Study skills curriculum?

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

I need help teaching some basic study skills: studying and memorizing for a closed book test and taking notes from lectures and videos.

 

Any good books, curriculum, resources?

 

Thanks!

Pam

 

BTW.... this question is prompted after teaching college freshman this semester.  The college students are sorely lacking in these skills! As well as, BASIC writing reports and finding important concepts within a chapter!

 

[TechWife]

What Smart Students Know by Adam Robinson

SOAR Study Skills by Susan Kruger

[SailorMom]

I really liked "How to be a Superstar Student" from the Great Courses/Teaching Company

[1Togo]

Pam,

 

When we first began homeschooling, we used the Robinson curriculum, and Dr. Robinson suggested a book titled "The Overnight Student."  It is now oop, but the author suggested taking notes by outlining and then lecturing to an imaginary class to learn the material.  Outlining did not work with all of our dc for lectures and videos, so I taught them to take notes using the Cornell method.  This worked well for everyone -- different learning styles and temperaments.  You can Google Cornell note taking to find instructions.  Most websites about Cornell suggest a summary sentence at the bottom of each page of notes.  We do not do that.  We just take notes.  I explain our version of Cornell as a loose form of outlining; i.e. the left side of the paper corresponds to the Roman numerals of an outline (main ideas) and the right side of the paper is all of the support.  It takes a bit of practice, but once mastered, the method is fast and flexible.

 

We study as follows:  the student takes his notes, folds them in half, says the first term/concept/idea outloud and then tries to recall as much as he can about it, checking his notes if necessary.  Monotone lecturing is not encouraged, and all note sheets must be dated and include the course title.  Simply put, the student takes his Cornell notes and then learns by teaching the material to an imaginary someone else.  Our children do this for all subjects.  With math, the paper is folded in half (a habit) and terms are written Cornell style.  Sample problems are not written in two columns.   I also teach fiction annotation using Adler's "How to Mark a Book."  Annotation is reviewed before class.

 

I have a few study skills books, etc. on our shelves, but most of the ideas are too complicated.  Cornell notes, lecturing, and annotation are what we have been using with success for many years.

 

I do have a few bits and pieces to add.  When oldest dc was in college, he read textbook material before class, and often completed the end-of-the-chapter work; i.e. terms, questions, etc., so lectures made more sense, and he could participate in class.   Also, some profs clearly stated that tests came only from lectures, so studying lecture notes was enough.  Others combined lectures and textbook material, so dc studied lecture notes and chapter work.  Many profs provided a list of concepts, etc. for test review, so dc filled that out using his lecture notes, etc. -- very quick.  Dc took a 5-subject spiral notebook with perforated sheets to class and took notes in that.  He then tore the sheets out and put them in a 1 inch subject binder and used that binder for studying. 

 

I realize this may sound like overkill, but my dc need an organized system to succeed.  Fwiw, oldest dc received many calls from desperate classmates for his notes.  Also, he was always prepared for tests and exams, so there was less stress and cramming.

 

Hth,

 

1togo

[Twigs]

Study Skills Workshops from Long Beach City College

 

Toward Success in College - Part of this book (free online) is specific for college, but there are tips that will be helpful for high, school.

 

Best wishes.

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I'll have to look into them all.

I have the suggested "Superstar Student" on VHS somewhere in this house! Not sure if I have VHS player. LOL

 

:)

[jetzmama]

Thanks for this thread!  One of my ds has been taking a Study Skills online this semester. It addresses a specific skill each week, with each week devoted to a specific area of study.   The implementation is great for that one week, but I'm not seeing the building, integration, application of these skills on a weekly basis.  Will look into some of these resources.  Thanks again!