Guiding Students to Be Independent Learners

Independent learning is a method and belief of education by which a pupil get knowledge by their attempt and grows the ability for exploration and analytical assessments. Independent learning is necessary for students to become prosperous. It is known as independent learning when the students set objectives, assess, and monitor their academic growth. It is essential so that pupil can manage their stimulation toward learning. Students energetically engaged in determining how and what they learn are generally more encouraged and occupied. Unsurprisingly, independent learners are immensely concentrated on their learning objectives.

Withholding answers

Ralph Waldo Emerson is often credited with the saying, “Life is a journey, not a destination” (though his exact words were different). Instructors applying this to teaching know that a pupil coming up with the correct answer isn’t necessarily our goal- it’s the learning that takes place during that process.

The teacher should give students the tools to determine the answer. It might be guiding them to a website, pointing them in the right direction in their notes, or sharing a means to get them where they need to go, as long as the teacher doesn’t answer for them.

Even if a pupil replies incorrectly, they get satisfaction if they can get the answer on the second or third try. They can take whatever tool or scaffolding method you give them—a different way to look through the textbook for information, a new way to think about the problem—and use it the next time. We know real learning happens when pupils struggle with or get something wrong. Real learning happens when they try to process, the teacher provides the tool or scaffold, and they reach a conclusion independently.

Delegate groups strategically

Pupils can inspire one another when the group works if you appoint the right groups. Depending on the task, you might set more vital pupils in with weaker ones or include pupils who will be more receptive to hearing others’ suggestions with shyer pupils. When we are in the schoolroom, teachers can walk around to find what they are doing and support them to guide each other. Students realize that they never spoon-feed their answers and can be trained to do the same with their peers.

Putting Students in Charge of their Learning

If you make all the decisions for pupils and do not offer an opportunity to them to make their own decision, so for them, it’s not possible to become independent learners. It’s necessary to allow pupils to make decisions about their learning, which will offer them a superior level of self-determination. But, this should be a moderate method, and not all pupils will be set to take overall control from the beginning. The growth of responsibilities established over time will assist students in becoming more self-independent.

Teach Essential Learning And Planning Strategies

Some pupils do not use independent learning strategies as they do not have great technique. So teaching study skills to them will aid pupils in monitoring their activity, planning their time, and learning to design. These are all life skills that independent students use. The pupils love to feel grown-up, so inform them that these skills will help them in successful adults.

Focusing On The Methods As Well As Goals

Focusing on content goals is also necessary to become an independent learner. Pupils must begin thinking about how they will achieve their goals once they set their end goals. One way to help pupils get on track is to offer them a set of success criteria, which function in a direction for the tasks they need to complete. If the pupils realize what they must do to be prosperous and independent learners, they will advance much faster and be more encouraged when their goal is too close.

Stimulate student motivation for learning:

In its most basic sense, motivation to learn is vital to success in school, after graduation in the global job market, and for life in a world of continual technological changes.

Don’t be afraid to use the power of your relationship with pupils to show a passion for learning. When you embody the passion for learning, your students are more likely to have a powerful, positive emotional connection to education that will inspire their motivation to continue to learn. It may sound nice that with instructors who release their passion for learning, pupils across all grades can learn new ways of learning with motive and joyfulness. Over time, expect self-motivation rather than compliance.

Let them know you are available and guide pupils to think about how they will feel when they acquire something new. Allow volunteers to describe their feelings after they learn something. When appropriate, ask students to visualize what a finished project will look like.

Pupils of all ages are inherently social, and getting assistance from an individual can be very motivating. Give your students a chance to tell a friend about their learning goal and get their support. This allows students to verbalize their goals, which will help them internalize them.

Train students to set goals and develop a learning plan:

No matter how to support pupils in developing their own learning goals that are realistic yet challenging. Often the most motivating goals are those that let us use our strengths. It happens that pupils frequently have content goals set for them based on a one-size-fits-all curriculum or their learning deficits—think individualized education program—which can be disheartening.

One of the most challenging aspects is that if you have pupils who currently need more motivation to acquire learning, consider helping them to develop learning goals based on their learning strengths. For example, a personalized plan for some learners might be to design movement breaks for the class. No matter how another pupil may set a goal to complete their appreciation or gratitude journal with photographs or illustrations. For other students, Pinterest offers ideas that might aid them in becoming curious about new topics. When educators are mindful of students, they can support students in becoming conscious of their strengths and calculating how to set personal goals.

A big part is teaching pupils how to structure their independent learning time best. Our brains only evolved to do several hours of physics with a break. It's about taking control of time, so we encourage students to plan a shift in focus after every 20 minutes of independent study. At least every hour or so, they should get up and move. It's better that when learning new material, they should use different locations. For example, we use an outside patio table, an exceptionally comfortable chair, an inside office desk, and other local cafes as places to work. Needless to say, because memory for locations is powerful, using several areas for learning aids memory.

The best way is to encourage students to become self-disciplined learners. The only way is to support them in committing themselves to get started on accomplishing their goals. Assist them in affirming their commitment to organize themselves, manage their focus over time, and limit time-wasting distractions. Teachers should help students consistently define themselves as people who dedicate to and accomplish their goals. It is likely necessary to repeatedly remind them that along the learning pathway, successful people forgive themselves when they make mistakes and then continue.

Ways of Developing Independent Learners

1. Provide visual prompts for learning tasks so students can quickly be reminded of work processes. For example, ‘Steps for how to write a procedure.

2. Set up transparent processes to access teacher or peer assistance.

3. Devise a system for pupils to get assistance when they need it and what to do when they are waiting.

4. Devise procedures for putting forward work.

5. Fast finishers activities. What can pupils do when they have completed their work?

6. Develop autonomy by allowing pupils to choose where, how and with whom they work.

7. Teach students simple cooperative learning strategies that you can use in various settings and across the curriculum.