Quiz Yourself

"To Really Learn, Quit Studying and Take a Test" —That article, by Pam Belluck in The New York Times, recounts research results that showed "Taking a test… actually helps people learn, and it works better than a number of other studying techniques."

The New York Times article refers to a study published in Science by Karpicke and Blunt.  Karpicke opines that we measurably improve our learning when we retrieve information.

In my live classes, I am going to ask more questions. 
I'm going to give students more chances to quiz each other. 
I'm going to feel better about referring students to my online courses, which are chock full of quizzes.

I'm going to try to slow down the aging of my brain by quizzing myself as I walk the 'hood.  Naming every tree by species, every bush.  Thinking of a word, then trying to name every synonym I can.

Who knew that tests were good for you?

You can read the full article by Karpicke and Blunt here.

Diagramming Sentences

Some of us learn better if we see not only words but also pictures or diagrams.  Thus, perhaps, the old practice of diagramming sentences may return.

If you want to see how people diagram sentences, you can go to Capital Community College's writing website.  If you click the correct icon, a PowerPoint presentation will open on your screen. Every time you click your mouse, the slide adds an element. 

One click forecasts what kind of sentence is coming.
The next click prints the sentence; the next one begins drawing the diagram.
Subsequent clicks fill in the diagram with words.

All diagrams have a horizontal line that locates the clause's essentials: subject, verb, and completer.  These essentials may sprout a descending oblique line that locates their modifiers.

Your high-school teacher may have said, "If you can't diagram it, it's not a clear sentence."  On the other hand, if you can diagram a sentence, you have glimpsed a miracle.  It's the miracle of language: a template inside our brains that morphs a mere strip of words into the blooming, buzzing reality that is a thought.