A 90-minute language learning workout based in brain science

Have you ever wondered what a scientific learning session looks like? It’s surely not what you usually do. This article will give you an explained example.

I recently saw an interesting videoed study session by learning coach Justin Sung and it reminded me of many of Andrew Huberman’s protocols from his research review of learning. So, I developed a science-based 90-minute a language learning workout plan. ?

Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman in one of his recent Huberman Lab podcasts did an extensive review of the research on how to study and learn effectively. I thought it would interesting and useful for me and others if these ideas were applied to make the most out of language learning. The following is an example and explanation of a 90-minuite minute learning “work out” plan backed by science. ?

I previously synthesized and grouped the protocols from Huberman’s podcast in a 3-part series and then ranked them from 10-7, 6-4, and 3-1. These protocols were ranked from those that have the most outsized effect on learning to those that have less effect. In other words, from protocols that give you the biggest return on the investment to least. Ideally, they should all be incorporated into a learning plan to completely optimize the learning.

A top 10 ranking of learning protocols ??

1. Offsetting Forgetting with Testing
2. Prioritize Sleep and Use NSDR for Recovery
3. Enhance Focus with Mindfulness and Structured Breaks
4. Test for Mastery, Not Just Familiarity
5. Adopt Structured, Active Study Practices
6. Engage in Active, Challenging Learning
7. Interleave Information and Embrace Desirable Difficulties
8. Set Aspirational Goals and Connect Learning to Personal Interests
9. Minimize Distractions and Use Attention-Enhancing Tools
10. Manage Stress with Mindfulness, Cold Exposure, and Caffeine

An example of a 90-minute learning WORKOUT for language learning

Why 90 minutes? It has been shown that that is about the maximum length of time we can really attend and focus. You can engage in a few of these 90-minute sessions a day, but you need rest time in between them and the more you do in a day, the less effective they will be.

The following is the science-backed 90-minute language learning plan based on a reading input, but the input maybe be an audio input as long as you can generate a script from it, like from Youtube videos. ?This is a self-study session that will consist of learning by receiving the input (reading and/or listening) and then creating output (using the language with a generative AI tool like ChatGPT).

A 10-step language learning session grounded in science:

1. Preparation (3 minutes): Find an input text (reading or audio with script) relevant to your interests and/or needs and set goals (learn key concepts and vocabulary).

2. Breathing (1 minute): Relax and prepare your mind.

3. First Reading & Mapping (10 minutes): Read text on specific topic and chunk key elements in tier relation to the topic.

4. Evaluating & Re-Reading (20 minutes): Reassess and engage deeper using tools like ChatGPT to get word meanings. Get ChatGPT to make a bilingual or monolingual vocabulary lost that can be exported to a digital flashcard app like Quizlet.

5. Active Recall (10 minutes): Test memory and understanding with flashcards and testing function.

6. Active Rest (10 minutes): Take an exercise or walking break to consolidate learning.

7. Breathing (1 minute): Refocus after the break.

8. Questions & Re-Evaluating (25 minutes): Reassess and challenge understanding of text. Copy-and-paste text to ChatGPT and ask it to create 5-10 open-ended comprehension questions.

9. Final Active Recall (10 minutes): Summarize and reinforce learning by actively using the vocabulary in a paragraph or in a chat with ChatGPT’s voice mode.

10. Final Breathing (2-3 mins). Focus on breathing and let the mind replay and consolidate the learning.

Science-based protocols in the learning plan

How are the Huberman learning protocols integrated into this 90-minute plan? This 10-step 90-minute study plan integrates all of Huberman’s protocols to optimize language learning by

• Incorporating active recall and testing to strengthen memory and offset forgetting
• Using mindfulness and structured breaks to enhance focus and manage stress
• Adopting structured, active study practices for effective learning habits
• Engaging with challenging material and using interleaving to deepen understanding, and
• Setting goals and using technology to maintain motivation and minimize distractions.

If you align each step with these protocols, you can study more effectively and efficiently and learn language more quickly. And don’t forget to get a good night sleep to really consolidate the learning of that day.

