FLASHCARD MAKING

 Visual symbols will be made meaningful if we can use them as summaries of our own direct experiences. Visual symbols are very important in the teaching process because most students are visual learners, the teacher should provide some visual presentation like drawing. Flashcard is an example of a visual symbol. Flashcards are small note cards used for testing and improving memory through practiced information retrieval. Flashcards are typically two-sided, with the prompt on one side and the information about the prompt on the other. This may include names, vocabulary, concepts, or procedures. Usually, there are several flashcards that, as a group, represent a category of information you’re trying to remember, learn, and master. Using flashcards can be a very effective self-testing approach. Even the act of making flashcards is a way to “work” the information, challenging you to think about which information to have on one side and the related description on the other. This also frees up some memory, since you will have a physical stack of cards with the information instead of trying to store individual facts, names, or terms in your mind. Flashcards are often part of spaced practice, and repetition helps you figure out what information you can remember easily and what needs additional effort. From a time management perspective, flashcards allow you to take advantage of short amounts of time that become available throughout the day or week, in addition to during planned study sessions.