DOWNLOAD THE SPEED MODEL AS PDF>>
Keeping a diary might sound old-fashioned in our digital age. However, neither WhatsApp nor Facebook can make you a successful literature student. The reason is that while social media connects you with others, a diary connects you with your inner thoughts. It also develops Spatial Memory. The physical act of writing and the spatial layout of a diary enhance your ability to recall information. When you jot down notes or insights in specific sections of your diary, you can often remember the exact location of the information. This form of spatial memory helps reinforce learning and retention, giving you a visual and tactile connection to your thoughts and observations.
I recommend the SPEED Model: Student’s Progress, Enrichment & Evaluation Diary for college and university students studying English literature. Incorporating SPEED into your study routine can completely transform how you engage with your coursework and accelerate your personal development. SPEED does not follow the traditional diary keeping. Instead, it has been dynamically structured, keeping in view the things students should do during their entire course and thereafter in the context of our postglobal condition.
Why adopt SPEED?
Reflective Practice
One of the most profound benefits of keeping a diary is the opportunity it provides for reflective practice. Through regular entries, students can involve themselves in:
Personal Insights: Reflect on your personal, intellectual, and reading experiences, and this practice will result in deeper self-awareness and greater understanding.
Critical Thinking: Enlighten yourself with the critical ideas or tools used by your teachers. Then, think deeply about themes, characters, and narrative techniques. Over time, this will enhance your analytical skills. [Read this post for developing your analytical skills]
Creative Applied Practice
Visual Creativity: Draw, doodle, or create visual aids that complement your written notes.
Custom Organization: Design custom tables or charts to organize thoughts, plot timelines, or map out complex ideas. Use memory markers.
Creative Writing: Practice creative writing even if you don’t seem interested. This is necessary for understanding the creative process and artistic techniques in an applied manner.
Skill Development
Maintaining a diary is a powerful way to develop the required skills:
Writing: Regular entries help in honing writing skills. The act of writing daily brings in fluency and coherence.
Organizational Benefits
A diary can also serve as an excellent organizational tool:
Track Progress of the Course: Keep a record of academic and official tasks, ensuring you stay on top of your coursework and deadlines.
Emotional Outlet and Intellectual Growth
Emotional Outlet: Use the diary as a private outlet for expressing emotions and thoughts. This will help you manage academic stress and maintain mental well-being.
Intellectual Growth
A diary is not just a record of daily activities; it is a chronicle of intellectual development. Track personal growth over time, capturing how your academic experiences shape your intellectual journey.
Professional Growth
Analysis for Future Courses: Analyze results and interests, which can inform future course selections and research directions.
Research Notes: Use the diary as a repository for research ideas and preliminary notes. Soon, this will provide a foundation for future projects or papers.
So, get a lightweight notebook with one side ruled and one blank. The blank pages can be used for visual purposes or creating custom tables. DOWNLOAD THE SPEED MODEL>>
[Institutions or departments can use this model for literature students or students of other subjects in a modified manner. I may be contacted for more complex structuring of the model.]
