How to Study Blog » Teaching Study Skills

Making a Winning Study Plan

Brian — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:52:47 +0000

Most students will agree that the hardest part of any course is the out-of-class studying. Usually there’s so much to study that people start to procrastinate, putting of their studying until the last possible moment. Then, after cramming all night for a test, students arrive at class feeling tired and dazed by how much information they tried to remember. The easiest way to avoid this problem: Make a study plan.

A study plan should be put down on paper, so you can refer to it, and you that you feel committed to it. On the study plan, you’ll list the following:

• Days and times when you’ll be doing your studying. This should be considered your number one priority for the week, and therefore, you should not alter it without good reason.
• For each day and time, list whether you’ll be studying by yourself or with a group. This is an important factor, because if you’re in a group, it will change where you study, what times are available, and other parts of the plan. Remember: The needs of the others in the group are as important as your own needs. More on Studying with Groups
• How much time you plan to study for each course. This is different from the “dates and times” section above, although one will determine the other. If you decide that on Thursday, you will be studying by yourself from 6 to 9 p.m., you still need to decide which courses you’ll study for, and how much time to allot to each course. If you’re limited on how much time you can study, then give priority first to the subject where you have a test soon. Give second priority to courses where you’re struggling the most. Other courses go third and fourth.
• What you’ll be studying. This doesn’t mean what subject; that’s already been determined. But rather, if you’ve decided that you’ll be studying biology on Thursday, then you should include in your plan what materials you’ll be studying. Is there material in the textbook that you feel you need to review? Maybe you feel like studying your class notes will be good enough. Or maybe this course is one where you need to get a book from the library and study from it. Include this in your plan, so you’ll be ready to go at the right time. If you are studying for a test like the Nelson Denny, you will need to practice reading comprehension. There are also two primary ways that you can study; it’s up to you to decide which will be better in your circumstances. The first way is to study in chronological order (The order in which it was presented in class). The second way is to study the most important information, working your way down to the less important information.

Your study plan will not look like anyone else’s; they’re as unique as the students who make them. There’s one thing that all study plans will have in common, though: They always take into consideration the student’s schedule, the amount of material that he must study, and the circumstances and times that allow him to study best.

More on Making a Study Plan from Cornell (PDF)

Snacking When You Study

Brian — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 19:08:25 +0000

Ahhh, the late night study session. It’s challenging, it’s aggravating, with friends it can be fun, it’s important. It’s so many crazy emotions rolled into one. It’s also a time when you often just have to have a snack. Seriously, it’s not just fun to snack when you’re studying with friends, it’s actually a good idea. It’s easier to stay alert if you have a little something in you. Conversely, it’ll interfere with your ability to concentrate if you’re thinking about how hungry you are. However, it’s important that you eat and drink the right things during your midnight study sessions.

Here are some tips:

1) Keep plenty of cold fruit or cut-up, fresh vegetables on hand. This is actually the ideal snack. They’re good for you and they’re delicious. When you crave something sweet, go for the fruit. The sugar content will give you a little extra energy.

Among the best fruits to eat while studying are apples. They’re easy to eat, not all that messy, and they don’t go bad quickly.

Sometimes though, you don’t feel like sweets. That’s when you go for the fresh veggies like sliced cucumbers, celery, carrots, and so on. Get some dip and they’re delicious! You might also consider having some bagged salad on hand. It’s fast and appetizing to whip up a quick salad.

2) Resist the Ramen! Ramen noodles are especially popular among college students. However, you should never eat them late at night. Ramen noodles are high in sodium. In addition, they are loaded with MSG that might wind up keeping you awake later than you wanted. And that might mean missing your class the next morning. So avoid the Ramen noodles. In fact, ideally, you should stay away from any high-sodium snacks.

