An Illustrated Guide to Study Skills

Your child studies many skills in school: how to read, write, speak in front of others, and much more. But there is one skill that usually is not taught in school, and that is the most important skill of all: how to study. 

Here are 11 illustrated tips for elementary and secondary-level students that serve as a good outline for mastering study skills: 


 

1. Plan your days. Time management is a valuable life skill. Planner books can help. Mapping out all major school deadlines, due dates, and events as well as family and personal activities in one place helps kids visualize their week, manage their time, and stay on track. 



 

2. Bring order to your world. Organize your materials. Keeping notes, projects, and books in logical order helps children find what they need, right when they need it. Decrease hunting for materials time and increase actual study time. 



 

3. Break up projects. Divide large projects into more bite-sized pieces. Review concepts one at a time. 












 

4. Take good notes. Learning how to think by writing and taking good notes is a skill that will last a lifetime. Search for main ideas. Draw arrows to connect ideas. Add a star for the important concepts. Learn to write quickly and legibly. 




 

5. Repeat repeat repeat. Slow and steady wins the race, and this is the best way to study. Review your class notes and materials daily at home.  








 

6. Learn with others. Studying with friends in small groups outside of school can make work seem like play and turn tedium into accomplishment. 








 

7. Harp on it. Be dogged and determined and follow through with action. Getting work done consistently and with care and on time is one of the best ways to achieve success in school and later in life as well. 











 

8. Zone out and focus in. Concentrating is so important. Don't let distraction get in the way, keep cell phones in pockets, and watch out for chatty classmates. 







 

9. Listen hard, ask questions. Students can get tripped up by sneaky test instructions or tricky homework. Prompt your kids to listen carefully and to be bold about asking questions if they don’t understand an assignment or test directions. 









 

10. Work hard, play hard. There is a time for all things, including fun. Reward your kids with a fun family activity, a favorite snack, a board game, or a sing-along. Let them know you see the effort they are making. Cheer them on with words of encouragement and don't forget to laugh and be light of heart. It all helps.  



 

11. Finally, know that help is close at hand. If preparing for tests is a tough ordeal and your child is losing confidence, a lack of study skills could be at fault. Luckily, there are places to go for help. For example, here at Foundation for Learning we have a great record of helping kids improve study skills.