life. Most successful students know how to make a study timetable. If you

want to succeed at getting good grades, then you may want to try this to make a schedule.

Preparing a Time Table :

Preparing a time table is not an easy thing to do. First of all you need to figure out every aspect of

your study topic that you need to cover, time required and also you need to adjust in some important

or mandatory activities into your time table. There are some prior engagements that also you need to

keep in mind while designing your routine. Also do not forget to keep some regular time for

recreational activities and sports, as without this you won’t be able to freshen up your mind. You

cannot just study continuously without taking break, so it is necessary to keep all these things  in

mind before you make a time table. Taking exams can lead to stress and anxiety if you have not

studied during the year because you will find yourself cramming for each test and studying late into

the night which won’t help you much. With a little time management during the school year, you not

only minimize stress at exam time, but maximize productivity and results and tend to get good

grades with some normal effort.

To start with, draw up a study timetable and block in all activities, work, lectures, and any household

or other responsibilities you may have to do and also remember if you have any previous

engagements, because later skipping your time-table will lead to a lot of chaos in your schedule.

Include meal times and travel time. Be realistic about the facts and time that you will need to

complete your topics. Try to make an actual timetable, which is possible for you 

ideal that can never be achieved, be true to yourself about your capability. Make enough copies to

cover all the weeks leading up to exams or assessment. Here are some steps that you must keep in

mind once you begin to prepare your time table:

• Work out your most effective study times when you believe you can concentrate well, and you don’t have anything around that may distract you, a time when you can study best. It is your choice to decide either morning, afternoon or evening time, according to your suitability. Select a time when it is really peaceful at your place and probably a time when no one’s going to disturb you or distract you.

• Go through your syllabus and consider which subjects need the most study and revision. Also make a list of topics that are very important from examination point of view. Estimate how many hours you think you need for each subject or topic and try to match this with the hours available in your weekly planner. Time yourself in such a way that you get enough time for revision.

• Give yourself enough separate time to go through the topics that were taught during the day in class and make some useful notes out of your class work, which would be helpful for you in further reference and understanding of the topics.

• Decide about your study plan and block in some study times, preferably 2-4 hours at a time, with 5-10 minutes’ break every 40-50 minutes. You should have a seating capacity of minimum 2 hours so that you have enough time to learn and to revise. There is no point studying for 15 minutes and then going to do something else, this way you won’t be able to do anything properly. Hence it is advised to take at least 2-4 hours time when you sit down to study. Though you may take breaks in between.

• It is also advised to create your weekly targets. Your study schedule will be far more effective if you note down exactly what you need to study. Be specific about your goals and write down individual goals and targets for each subject.

• It is very effective to block in more study time in the relevant subject closer to the exam date. Make sure that you have already prepared well for each exam over the time and don’t fill up the last few days too heavily as this may stress you. Also put in any events which may affect your study times, such as birthdays, social events and work functions so that you plan in advance to devote your time there and may compensate for this well in advance. Some students have a habit to plan in detail for each study session. You may do so by writing down which lecture or topic you will be reviewing first and how much time you need to spend doing this. This way, you can ensure that you will cover all the required information in the times you have allocated.

• Students always face a problem with time management; if you have some smaller amounts of time available for study, consider how it could be used effectively: skim reading an article, proofing a draft, sorting a bibliography, organizing reference cards, etc. Travel time on public transport can also be used for reading. Try to make most out of your study time and in an effective manner, useful for yourself.

Benefits of making Time Table

Time-table is something that plays a very important role in student life, when you have lot of things

to do in a limited period of time. Needs and benefits of time table all depends on your life, your

responsibilities your priorities, your interests, your commitments and your personality. Not

everyone needs to make a time table for their schedule; some have their time already scheduled for

them. At the other end of the scale, some have no pressing matters, and can do what they like when

they like and no-one suffers as a result. Students have to schedule study time, otherwise it is all too

easy to do what you like doing, at the expense of doing what should be done. i.e. to study.

• A time table helps us to be more punctual, efficient and effective. A schedule is a written record of considered decisions made on the allocation of time to tasks. It will serve as an aide-memoir carrying out necessary activities, listing when and what needs to be done. Unless a specific time, day or a date is allocated to a particular task, especially if it is an unpleasant or difficult thing to tackle, the likelihood of it getting done is very close to zero. Hence timetable is effective in time utilization and punctuality.

• The advantages of time management by making a time table include reducing stress, gaining effective time utilization, reducing avoidance, while promoting reviews and eliminating cramming. Another advantage is that managing time helps us to stay motivated while we avoid procrastination. It is also a fact that we tend to complete important things on time this way, and there is no burden during final days.

• Most people without a proper time management plan often suffer with poor health, insomnia, and other discomforting issues. There is a constant pressure to complete things and most of the times without proper planning people end up with high stress level and poor performance, and this in turn leads to some health disorders which also create a tense atmosphere for your family too. So the time management is important since it affects everyone around you, but most of all, it affects you. If you set yourself a reasonable time slot to complete a particular topic, or a series of topics, and stick to it, you are more likely to have a life of accomplishment and satisfaction than you would if you leave everything until tomorrow, and it is a fact that tomorrow never arrives.