A 90-minute learning session based on brain science
A workout template for Communication and Language Fitness
Have you ever wondered what a scientific learning session looks like? It’s probably not what you usually do when you study for something.
I recently saw an interesting videoed study session by learning coach Justin Sung and it reminded me of many of Andrew Huberman’s protocols from his research review of learning. So, I developed a science-based 90-minute a language learning workout plan.
Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman in one of his recent Huberman Lab podcasts did an extensive review of the research on how to study and learn effectively. I thought it would interesting and useful for me and others if these ideas were applied to make the most out of language learning. The following is an example and explanation of a 90-minuite minute learning “work out” plan backed by science.
I previously synthesized and grouped the protocols from Huberman’s podcast and then ranked them from 10-7, 6-4, and 3-1. These protocols were ranked from those that have the most outsized effect on learning to those that have less effect. In other words, from protocols that give you the biggest return on the investment to least. Ideally, they should all be incorporated into a learning plan to completely optimize the learning.
Here is the ranking:
Offsetting Forgetting with Testing
Prioritize Sleep and Use NSDR for Recovery
Enhance Focus with Mindfulness and Structured Breaks
Test for Mastery, Not Just Familiarity
Adopt Structured, Active Study Practices
Engage in Active, Challenging Learning
Interleave Information and Embrace Desirable Difficulties
Set Aspirational Goals and Connect Learning to Personal Interests
Minimize Distractions and Use Attention-Enhancing Tools
Manage Stress with Mindfulness, Cold Exposure, and Caffeine
An example of a 90-minute learning WORKOUT for language learning
Why 90 minutes? It has been shown that that is about the maximum length of time we can really attend and focus. You can engage in a few of these 90-minute sessions a day, but you need rest time in between them and the more you do in a day, the less effective they will be.
The following is the science-backed 90-minute language learning plan based on a reading input, but the input maybe be an audio input as long as you can generate a script from it, like from Youtube videos. This is a self-study session that will consist of learning by receiving the input (reading and/or listening) and then creating output (using the language with a generative AI tool like ChatGPT). Here are the ten steps:
1. Preparation (3 minutes): Find an input text (reading or audio with script) relevant to your interests and/or needs and set goals (learn key concepts and vocabulary).
2. Breathing (1 minute): Relax and prepare your mind.
3. First Reading & Mapping (10 minutes): Read text on specific topic and chunk key elements in tier relation to the topic.
4. Evaluating & Re-Reading (20 minutes): Reassess and engage deeper using tools like ChatGPT to get word meanings. Get ChatGPT to make a bilingual or monolingual vocabulary lost that can be exported to a digital flashcard app like Quizlet.
5. Active Recall (10 minutes): Test memory and understanding with flashcards and testing function.
6. Active Rest (10 minutes): Take an exercise or walking break to consolidate learning.
7. Breathing (1 minute): Refocus after the break.
8. Questions & Re-Evaluating (25 minutes): Reassess and challenge understanding of text. Copy-and-paste text to ChatGPT and ask it to create 5-10 open-ended comprehension questions.
9. Final Active Recall (10 minutes): Summarize and reinforce learning by actively using the vocabulary in a paragraph or in a chat with ChatGPT’s voice mode.
10. Final Breathing (2-3 mins). Focus on breathing and let the mind replay and consolidate the learning.
Science protocols in the learning plan
How are the Huberman learning protocols integrated into this 90-minute plan? This 9-step 90-minute study plan integrates all of Huberman’s protocols to optimize language learning by
Incorporating active recall and testing to strengthen memory and offset forgetting
Utilizing mindfulness and structured breaks to enhance focus and manage stress
Adopting structured, active study practices for effective learning habits
Engaging with challenging material and using interleaving to deepen understanding, and
Setting goals and using technology to maintain motivation and minimize distractions.
If you align each step with these protocols, you can study more effectively and efficiently and learn language more quickly. And don’t forget to get a good night sleep to really consolidate the learning of that day.
If you are interested in the research and scientific rationale behind the 9-step learning workout, continue reading…
1. Preparation (3 minutes)
Organize materials and set goals.
Applied learning protocols:
Protocol 5: Adopt Structured Active Study Practices
Protocol 8: Set Aspirational Goals and Connect Learning to Personal Interests
Scientific Rationale:
Structured Study Practices: Organizing materials and setting clear objectives aligns with adopting structured study habits. This organization enhances focus and efficiency, leading to better learning outcomes (Credé et al., 2010).
Goal Setting: Setting specific goals fosters intrinsic motivation and provides a roadmap for the learning session. Connecting these goals to personal interests increases engagement and persistence (Deci & Ryan, 2000).
2. Breathing (1 minute)
Relax and prepare your mind.
Applied learning protocols:
Protocol 3: Enhance Focus with Mindfulness and Structured Breaks
Protocol 10: Manage Stress with Mindfulness, Cold Exposure, and Caffeine
Scientific Rationale:
Mindfulness for Focus: Deep breathing is a form of mindfulness meditation that calms the nervous system, reduces stress, and enhances focus. This prepares the brain for efficient learning (Mrazek et al., 2013).
Stress Management: Managing stress levels through breathing exercises optimizes cognitive function and prevents anxiety from hindering learning processes (Cahill & McGaugh, 1998).
3. First Reading & Mapping (10 minutes)
Read text on a specific topic and chunk key elements in their relation to the topic.
Applied learning protocols:
Protocol 6: Engage in Active Challenging Learning
Protocol 7: Interleave Information and Embrace Desirable Difficulties
Scientific Rationale:
Active Engagement: Actively reading and mapping concepts engages deeper cognitive processes, enhancing comprehension and retention (Bjork & Bjork, 2011).
