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How to learn faster and get a deeper understanding of the text

A more thoughtful way to practise

In a case study, a young clarinet student changed how she practised when working on a piece she had chosen herself. She paused to think, hummed the melody, repeated short passages, and adjusted her speed. She also spent much longer working on each note than she did with teacher-assigned pieces. The researchers observed practice methods usually associated with more skilled musicians.

Musical notes marked with repeats and pauses to think and hum.

Green: repeated passages. Yellow: pauses. Renwick, J. M., & McPherson, G. E. (2002). Interest and choice: Student-selected repertoire and its effect on practising behaviour. British Journal of Music Education, 19(2), 173–188.

Practice with your text

You can repeat this practice method with your own text:

  • After listening to a sentence, repeat it as often as you like to understand it.
  • The automatic pauses give you more time to think about it.
  • Use the Ask button to check if your understanding is correct.
  • Repeat the sentence again.
Document Player in dark focus mode with highlighted text and controls to explain, play, and ask questions.

Deep practice

When something is unclear, pause and think it through. Try to explain what you heard in your own words to check your understanding. Gaps and mistakes show you which parts need more attention.

Dwell on every sentence until it makes sense to you.