Before you begin studying
· Be clear about the task - talk to your lecturer or tutor, or someone at the ASP.
· Prepare your space - set up a spot where you can study successfully.
· Ensure you won’t be interrupted – perhaps with a `Do not Disturb' sign.
· Break the task into manageable bits – write them on a list. Do them one by one.
While you are studying
· Tick off each task as you go - this will provide a sense of achievement.
· Make yourself happy when you study using whatever works for you: music,
comfortable clothes, sugary lollies etc.
· Switch between tasks to keep interested and do some easy parts first to get going.
· Have regular breaks and set goals, e.g. “I'll study for 2 hours, then I'll watch Glee!”
After you have studied
· Reward yourself, for example, have a chocolate biscuit after every chapter you read.
· Use positive self-talk by thinking about the things you have done well.
(From Study and Time Management, Academic Skills Centre University of Canberra 2011)
III Developing background knowledge (B1/B2/C1)
1. Prepare a talk on a) the history of the term Time Management; b) its usage in Academic perspective.
IV Exchanging views and ideas (B1/B2/C1)
1. Group work. Organize a brainstorming session to find out the most difficult aspects for time management in your a) work, b) study, c) other activities.
2. There is a notion biological clock, which means the internal clock mechanisms that can be found inside all human beings. Read the following fragment and explain the two meanings of the term. Do you feel your biological clock?
When most people hear the term “biological clock,” they immediately think of a woman entering her 30s, who feels she needs to hurry up and have children while she is still young enough to do so. Although this term is commonly used to refer to both women’s and men’s instinctive internal reproductive urges, the term “biological clock” was originally coined to indicate the instinctive cycles of sleep and wakefulness, encompassing the evolutionary perspective surrounding them. These sleep cycles are collectively referred to as Circadian Rhythms. Circadian Rhythms govern our sleeping patterns, but they also play a part in cardiovascular activity, the endocrine system, blood pressure, metabolism, temperature and oxygen absorption.
The terms can be distinguished with the help of the following explanation: “biological clock” simply refers to our internal wake/sleep timer, “male biological clock” refers to the male fertility factors and “female biological clock” refers to female fertility factors.
The term “Circadian” comes from the Latin words “circa” and “diem,” with a combined meaning of “about a day.” As part of the adaptation response, this cycle was meant to aid humans in responding to lightness and darkness. It is widely believed by evolutionary researchers that this adaptation response is also connected to survival in the respect that it kept people from danger by inducing sleep at night during dark hours, rather than the well-lit day. The biological clock is not actually based on exactly 24 hours as our time-telling devices are – they include at least 20 extra minutes beyond the regular 24 hours. Powered by “clock genes,” which are protein-producing, genetic information regarding waking and sleeping patterns is sent through the body.
(Adapted from Biological Clocks and Circadian Rhythms at Online Clock.net)
V Summarizing the topic (B1/B2/C1)
- Convert the text Study and Time Management into information for the slides (5-7 slides) for a power point presentation on the topic Time Management, bearing in mind the principles of an effective presentation (see Unit 5).
- Make a power point presentation on the topic Biological Clock: a) The introduction of the term by American biologist Curt Paul Richter; b) The Biological Clock in Humans.
- Choose the material carefully
- Define a particular problem
- Illustrate your talk with examples
- Do not forget about references
VI Project work (B1/B2/C1)
1. Interview your group-mates, relatives and friends. Find out if they are owls or fowls and how it influences their life (what their hours of work and sleep are, when their work or study are more effective). Present the results of your survey in a Report.
2. Fill in the chart for yourself:
a) for a week
Weekly Planner
| Day | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
| Time | |||||||
| 7:00 | |||||||
| 7:30 | |||||||
| … | |||||||
| 23:00 |
b) for a semester
Semester Planner
| Course | English | Communication Practice | Translation | … |
| Week | ||||
| … | ||||
| SWOT | ||||
| Exams |
B PRACTISING SKILLS
TEXT 1 (B2)
Choose the correct heading for sections 1-6 from the list of headings below.
Write the correct letter in the boxes given below. Remember, ONE heading is extra.
List of Headings
A Allow for flexibility