5 Things You Can Do if You Think You Are a Slow Learner
Simple Tips to Get Better at Retaining What You Learn
If you think you are a slow learner, there are steps you can take to get better at retaining what you learn.
Being a slow learner can affect many aspects of a person’s life, which is why it’s important to address it.
1-Minute Summary Video
A disclaimer here is this post is not aimed at addressing a child’s learning difficulties. It’s intended to offer suggestions to working professionals and business leaders who struggle to keep up with content today and things they want to learn.
If you have a child who is a slow learner or has learning difficulties, it’s best to seek help from professionals who specialise in children’s development and learning.
What is a Slow Learner?
Information is readily available today, and the amount continues to increase. Considering yourself a slow learner is a mindset and a belief you may have formed, especially if you struggle to process and apply information to reach specific outcomes.
A slow learner in this case is someone who does not absorb information they take in as efficiently as they would like, which affects their ability to use it in a timely manner. They get overwhelmed or confused easily, which reduces their ability to take advantage of the information they become aware of.
Why You May Believe You Are a Slow Learner
You may believe you are a slow learner if:
- You easily forget what you read, listen or watch.
- You get frustrated when you don’t understand something you think you should.
- You lose interest and focus when learning, especially if it’s something that will help you get a result you want.
- You’ve had experiences which has caused you to doubt yourself and your ability to learn and apply things.
- You place high or unrealistic expectations on yourself when learning something new.
The Costs if You Continue to Believe You Are a Slow Learner
If you continue to believe you are a slow learner and do not address it, the costs include:
- You will constantly think you are missing out on something or falling behind.
- You will have low self-confidence.
- You will hesitate to try things or take risks.
- You will play small and may even give up on pursuing things you really want.
- You may generate negative emotions such as anxiety, frustration, and sadness.
If you struggle to learn, it’s important to address it because things constantly change and evolve, which will require you to adapt accordingly. The rate at which information is available and the amount of it will continue to increase.
Having things to help you process and apply what you learn will make your life easier.
5 Things You Can Do if You Think You Are a Slow Learner
Here are five things that will help if you think you are a slow learner, so you can retain and apply information to get you the results you want.
- Find your preferred learning style. Not everyone learns the same way. If you learn things slowly, the mode with which you take in information may not be your best learning style. Three common learning styles are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Based on your preferred learning style, you can find information that supports it, which will also make it a fun experience.
- Develop a growth or learning mindset. If you believe you are a slow learner, you need to shift that belief if you want to learn effectively. This is where developing a growth mindset and having curiosity and an emotional connection to what you want to learn is essential. As you shift your mindset, your belief will change, which means you won’t tell yourself you are a slow learner.
- Improve your memory. Retaining information is a key aspect of learning. To retain information better, learning memory techniques will help. As you retain information better and with more ease, your self-confidence will improve, which will also increase your competence.
- Learn with a teacher’s perspective. Whenever you learn something, consider how you would teach it to someone, so they understand it. If you learn something knowing you need to teach it, your level of focus and how you take in information will improve.
- Find a learning partner. Sometimes, it’s better to learn with others. Learning with another person can help you view information from new perspectives. This means you are more likely to ask better questions, which will help you retain information more efficiently.
Final Thoughts
How to learn effectively is a valuable skill to develop because it will always benefit you. Learning is a never-ending process, therefore you need to be patient with yourself.
You may believe you are a slow learner, when instead, you need to learn to use your brain effectively to help you reach your learning objectives.
Action Step: Research online to find out more about your preferred learning style. Use it to support you learn more effectively and track your improvement.
Question: What are other things you can do if you think you are a slow learner?
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