What to Do If You Struggle to Grasp the Material?

Nurbol Myrzash

It's a translated version of the original article.

The student leans intently over the pages of their textbook. Their gaze shifts to a new paragraph or page, only to stumble upon an unfamiliar word. With a jolt, they realize that the contents of the preceding paragraph have completely escaped them. A shake of the head brings their eyes back to the earlier section. And thus, the cycle continues.

Regrettably, this scenario is all too familiar to many of us and poses a significant barrier on the path to Olympic success. Even more troubling, this lack of understanding often spirals into demotivation, fostering corrosive thoughts about one’s intellect and ability to learn, coupled with considerable challenges in mastering the material.

So, what can be done? How can one combat this issue? And how can we ultimately comprehend the subject matter being studied? The answers to these queries will be explored in this article.

| Misunderstanding: A Misfortune or a Blessing? |

In truth, misunderstanding is not inherently detrimental. The more harmful aspects lie in the repercussions, deeply rooted in our psyche. We have been raised on tales of almost legendary Olympians who solved problems at lightning speed, never finishing lower than gold, and so forth. Consequently, when we fail to immediately grasp the material or experience a sense of disconnection from our brilliant idols, we may begin to see ourselves as foolish failures, doomed to languish in the bronze medal positions.

This is the crux of the matter. They are not us, and we are not them. This is not meant to imply any superiority on their part or that they are simply better; that could not be further from the truth. We are merely different. Each individual has their own pace of progression up the Olympian ladder and their unique rhythm of comprehension. Yet, most importantly, misunderstanding can actually be a positive force.

It may sound paradoxical, but it is indeed the case. Consider chess: if you find yourself winning consistently, it suggests that you are not playing at the right level, nor in the appropriate league, thereby stifling your own development. If you are unable to comprehend the text, there are only two possible explanations: – You are fatigued and deserve a well-earned break. – Or you have encountered something fundamentally new and alien to your cognitive framework.

And therein lies the beauty of it. It indicates that you are learning something novel, advancing, and expanding your knowledge in the realm of geography. Always bear in mind that knowledge emerges from ignorance. Initially, you may grasp very little, making the transition from 100% ignorance to 99% ignorance and 1% understanding of the topic. And so the process continues. It is unrealistic to leap from total ignorance to complete mastery. This is precisely why it is crucial to understand your pace of advancement and to study diligently, revisiting the material consistently, even in brief intervals.

Of course, all this is subject to reason. Continuing with the chess analogy, it’s not ideal if you are perpetually losing. One must know their limits and avoid diving headlong into the esoteric depths of crystallography as an eighth grader.

This may come off as somewhat vague, yet I assert that the primary issue lies in the improper attitude toward misunderstanding. This is why I have devoted a considerable portion of this text to the subject.

| But Let’s Get Serious |

Everything articulated above may seem somewhat trivial, akin to the sentiment of “Think positively, and it will manifest!” It may appear that there should be more pragmatic and actionable methodologies and principles regarding this dilemma. And indeed, such methodologies exist. However, they possess a distinctly individual character and cannot be universally applied to all students as one would with the previous topic. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to touch upon them, at least in a general context, particularly concerning the most prevalent issues of perception.

– Linguistic Challenges – Often, the barrier to comprehending textbooks arises from a lack of linguistic proficiency.

In one way or another, nearly all educational materials are authored by professors and other scholarly individuals. The texts of these textbooks are characterized by a certain tone: an overly academic dryness, tediousness, and complex constructions.

What can one say if a person only possesses conversational proficiency in Russian or Kazakh, or if the textbook is penned in English? In such instances, the only remedy lies in engaging with literary works to expand one’s vocabulary and consuming articles, journals, and popular science books to hone in on specific terminology and more scholarly themes.

– The Boredom Dilemma – In reality, we often mistakenly perceive reading as something effortless and natural. It invariably demands at least a modicum of effort for thorough material comprehension. This phenomenon can be described as creative discomfort, especially relevant when drafting notes.

However, we frequently succumb to laziness, boredom, and fatigue. More often than not, this results from improper goal-setting and daily planning, genuine tiredness, or the tedium of the language used.

In the first instance, I recommend consulting our bot, which includes all articles, featuring a good half-dozen pertaining to goal-setting and planning. In the second case, only rest may provide relief. In the third scenario, my sole advice is to persevere and endure. Let this tedious book serve as a training ground for your focus and self-discipline.

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