Practice (learning method)

As an exercise, is the process, should be at the acquired, but still uncertain first learning structures stabilized by multiple repetitions. Exercise thus forms the second phase in the learning process sequence: learn - exercise - exercise. By practicing what they have learned can thus be further perfected or saved from unlearning. An exercise is also in contrast to the test most value-free, method for judging a performance by a learning process.

Often executed exercises are the key to obtain an exceptional skill or even championship.

By practicing memory contents to be strengthened, for example, stored knowledge and motor processes. There are the athletic exercises ( training), Instrumental exercises ( etudes ), or spiritual exercises ( exercises ). In the military field is studied by drill fast, unconsciously controlled act, in traffic safety training dealing with vehicle and traffic conditions.

Operation

One assumes the ability of the brain through repetition to remember something, has to do with the functioning of the nerve cells and their synapses switching points. The brain needs to play a choreographed movement or a text and other learning content to the learning content representing interconnection. By the repeated use of the same shift pattern, this forms only. The most successful strategy for making the correct wiring is repeated, as uniform as possible error-free execution of the planned procedure: the exercise.

In childhood, the ability to learn is still exceptionally large and increases with age. Even in animals, there are examples of learning by practicing.

The intelligence itself, the ability to understand and use learning content related to each other, can not be increased through exercise.

Types of practice

In the didactic distinction is made between mechanical practicing and working through.

Mechanical practice is the repetition of similar tasks until they are understood. It consists in frequent repeated execution of an action or performance. The objective of this activity is to secure certain behaviors so that they almost without thinking and can be accomplished with a certain fluency. Disadvantages are the lack of flexibility in which the acquired knowledge can not be applied to new areas and declining motivation through monotonous practice.

Through work has to generalize to the target knowledge so that it can be applied in new situations. Thus learners achieve flexibility in thought and action, a deeper understanding is needed. This is achieved in variations due versatile thinking through and serves to broaden the understanding. The less the learner to structure the learning content, the lower the retention rate. One downside is a possible requirement of weaker students.

Mechanical practicing and working through can also be combined by skillful task.

Mental practice means practicing in the head, and can, for example, be used by athletes or musicians. In this case, the practitioner guides the to-learn movement in all details exclusively in the head. ( "Copying " example of movements in professional tennis players ) Also, by the inward movement verbalization of individual sections or by observing other people can movements be learned or improved.

Mental practice can also be used to deal with stage fright by the audition situation is visualized and thus psychologically prepared. In addition, a general improvement in the concentration was observed.

This type of practice is used for a long time, even famous musicians (eg, Walter Gieseking and Artur Rubinstein ) report it. Meanwhile, there are also scientific evidence on the effectiveness of mental practicing before, such as a study conducted in 2009 by Jörn Munzert ( University of Giessen ).

Examples

• First graders learn to read and write by repeatedly practicing the letters.

• Artists such as trapeze artists or magician must practice the expiry of their precise movements until they are sure of their cause.

• Actors practice their text by repeated loud talking.

• Instrumentalists such as pianists practice a piece of music every day through many hours of playing ( = practice ).

• Regular carried out rescue exercises, disaster exercises or military exercises give the performers the safety in case of emergency to act properly. Exercises in which all conceivable emergency personnel are involved, and in which large extent of damage will be accepted will be referred to as full-scale exercise.

Sayings

• "Piano practice " because the piano without exercise is not to learn.
• " Practice makes perfect ", since this exercise is a prerequisite.
• "It's not a master yet fallen from the sky ," because you have to practice to master something good.
• " Practice makes perfect, what will become a master " because it is easier to learn as a young man.
• " Practise patience " because patience is apparently difficult to learn.
• " Permanent exercise" is a common procedure in the technical language of the law.

Other forms of exercise

• Drill ( education)
• Training, night training