3) Keep away from caffeine. This might seem counter-intuitive. After all, many times when you’re staying up late to study, you feel like you need a cup of coffee to help you stay alert. The problem is that caffeine at this late hour often makes it difficult to fall asleep. Sometimes you might be tossing and turning for hours, thanks to that late night brew. And again, this puts you at risk of missing the very class that you studied for.

4) Starch it up! We sometimes think of starchy foods as not a good snack, but they’re actually good when you need to stay up late studying. Snacks like Triscuits or breakfast cereals (low-sugar, please) are good choices. They’re fairly healthy, they fill you up enough to concentrate on your work, and they won’t keep you up later than you want to be up.

5) Avoid having too many drinks. It’s so much the content of the drinks, it’s just that if you drink too many, you’ll be making many trips to the bathroom. That, in turn, takes away from time that you should be studying.

So go ahead: Have that snack when you need to spend a few hours studying with the gang. Just be careful about what you eat and drink.

Pros and Cons of Studying with a Computer

Brian — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 21:58:41 +0000

The question of whether a computer can help students in high school or college was settled long ago. It’s nearly impossible to find a student who doesn’t use a PC to help him type papers or look up things in encyclopedias. But what about major study sessions? The traditional form of studying has consisted mostly of pulling out your textbook and class notes and sitting at your desk or on your bed and trying to memorize as much as possible.

The dawn of the computer age, though, changes things up a bit. Now there are increasingly more ways to enhance your study sessions with the computer and especially with the Internet. But do computers help or hinder your study time? The answer might be: a little of both. Here are some ways that computers might be a boost to your grade–and a few ways that they might actually detract from your study time.
How Computers Boost Your Study Time
Honestly, there are more ways that computers can assist you with study than ways that they detract from it. For starters:

• Computers help you stay organized. In the old days, college students kept papers in their desk, in folders, in shoeboxes, and anything else they could find. Pencils and pens were lying everywhere, and five, six or a dozen books were laying all over the place. The modern student, thanks to computers, can be far more organized. Creating a separate file for each of your classes is as simple as creating a desktop icon. All of your research can be copied and pasted into that folder. Most printers now also scan, so you can even scan your class notes into the computer and place them into the appropriate folder. Want to be even more organized? Consider going to www.zoho.com, where you can create a notebook for each of your classes, and also have an online word processor to help with your assignments. All of that, plus there’s an online “to do list,” to help you be even more organized.

• Some students start taking their notes directly on their computers rather than on a regular paper notebook. This makes keeping notes much faster, especially if you type fast enough. Plus it keeps your notes together with all of your Internet research on the subject. Suggestion: If you want to use a computer to take notes, consider getting a netbook. They’re far more portable and easier to carry with you from class to class. Or if you can afford it, you might buy a tablet PC (either an iPad or other). These allow you to type on a virtual keyboard, thus eliminating almost all typing noise.

• Increasingly, there are advanced programs that enhance your study experience. For instance, there are programs specifically designed to create flow charts, and others that create easy-to-follow outlines. Some programs help you make diagrams and charts. Best of all: Many of these programs can be downloaded for free. Just go to www.download.com and type in the appropriate keywords.

How Computers Might Detract From Your Study Time

There are a few precautions you should consider when using a computer for your study sessions. For instance:

• Typing your notes in class could prove disastrous if you’re a slow typist. You’ll find yourself panicking, trying to keep up, and probably missing out on a lot. Not to mention that if you have a noisy keyboard, you risk irritating your fellow students and the instructor. Suggestion: Only type in class if you type fast and if you know your keyboard is fairly quiet.

• One of the biggest drawbacks is that there are a multitude of distractions on the computer. When studying at the PC, you’re risking being interrupted by countless instant messages, Facebook notifications, e-mails, etc.

Bottom line: Computers make great study aids, if you’re disciplined enough to ignore the distractions and if you’re skilled enough to operate it as required.

How Long Should I Study For?

Brian — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 20:35:53 +0000

Let’s consider two typical college students. Mary feels passionate about getting an “A” on the next economics test. So for one week solid, she studies in three hour increments. She scarcely takes a break during these marathon study sessions. Yet, to her exasperation, she still only manages to get a C+.

