How parents can help their children hone study skills ... and life skills too!
Organization, time management, note taking and strategic reading are all essential study skills that are first introduced to young people in the classroom, but ultimately transfer far beyond school. To help your child develop these skills in a way that is meaningful to them - mainly applying them to their "job" which is school - Sylvan Learning recommends these tips that parents can follow:
Organization and Time Management
Students should use a planning calendar to track daily, weekly and monthly assignments and responsibilities. Encourage children to break down large, complex tasks into manageable pieces. Have children prioritize homework and other tasks when they get home from school, then complete the tasks in that order. The key is to be consistent with your expectations so that in time the routine is second nature for the whole family.
Note Taking
Encourage students to review their notes and even rewrite them. As they review their notes, have children identify the most important points and highlight them. The review process is a good time to reflect, reference associated materials and then add relevant comments. Applying these tips will effectively reinforce the learning process.
Reading
Encourage young readers to use all the clues available to them while reading, such as headlines, pictures, captions, charts, tables and graphs. Urge them to read different types of writing such as fiction, nonfiction, newspapers and magazine articles, letters and websites. Talk with your child after they read a book or article. Have them tell you what the story was about, why it did or didn't interest them and how it related to their life.
Learning really can be fun for your child if they feel confident in their abilities. Even a struggling student can very quickly gain confidence when they see immediate results that can be gained in following some of these guidelines.
For more educational resources for children in grades pre-K through 12, please visit www.SylvanLearning.com or call us at 457-9599.