Desirable Difficulties: Chunking and organizing information require effortful processing, which strengthens memory formation and understanding (Rohrer & Taylor, 2007).
4. Evaluating & Re-Reading (20 minutes)
Reassess and engage deeper using tools like ChatGPT to get word meanings. Get ChatGPT to make a bilingual or monolingual vocabulary list that can be exported to a digital flashcard app like Quizlet.
Applied learning protocols:
Protocol 5: Adopt Structured Active Study Practices
Protocol 9: Minimize Distractions and Use Attention-Enhancing Tools
Scientific Rationale:
Active Study Practices: Using tools to create vocabulary lists and engaging deeply with the text promotes active learning and better retention (Credé et al., 2010).
Attention-Enhancing Tools: Leveraging technology like ChatGPT streamlines the learning process, keeping the learner engaged and minimizing potential distractions (Cain & Mitroff, 2011).
5. Active Recall (10 minutes)
Test memory and understanding with flashcards and testing functions.
Applied learning protocols:
Protocol 1: Offset Forgetting with Testing
Protocol 4: Test for Mastery, Not Just Familiarity
Scientific Rationale:
Testing Effect: Active recall through flashcards strengthens memory pathways and significantly reduces forgetting (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006).
Mastery Over Familiarity: Regular testing ensures deep understanding and the ability to apply knowledge, moving beyond mere recognition (Butler, 2010).
6. Active Rest (10 minutes)
Take an exercise or walking break to consolidate learning.
Applied learning protocols:
Protocol 3: Enhance Focus with Mindfulness and Structured Breaks
Protocol 2: Prioritize Sleep and Use NSDR for Recovery
Scientific Rationale:
Structured Breaks: Physical activity during breaks enhances brain function, aids memory consolidation, and prepares the mind for subsequent learning (Ratey & Loehr, 2011).
Recovery and Consolidation: Rest periods are essential for neuroplasticity, allowing the brain to process and store new information effectively (Stickgold, 2005).
7. Breathing (1 minute)
Refocus after the break.
Applied learning protocols:
Protocol 3: Enhance Focus with Mindfulness and Structured Breaks
Protocol 10: Manage Stress with Mindfulness, Cold Exposure, and Caffeine
Scientific Rationale:
Mindfulness Post-Break: Re-engaging in breathing exercises helps shift the brain back into a focused state, enhancing attention for the next learning phase (Zeidan et al., 2010).
Stress Reduction: Continual stress management ensures optimal cognitive function throughout the study session (Cahill & McGaugh, 1998).
8. Questions & Re-Evaluating (25 minutes)
Reassess and challenge understanding of the text. Copy and paste text to ChatGPT and ask it to create 5-10 open-ended comprehension questions.
Applied learning protocols:
Protocol 4: Test for Mastery, Not Just Familiarity
Protocol 6: Engage in Active Challenging Learning
Scientific Rationale:
Open-Ended Testing: Answering open-ended questions promotes elaborative retrieval, deepening understanding and facilitating mastery (McDaniel et al., 2009).
Challenging Material: Tackling comprehension questions on the text encourages active engagement with challenging content, enhancing learning outcomes (Bjork & Bjork, 2011).
9. Final Active Recall (10 minutes)
Summarize and reinforce learning by actively using the vocabulary in a paragraph or in a chat with ChatGPT’s voice mode.
Applied learning protocols:
Protocol 1: Offset Forgetting with Testing
Protocol 5: Adopt Structured Active Study Practices
Protocol 7: Interleave Information and Embrace Desirable Difficulties
Scientific Rationale:
Active Retrieval Practice: Summarizing and using new vocabulary in context solidifies retention and reinforces neural connections (Roediger & Butler, 2011).
Interleaving Skills: Combining writing and speaking practices introduces desirable difficulties, improving adaptability and mastery of the language (Rohrer & Taylor, 2007).
10. Final Breathing (2-3 minutes)
Focus on breathing and let the mind replay and consolidate learning.
Applicable Huberman Protocols:
Protocol 3: Enhance Focus with Mindfulness and Structured Breaks
Protocol 2: Prioritize Sleep and Use NSDR for Recovery
Scientific Rationale:
A final breathing session helps consolidate memory and calm the mind, allowing for reflection and integration of the material (Stickgold, 2005). This aligns with NSDR principles, aiding memory consolidation and recovery after the session.
And that’s it—10 steps for a 90-minute learning workout. Next time you need to learn something, give this science-based learning session a try and see for yourself its benefits.
References
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Butler, A. C. (2010). Repeated testing produces superior transfer of learning relative to repeated studying. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 36(5), 1118–1133.
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Mrazek, M. D., Franklin, M. S., Phillips, D. T., Baird, B., & Schooler, J. W. (2013). Mindfulness training improves working memory capacity and GRE performance while reducing mind-wandering. Psychological Science, 24(5), 776–781.
Ratey, J. J., & Loehr, J. E. (2011). The positive impact of physical activity on cognition during adulthood: A review of underlying mechanisms, evidence, and recommendations. Revista de neurología, 52(3), S3-S10.
Roediger, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(1), 20–27.
Rohrer, D., & Taylor, K. (2007). The shuffling of mathematics problems improves learning. Instructional Science, 35(6), 481–498.
Stickgold, R. (2005). Sleep-dependent memory consolidation. Nature, 437(7063), 1272-1278.
Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem-solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257-285.
Zeidan, F., Johnson, S. K., Diamond, B. J., David, Z., & Goolkasian, P. (2010). Mindfulness meditation improves cognition: Evidence of brief mental training. Consciousness and Cognition, 19(2), 597-605.