If you are interested in the research and scientific rationale behind the 9-step learning workout, continue reading…

?The learning plan explained with the research

1. Preparation (3 minutes): Organize materials and set goals.

Applied learning protocols:

• Protocol 5: Adopt Structured Active Study Practices
• Protocol 8: Set Aspirational Goals and Connect Learning to Personal Interests

Scientific Rationale:

• Structured Study Practices: Organizing materials and setting clear objectives aligns with adopting structured study habits. This organization enhances focus and efficiency, leading to better learning outcomes (Credé et al., 2010).
• Goal Setting: Setting specific goals fosters intrinsic motivation and provides a roadmap for the learning session. Connecting these goals to personal interests increases engagement and persistence (Deci & Ryan, 2000).

2. Breathing (1 minute): Relax and prepare your mind.

Applied learning protocols:

• Protocol 3: Enhance Focus with Mindfulness and Structured Breaks
• Protocol 10: Manage Stress with Mindfulness, Cold Exposure, and Caffeine

Scientific Rationale:

• Mindfulness for Focus: Deep breathing is a form of mindfulness meditation that calms the nervous system, reduces stress, and enhances focus. This prepares the brain for efficient learning (Mrazek et al., 2013).
• Stress Management: Managing stress levels through breathing exercises optimizes cognitive function and prevents anxiety from hindering learning processes (Cahill & McGaugh, 1998).

3. First Reading & Mapping (10 minutes): Read text on a specific topic and chunk key elements in their relation to the topic.

Applied learning protocols:

• Protocol 6: Engage in Active Challenging Learning
• Protocol 7: Interleave Information and Embrace Desirable Difficulties

Scientific Rationale:

• Active Engagement: Actively reading and mapping concepts engages deeper cognitive processes, enhancing comprehension and retention (Bjork & Bjork, 2011).
• Desirable Difficulties: Chunking and organizing information require effortful processing, which strengthens memory formation and understanding (Rohrer & Taylor, 2007).

4. Evaluating & Re-Reading (20 minutes): Reassess and engage deeper using tools like ChatGPT to get word meanings. Get ChatGPT to make a bilingual or monolingual vocabulary list that can be exported to a digital flashcard app like Quizlet.

Applied learning protocols:

• Protocol 5: Adopt Structured Active Study Practices
• Protocol 9: Minimize Distractions and Use Attention-Enhancing Tools

Scientific Rationale:

• Active Study Practices: Using tools to create vocabulary lists and engaging deeply with the text promotes active learning and better retention (Credé et al., 2010).
• Attention-Enhancing Tools: Leveraging technology like ChatGPT streamlines the learning process, keeping the learner engaged and minimizing potential distractions (Cain & Mitroff, 2011).

5. Active Recall (10 minutes): Test memory and understanding with flashcards and testing functions.

Applied learning protocols:

Protocol 1: Offset Forgetting with Testing

• Protocol 4: Test for Mastery, Not Just Familiarity

Scientific Rationale:

• Testing Effect: Active recall through flashcards strengthens memory pathways and significantly reduces forgetting (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006).
• Mastery Over Familiarity: Regular testing ensures deep understanding and the ability to apply knowledge, moving beyond mere recognition (Butler, 2010).

6. Active Rest (10 minutes): Take an exercise or walking break to consolidate learning.

Applied learning protocols:

• Protocol 3: Enhance Focus with Mindfulness and Structured Breaks
• Protocol 2: Prioritize Sleep and Use NSDR for Recovery

Scientific Rationale:

• Structured Breaks: Physical activity during breaks enhances brain function, aids memory consolidation, and prepares the mind for subsequent learning (Ratey & Loehr, 2011).
• Recovery and Consolidation: Rest periods are essential for neuroplasticity, allowing the brain to process and store new information effectively (Stickgold, 2005).

7. Breathing (1 minute): Refocus after the break.

Applied learning protocols:

• Protocol 3: Enhance Focus with Mindfulness and Structured Breaks
• Protocol 10: Manage Stress with Mindfulness, Cold Exposure, and Caffeine

Scientific Rationale:

• Mindfulness Post-Break: Re-engaging in breathing exercises helps shift the brain back into a focused state, enhancing attention for the next learning phase (Zeidan et al., 2010).
• Stress Reduction: Continual stress management ensures optimal cognitive function throughout the study session (Cahill & McGaugh, 1998).

8. Questions & Re-Evaluating (25 minutes): Reassess and challenge understanding of the text. Copy and paste text to ChatGPT and ask it to create 5-10 open-ended comprehension questions.