Rodney is in the same economics class. He has spent the past four weeks studying class material, about 45 minutes a day, in 20 minute chunks, separated by a five minute break. To some people’s amazement, he gets A-Pluses regularly, and he did so on the economics test.

So what made the difference? Shouldn’t that A-Plus belong to Mary? Not at all. Because Rodney learned to master his study time better than Mary did. He learned that: a) Effective time management (studying over a long period of time instead of just a night or two before the test) is better than cramming; and b) the brain is not as effective in retaining knowledge after a certain amount of time–usually 20 to 50 minutes at a time. With all of that said, here are four time-management tips that will make you a more effective and efficient studier.

1) Start by understanding how much you should be studying each week. If you’re in junior high or high school, or studying for a high school entrance exam like the SSAT, ISEE or HSPT, there’s a good rule thumb that goes like this: Study the same number of hours per week as your current grade level. Seventh-graders study seven hours a week; 10th graders study 10 hours, and so on. Once you know this, you can divide these hours by the number of days you plan to study. If you’re a 10th grader and you only want to study five days a week, that means you should plan two hours of study each day.

2) If you’re in college, the rule of thumb is a bit different. The traditional rule says that you should study two hours for every hour that your class meets. In reality, every student has easy courses that require much less study time. Still, for the difficult classes, the two-for-one ratio is a good idea.

3) As we alluded to earlier, study in 20 to 50 minute periods. The brain has to take time to form new memories, and if you keep studying flat out, you actually hinder this memorization process. Between every 20 to 50 minute study period, take a five or 10 minute break. If possible, during this time, do something physical, in order to start the blood pumping again and make your brain more alert. You might do some jumping jacks, jog once around the house, play with your dog or cat–anything that gets you moving! Don’t wear yourself out, though, or you’re just defeating your purpose. More on How Long Should You Study.

4) Finally, don’t get so involved in extended study sessions that you neglect sleep time. It’s important for your health and for your grades that you get ample sleep time. If you don’t believe it, consider this: If you sleep just four to five hours, you’ll probably have to double your amount of study time to be as effective as if you’d slept seven to nine hours. That’s right: You’ll get better grades if you sleep more and study a little less. And if, despite your best intentions, you’re still a bit sleep deprived, try taking a snort 20 minute nap before you study. You’ll be amazed at how effective a quick “power nap” is at restoring your alertness! More on Sleep.

Remember: It’s not always how much you study, but how well you manage your study time.

Teaching Study Skills – What to teach

Brian — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:30:42 +0000

Study on test preparation – The Test Preparation Study was conducted from 2004 to 2008 by researchers at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto,

What Did Teachers Tell Us?

Preparing Students for the Test

We asked the teachers what activities or approaches they would recommend to a new Grade 3 teacher who asked how to prepare for the test. Almost all (99%) of the teachers recommended teaching students strategies for answering multiple-choice and open-response questions. More than 95% endorsed teaching students how to understand the test instructions, having students work on sample questions, discussing examples of good responses to those questions, and helping students get used to working independently. About 85% recommended administering a mock test and teaching students how to handle feelings of anxiety about the test. Less than half of the teachers recommended talking with the students about whether the test was important.

We asked the teachers the reasons for their recommendations. Most teachers felt it was important to teach students how to answer multiple choice and other types of test questions and how to work independently because these skill would be useful not just on this test, but in later grades. The teachers were more ambivalent about activities that were directly tied to the test, such as discussing sample questions or administering a mock test; they were especially wary of talking about the importance of the test.

Effective Study Skills Lesson Plan

Taking Notes Lesson Plan

How to Answer Multiple Choice

Tips for Improving College Study Skills

Brian — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:52:10 +0000

Freshman year in colleges is also known as the academic baptism of fire; you find yourself thrust into a pool seemingly populated by nothing other than big fishes. Here are some tips for improving college study skills.

