Studying for the SAT: Tips for Visual Learners on Studying Vocabulary

Studying for the SAT: Tips for Visual Learners on Studying Vocabulary
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How Visual Learners See Things

There are lots of SAT vocabulary lists and flashcards available, and visual learners may be tempted to pick up these ready made study aids. Don’t be fooled! One of the things that visual learners need to do in order to grasp a vocabulary word and its meaning is to write it out for themselves. By watching their own hand write a word, visual learners create a mental picture of how to spell the word, making it more easy to access when the word comes up on a test.

While ready-made study lists exist, they are usually in black and white. Visual learners like color and visually interesting study guides! In creating their own flashcards, visual learners can use stickers, highlighters, and colored pencils to arrange their flashcards in a way that helps them to efficiently study.

Tips and Tricks for SAT Vocabulary

There are several important study tips for visual learners to follow when studying SAT vocabulary:

-Don’t use someone else’s list alone. Do write down your own list with definitions. Writing it down for yourself is important for visual learners.

-Don’t use a plain pen or pencil. Do use highlighters, colored pencils, and markers to give visual appeal to your lists.

-Don’t study by just writing out definitions. Do study SAT vocabulary lists by visualizing the meaning of each word in a way that is meaningful to you!

Make Your Own SAT Vocabulary Flashcards

Once you’ve identified a good SAT vocabulary list to study, making your own flashcards is a terrific way for visual learners to commit the words to memory. These flashcards should look a lot like a regular vocabulary flashcard but with a few additions specifically for the visual learner.

On the front of the card, write the selected word. If possible, create visual cues within the letters of the word to help remember the definition. For example, for the word flora, a visual learner might find it helpful to write the word in green pencil with a flower at the end of the L or in the middle of the A. The definition of flora is plants from a specified region, so the flowers and the green pencil will help visual learners connect the word with greenery and plants.

When making flashcards, it’s good to remember that color can be a big help. Find stickers in three different colors, preferably red, yellow, and green. Use red stickers in the corner of the flashcard to indicate words that are difficult. As they get easier to remember, cover the red sticker with a yellow one, then when it’s quite easy to remember, a green one.

Another tip for visual learners is to use cartoons or pictures to help with the definition. An example would be drawing a picture of a hated chore next to the word abhor. Since abhor means to hate something, the picture of the dreaded chore, such as washing dishes or mowing the lawn, will help the person remember the definition.