Applied learning protocols:

• Protocol 4: Test for Mastery, Not Just Familiarity
• Protocol 6: Engage in Active Challenging Learning

Scientific Rationale:

• Open-Ended Testing: Answering open-ended questions promotes elaborative retrieval, deepening understanding and facilitating mastery (McDaniel et al., 2009).
• Challenging Material: Tackling comprehension questions on the text encourages active engagement with challenging content, enhancing learning outcomes (Bjork & Bjork, 2011).

9. Final Active Recall (10 minutes): Summarize and reinforce learning by actively using the vocabulary in a paragraph or in a chat with ChatGPT’s voice mode.

Applied learning protocols:

• Protocol 1: Offset Forgetting with Testing
• Protocol 5: Adopt Structured Active Study Practices
• Protocol 7: Interleave Information and Embrace Desirable Difficulties

Scientific Rationale:

• Active Retrieval Practice: Summarizing and using new vocabulary in context solidifies retention and reinforces neural connections (Roediger & Butler, 2011).
• Interleaving Skills: Combining writing and speaking practices introduces desirable difficulties, improving adaptability and mastery of the language (Rohrer & Taylor, 2007).

10. Final Breathing (2-3 minutes): Focus on breathing and let the mind replay and consolidate learning.

Applicable Huberman Protocols:

• Protocol 3: Enhance Focus with Mindfulness and Structured Breaks
• Protocol 2: Prioritize Sleep and Use NSDR for Recovery

Scientific Rationale:

• A final breathing session helps consolidate memory and calm the mind, allowing for reflection and integration of the material (Stickgold, 2005). This aligns with NSDR principles, aiding memory consolidation and recovery after the session.

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References

Bjork, R. A., & Bjork, E. L. (2011). Making things hard on yourself, but in a good way: Creating desirable difficulties to enhance learning. Psychology and the Real World: Essays Illustrating Fundamental Contributions to Society, 2, 56-64.

Butler, A. C. (2010). Repeated testing produces superior transfer of learning relative to repeated studying. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 36(5), 1118–1133.

Cahill, L., & McGaugh, J. L. (1998). Mechanisms of emotional arousal and lasting declarative memory. Trends in Neurosciences, 21(7), 294-299.

Cain, M. S., & Mitroff, S. R. (2011). Distractor filtering in media multitaskers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(10), 15583-15587.

Credé, M., Roch, S. G., & Kieszczynka, U. M. (2010). Class attendance in college: A meta-analytic review of the relationship of class attendance with grades and student characteristics. Review of Educational Research, 80(2), 272–295.

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The "what" and "why" of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227-268.

Jerath, R., Edry, J. W., Barnes, V. A., & Jerath, V. (2015). Physiology of long pranayamic breathing: Neural respiratory elements may provide a mechanism that explains how slow deep breathing shifts the autonomic nervous system. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 785.

Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: A 35-year odyssey. American Psychologist, 57(9), 705-717.

McDaniel, M. A., Anderson, J. L., Derbish, M. H., & Morrisette, N. (2007). Testing the testing effect in the classroom. European Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 19(4–5), 494–513.

Miller, G. A. (1956). The magical number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on our capacity for processing information. Psychological Review, 63(2), 81-97.

Mrazek, M. D., Franklin, M. S., Phillips, D. T., Baird, B., & Schooler, J. W. (2013). Mindfulness training improves working memory capacity and GRE performance while reducing mind-wandering. Psychological Science, 24(5), 776–781.

Ratey, J. J., & Loehr, J. E. (2011). The positive impact of physical activity on cognition during adulthood: A review of underlying mechanisms, evidence, and recommendations. Revista de neurología, 52(3), S3-S10.

Roediger, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(1), 20–27.

Rohrer, D., & Taylor, K. (2007). The shuffling of mathematics problems improves learning. Instructional Science, 35(6), 481–498.

Stickgold, R. (2005). Sleep-dependent memory consolidation. Nature, 437(7063), 1272-1278.

Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem-solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257-285.

Zeidan, F., Johnson, S. K., Diamond, B. J., David, Z., & Goolkasian, P. (2010). Mindfulness meditation improves cognition: Evidence of brief mental training. Consciousness and Cognition, 19(2), 597-605.

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