When studying for college, it is important to note what’s important in readings and lectures.

• Scan the course syllabus, survey the textbook, preview each reading assignment, and review your notes before each lecture.

• Read your texts as if you are carrying a conversation. More on Reading Textbooks.

•Watch for signal words provide clues as to the direction the chapter or lecture is going.

• Highlight and/or note down key ideas in texts and lectures.

Master your material.

• Know the material inside and out; you should be able to communicate the key idea of your material in your own words; you should be able to ask probing questions about the material and come up with an answer.

• Summarize your texts and combine your text summary with your notes. More on how to study from your notes.

Concentrate.

• Create or find an environment conducive for concentration, an area with good lighting and little or no noise and other distractions; make this area your regular study area.

• Stock up on supplies that aid in concentration such as a comfortable chair, book stand, brain food (an apple or peanuts), soothing music, and aroma therapy candles.

• Take breaks every once in a while if you feel your concentration is slipping; stretch a little, walk around the room, or find someone to chat with and share a joke or two to recharge.

• Online college courses are especially helpful in perfecting your study skills. Continue your college education from home at UOP.

Study groups

The subject matters and available references are more extensive; being in a study group lessens the pressure of having to scour for all the necessary references and allows the opportunity to engage in intelligent discourses over course topics that can genuinely broaden your understanding of the topic. More on Study Groups

Discover what works for you; everyone is unique and only you can discover the ideal rhythm for studying in college. Here is a great overview of College Study Skills.

Essential Products for getting students organzied

admin — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 18:34:37 +0000

Many schools publish a list of required back to school supplies. These lists are usually very detailed and contain everything your student may need during the school year. These lists can also be too broad and overwhelming in its requirements. While a broad list can help parents get the supplies that are needed for the school year, you can actually overwhelm the students. When trying to focus on teaching your students good organizational and study skills, try to limit the organizational products that are used.

Students always need a backpack to hold and carry all items. Students should be taught to keep themselves organized by always returning their books and binder to their backpack when they are not using the items. You also need to teach your students proper backpack safety, do no allow your students to overfill their backpacks or require them to carry materials that will not be needed on a daily basis.

A three-ring binder is also essential for student organization. Teaching students to manage all their papers in a three-ring binder is one of the first and one of the easiest organization skills you can teach your students. Using a three-ring binder is one of the easiest methods of organization you can teach a student and should be one of the first lessons any student learns. Having students place all their papers in a three-ring binder to keep themselves organized can be the quick and easy lesson that keeps your students energized to learn more study and organization skills.

Finally, remember that student organization should be simple and not involve overly complex products. Creating organization systems that are overly complex or require additional supplies can be confusing to the students. Student organization needs to be kept simple or you take the chance of overwhelming your students and creating a backlash that causes the students to stop using the skills you are coaching your students towards.

Developing Effective Study Skills

admin — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 18:43:25 +0000

Learning How to Study Properly

Developing effective study skills is extremely important to learn for many different reasons. Getting the most out of your time is something more of us are trying to learn how to do every day. From all the things that are piled on us as individuals, developing effective study skill is somewhat of a lost art which, once we grasp it, the rewards can last a lifetime. Here are some ways to grow developing effective study skills:

· To develop great study skills you need to do a few things. The first is to find out which study system best for you. Sometimes being alone in a room is something which will work the best for most.
· Writing everything down in a certain order, then following these same order of steps, gives people a sense of completion and helps develop the ability to get things completed.
· In order to improve your study skills, it may mean looking into how your study skills are lacking. One of the hindrances to successful study skills could be noise. Noise has an adverse effect on people studying. For others this really does not matter.
· Developing effective study skills can vary person to person and what may work for some will not work for others.

