Study skills matter! Helping students maximize learning and optimize their academic performance

BY PAUL JUNOR

As student’s head back to school after the winter break, those in high school will have to look forward to their semester one exam and their Grade 9 Math EQAO test during the middle and end of January. Many of them will no doubt be anxious and fearful as they look forward with dread to these stressful events. Study skills are essential transferable skills that students can acquire that can help them to excel and do well in school, life and in their careers. Study skills include the gamut of: listening, organizational, memorization, homework, note-taking, test-taking, exam-preparation goal setting and time-management. These skills are often not taught to students and they are often attained through some hard knock lessons. Without good study skills, many students will not be able to maximize their full potential and achieve their best.

According to (students.us ask.ca/articles-skills-php), “Good study skills can increase your confidence, competence and self-esteem. They can also reduce anxiety about tests and deadlines. Good study skills can improve your ability to learn and retain knowledge. Students who use effective study skills may feel their work and effort is more worthwhile.”

These skills are essential for academic success. In an article by Skylar Anderson titled, “What study skills are most important for a 21^st Century student”, he identified three essential skills that students need to acquire: (1) Organization skills (2) Academic skills and (3) Well-defined internal motivation. 21^st century study skills are: learning how to learn and students need more than just reading, writing and arithmetic. Many schools have identified global competences as essentials skills that all students need to acquire such as collaboration, and cooperation.

Goal-setting skills are important ones that students can develop as they start the New Year. Goals (whether short-term or long-term) are important. It helps to guide them as they focus on their plans. The best plans are most effective when organized around a SMART goal. The letters mean Specific, Measurable, Action-orientated, Realistic and Timely. As students think of their goals for the New Year, this will help them to focus on each specific aspect with respect to their academic goals. Each subject that they are studying requires a different approach in terms of planning.

In many ways, students should be familiar with their learning styles. A Spatial learner learns best by looking and working with pictures. Kinesthetic learner learns best by touching, moving and figuring things out, Linguistic learner learns best by saying, hearing and seeing words. A student who is cognizant about their unique learning style has an advantage over a student who does not.

Authentic learning is an active process and in order for it occur, students must be able to maintain concentrated attention. It is critical for reasoning, memorizing, problem solving and creativity to occur. According to cognitive scientists, we have two temporary memories that can perform different tasks. Short term includes these two stages: immediate memory (which operates subconsciously or consciously) and working memory (which deal with items for a limited time). It is long-term memory that students need to enhance to ensure that they are able to retrieve information for tests and exams. According to Nicole Charron in the fall 2019 issue of Education Forum, “Making new memories (learning) generally involves three steps: encoding (getting new information in), storage (storing new information in long-term memory) and retrieval (bringing stored information from long-term memory into working memory.” Research has shown that retrieval practice and spaced (distributed) practice are what is important for students to retain information. Guided practice which is teacher-directed can lead to independent practice (usually homework) which when done frequently can bring mastery.

Note taking skills are important as writing things down helps the memory. Reading over their notes regularly enhances memory. Preparing the right environment and scheduling study time will help to maximize one’s time and ensure focus on what is important as deadlines approach. By spacing one’s study time, it minimizes cramming and helps out in preparing for tests and exams.