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Study Skills for Neurodivergent Students

Top Tips

Explore different note-taking methods: Mind maps, visual organisers, or audio recordings can be more effective than written notes. Use dictation software or apps to capture information effectively.

Visual aids and summaries: Use diagrams, flashcards, or concept maps to condense information and enhance memory. Consider mind mapping apps with visual editing capabilities.

‍Multisensory learning: Engage different senses by incorporating sound, movement, and visual aids into studying. Explore audiobooks, interactive learning platforms, and educational games.

Tools and Apps

Many of the tools and apps below are available free from DSA.

Visual & Creative Note-taking:

  • Mindmeister: Online mind mapping tool for visually organising notes, brainstorming ideas, and connecting key points.
  • Coggle: Create interactive mind maps with images, links, and notes to represent lecture content or research findings.
  • Miro: Collaborative mind mapping tool with diverse layouts and features, ideal for group projects or shared notes.
  • Lucidchart: Flowcharts and diagrams to visualise relationships between concepts and processes.
  • Notability: iPad note-taking app with handwriting recognition, annotation tools, and various templates for visual note-taking.

Digital Note-taking Apps:

  • Evernote: Organise research notes, create outlines, and access information across multiple devices.
  • Notion: Flexible note-taking and project management app with customisable features and databases for organising information.
  • Bear: User-friendly note-taking app with tags, Markdown support, and focus mode for distraction-free writing.
  • Microsoft OneNote: Built-in note-taking app with flexible organisation, audio recording, and collaboration features.

Audio & Text Integration:

  • Livescribe Echo Pen: Records lectures while you take handwritten notes, allowing you to revisit audio later and link it to specific notes.
  • Glean: Combines audio recording with note-taking, transcribing audio in real-time and allowing you to highlight key points and add notes.
  • Otter.ai: Real-time transcription tool for capturing lectures, meetings, or interviews and organising them with timestamps and speaker identification.

Accessibility Features:

  • NaturalReader: Text-to-speech tool for reading notes aloud and adjusting reading speed/voice settings.
  • Read&Write: Integrates with various platforms, offering text-to-speech, grammar checking, and dyslexia-friendly fonts.
  • Immersive Reader: Built-in tool in Microsoft Edge and OneNote, providing dyslexia-friendly reading features and focus options.

Flashcards & Active Recall:

  • Anki: Flashcard app with spaced repetition algorithms, ideal for memorising key facts, formulas, and vocabulary.
  • Quizlet: Create flashcards, quizzes, and study sets with various learning modes (matching, fill-in-the-blank, etc.).
  • Brainscape: Adaptive flashcard system that adjusts difficulty based on your performance, incorporating spaced repetition for optimal memorisation.