Tips for Studying More Productive

One of the biggest mistakes that people make when developing effective study skills is they give up to easy. When things do not go right, they tend to give up. This makes it hard when you try to develop a strict routine for studying. One of the best tips is to start studying with the thing you like least. This makes it easier when you get to subjects you like or you are tired. Giving up is a lot easier if you save the harder subjects for last. Developing effective study skills is not something that will just happen overnight. It takes time and should be started as soon as possible. Many times developing effective study skills is a lot harder if the child did not develop them early on. Once you devise effective study skills results really do not take very long at all. This is why developing effective study skills is something more students should put an emphasis on.

Developing Effective Study Skill Easy As 1-2-3

Over the years, many different things have been employed in developing effective study skills to get the most out of whatever your doing. Following a designed plan is the easiest way to start and that is your first step. The second step is follow the plan that you have designed as it is made for you not someone else. Step three is to tweak the study plan if you feel the need to. Not every plan is perfect so tweaking it cannot hurt you it will only help you. Developing effective study skills is something that you can take with you all your life and use it in many different facets of your life. Do not think you will use it only once; in fact you will come back to it often and use it to enrich your life more than you know right now.

Classroom Activities for Teaching Study Skills

admin — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 18:22:54 +0000

As a teacher, your teaching strategy should always be creative to ensure that your students find learning in school an exciting activity. You can add or incorporate a study skill activity in every class session. For variety, you can include a unique classroom activity in every class period to motivate and improve your students’ learning capabilities. This can include a study skills lesson plan and a taking notes lesson plan.

Preparing for various study skills activities can be very challenging as you need to work out imaginative ways to ensure that your students learn from the activity. Each of your class periods should integrate a study skill activity to enable your students to develop their own good study habits. A classroom activity should consider the three factors detailed below.

Your idea of what a good study environment should be and compare this with your students’ ideas – You must first evaluate if your planned study skill activity is appropriate for the study environment you aim to promote among your students by compiling a list of suggestions from your students on what they think a good study environment should be. You can also have them fill out and comment on your prepared worksheets which detail your ideas of what a good study environment should be. You can use these worksheets as basis for your guided discussions for the duration of the school year.

Open discussion about concentration – Your students’ ability to concentrate is important in developing and improving their study skills. You can allocate one session openly chatting about various factors which interfere with concentration, encouraging your students to talk about their experiences and aspects which contribute to their concentration skills (both bad and good aspects). Once everyone has participated in the class discussion, you can give out tips on how to better concentrate in various circumstances. After this initial discussion, you can prepare a worksheet which your students can fill out and submit to you at the end of each school week. This worksheet will be your basis in monitoring whether your students have improved or which areas they need more help on. This worksheet can also be used as your students’ basis for self-assessment at the end of the school year.

Coaching students on how to effectively take down notes and improve their test-taking skills – You can facilitate a guided discussion about the various methods in taking down notes which your students can easily understand when they review for a test. You can allot one session for this study skill activity which should include a sample lecture where your students practice note-taking, followed by a discussion on the various techniques of note taking including outline, charting and mapping methods. The note-taking practice can be immediately followed by test-taking practice, or you can plan another class period for this.

Each study skill activity should also incorporate tips on how to effectively acquire basic learning skills and attitudes, describing in detail different ways of organizing a specific study area at home and school, demonstrating and coaching time management skills to enable students to make their own personal study schedules, and illustrating various approaches to enhance your students’ test-taking skills.

Effective Study Skills Lesson Plan
Complete Lesson Plan for teachers includes, Study Environment, Getting Organized, Time Management,

Concentration.

Learn More >>>

Complete Taking Notes Lesson Plan
Comprehensive for teaching students grade 6 – 8 how to take notes, includes, introduction and practice with 3 different styles of note taking (Outline, Charting and Mapping). 3 sample lectures with recommended notes taking answers, crossword puzzle, handouts and complete instructions.

Learn More >>>

How to Study Blog » Teaching Study Skills

Making a Winning Study Plan

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Developing Effective Study Skills

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