SUMMARY: Is your child struggling to achieve academic success? Find out how you can help them foster good study skills
How To Help Your Child Develop Effective Study Skills
Is your child struggling in his academics? They love school and enjoy class, complete their homework well, but the grades are not translating with all the effort? Some children struggle to achieve their academic objectives for various reasons, which is normal. As your child advances in their academic life, classwork and assignments get more advanced and complex. As a parent, you can help your child attain the academic gains you both want to see. Practical study skills are central to your child’s academic success. This article will discuss how you can help your child develop good study habits that will benefit him in his academic life.
Tips for improving your child’s study habits
While children are different and may have different learning capabilities, there are universal skills that could help your child improve their study. Supporting your child follow these patterns will impact them academically for the rest of their life.
Establish a routine
Being organized is vital when you are establishing a routine for your child. It gives your child a sense of structure. Ensure that you follow a set time for doing homework each day. For instance, after school, let your child have some time to play or relax and eat a snack. After that, let them begin on their homework. Be consistent so that your child can stick to the routine. Children thrive with a reliable structure. This is a trait that you can pick out from a child in a Montessori school. The mode of study in most Montessori classrooms is centered on structure and routine.
Create a study spot
Have a designated study area in your home that is void of any distractions. This way, whenever your child is at their designated spot, they know that it is time to study. It also helps them organize their space. They should not have distractions like phones, TV, or snacks that could act as temptations.
Help your child establish goals.
When your child is overwhelmed by the amount of homework or is anxious about an upcoming exam, they cannot take in any information. Help your child by breaking down their tasks into smaller goals. Once each task is complete, and a goal achieved, check it off. This will help keep your child motivated while they feel a sense of accomplishment. You will be allowing them to also focus on one task at a time.
Get your child a homework planner
Help your child follow through with their goals by having a study planner. You could use both a calendar and homework planner for your child to mark out important days like when they have specific tests or when a project is due. With a homework planner you can help them set out a timeline with small tasks assigned leading up to the completion of the project in time. Having a planner will also help you review with your child what they have studied as they near an exam.
Avoid cramming
Children who struggle to retain information when studying are tempted to cram to pass an exam. Help your child overcome this challenge by learning a specific subject every day in small bits. It could take as little as 10 minutes per day. This is more helpful than having them study large chunks of information that they will struggle to remember. Help your child structure a schedule that spreads out different subjects. Also, ensure that you give your child short breaks to keep them more productive.
Help your child learn how to take notes
Proper note-taking can help your child process information taught in class and help them retain it. Practice with your child by using one of their favorite stories. Guide them by asking what stood out for them or lessons they can remember from the story. This helps them pick out keywords and process the critical message. This also allows them to listen more than concentrate on taking down everything the teacher says in class. They can capture the key points, which is very helpful for retention.
Practice and prepare for tests
One of the biggest challenges a child faces is anxiety during a test or exam. You can help your child overcome this by setting ample time to prepare and practice for a test. You can do this using visual aids like flashcards to help them retain the information they have learned. You could also ask your child some review questions and have them provide short essay-like responses to ensure they understand the material.
Encourage and motivate
Stay abreast with what your child is working on. Encourage students to solve problems on their own before they seek help. When they get stuck, you can step in but don’t offer the answer. You can provide a suggestion that could help them solve the problem on their own.
There are several strategies you can use to ensure your child develops the right study skills. If one fails, you can try another or a combination to achieve the success you are seeking for your child.
