History can be an intriguing subject because even students who are fascinated by it, may not always enjoy it. While reading and learning about the dramatics and intricacies of the past can draw in many students, there is a very technical aspect involved in the mastery of History. Students are required to learn and remember numerous events, the dates they took place on, and other such details. While students might try to steer clear of these details while studying, exams do not hesitate to test the knowledge of students in this particular area. Therefore, students cannot shy away from such details, since they are necessary for the student to do well in History. Instead, they should attempt to develop and try out different ways that will assist them in remembering the key details.
Visualize everything
Many students will find that they are more likely to remember the events that take place in a movie than they are to remember a piece of information they read in a book. This happens partially because movies stimulate the visual senses, which then leaves a stronger impression on the memory. However, movies based on historical events are often exaggerated and unreliable, and students cannot use them as study material. But in order to remember events a little better, students should try to create a vivid mental image that includes every little detail they need to remember.
For example, picturing a specific battlefield, its size, its entrances, the number of people that can fit in it at a time, etc. can all help students recall important details about the battle that took place there. Similarly, students should spare some time to look up historical figures, and take note of their appearances. Once the student can match every person’s name to their picture, they will have a much easier time connecting these people with the larger picture. Visualizing these things will make them seem more real, more personal, and will end up making History a lot more relatable.
Connect the dots
It is not easy for students to remember each and every event and its details as isolated facts. While students might think that memorizing paragraphs from the textbook is eventually the best option when it comes to studying History, this method will collapse entirely if the student gets even one little detail confused with another. In addition to that, memorizing History will ensure that the student will never enjoy the subject, as the cold facts in the student’s brain will not allow them to appreciate the joys of learning History. Instead, students should attempt to weave the given facts into stories, which will make them infinitely more interesting. The way in which History is presented makes a huge difference. The name of a historical character, their birthdate, and their contribution to a kingdom is not the most thrilling of details. But if the student is able to dig deeper into their history, and learn about the person’s life, their motivations, their ambitions- that’s when a student will want to learn more. Creating this kind of detailed outline for every detail students are required to remember will ensure that they will be able to recollect those details, and have fun in the process of doing so.
Create a chronological timeline
Remembering dates is something almost every student dreads. While mnemonics and other strategies can be helpful, sometimes there is no other way, but to memorize them. In this situation, students should refrain from simply reading through the chapters and hoping to keep track of events and when they took place. Instead, students should create a comprehensive timeline that starts from the oldest event and ends with the latest one. In this manner, students will be able to establish events according to the sequence in which they occurred. Each event must be accompanied by the dates during which it took place so that students will have an understanding of the duration of that event.
This is an organized method of memorization, as it allows students to have a dedicated space for just these dates and events. Additionally, this will also improve students’ overall understanding of History as a subject, as they will slowly start realizing the relationships between different events. For example, any student would know that the Cold War took place after the Second World War, but a student who explores the causal links between events will understand exactly how the Cold War was influenced by the events of World War II. Creating a chronological timeline with brief blurbs about each event and putting it on a large chart will make studying History a much easier prospect.
Keep revising
Once the student is confident that they are able to remember most, if not all the facts and events, they should start attempting sample papers or exam papers from previous years. After all, it is quite impossible to know whether a student has been able to retain the information they learned unless they attempt to recall it. There is an abundance of resources available online for all classes. For example, Class 6 students can benefit greatly by using the Social Studies Sample Papers For Class 6 CBSE for revising on a daily or weekly basis. Solving sample papers will help students quicker to pull out information from their brains, and will also make them more confident about their knowledge of History.
When revising with someone else, students can make use of flashcards that have the question on one side and the answer on the other. This can make for a fun revision technique that students can even turn into competitive games they can play with each other. Revising events and facts in this manner will make them more appealing to the students. Repetition is also an excellent way of making sure that a particular piece of information will remain in the brain for a longer period. Repeating a fact out loud, multiple times a day will make it easily available for recall. While this is a more long-term process that the student will have to start doing early, it is also one that yields results in a way that is quite automatic and mechanical, with no real efforts required from the student.
