Talking can really help you make sense of reading (see Step 3) and develop writing (see Step 5). Talking to family or friends or fellow students about what you have read and about what you think is so valuable – if no-one will listen, you can even talk to yourself! Or a cat if you have one handy.
Speaking out loud helps you get used to new words and ideas and gets you used to hearing the sound of your own voice (great practice for presentations). Many courses set up mentoring or peer study schemes or allocate study buddies – these are great ideas to get you talking and, crucially, thinking together. If this is not available, you could set up your own study group.
Ready to go deeper?
A favourite idea of ours, from theory of learning, is that new ideas emerge through dialogue, through interaction between people. We are social animals and we need each other in order to develop. Working with others constructively is a hugely valuable skill to be cultivated at any opportunity. And, of course, we are not talking about copying or getting other people to do all the work!
Although we love the idea of social learning, we know that working together can be difficult. Check out our resources for Teams and Groupwork on StudyHub.