We all could use a little help in making learning a little easier. With simple strategies, you can help yourself or your child learn to perfect test taking and improve study skills.
Studies have shown that from late elementary school into college, studying and test taking is often a major hurdle for children. And if your child already has a learning disability, the difficulty can be even more pronounced. If your child’s test scores have fallen during this time period and their stress level has increased, there are a handful of ways you can help. Questions to ask include:
1. Does your child know what to study? If your child appears to have difficulty discerning what to remember during a lecture or in reading a textbook, ask them these few questions: a) Have they checked in with the teacher about the content of the test? b) Has the teacher provided a study guide or practice test? c) Does your child have a plan for studying?
Helping your child recognize verbal cues the teacher may give that will signal the information’s importance is also important. If the teacher says, “Write this down”, “Let Me Summarize”, “This Is Important” or “I’ll write this on the board”, the student should make note of the information. Review information in your child’s textbook with them as well, going over chapter and section headings, words, phrases or sentences that appear in bold, sidebar information and questions at the end of each chapter.
2. Does your child know how to study? – Show your child strategies in organizing, remembering, and prioritizing information. Make sure your child is also doing nightly reading assignments and using a system to record information. Have your child summarize to you what they have learned and help your child organize their materials by cleaning out binders and folders, or setting up sections with tabs. Showing your child tricks in remembering information through sentences or acronyms, rhymes or relating information known to something unknown, can be helpful. Drawing pictures or cartoons is also helpful to many students, especially if they are a visual learner.
3. Does your child know how to monitor their work?– As a student, you need to have necessary skills to check your work. Ask your child to look through graded homework assignments and previous tests to find patterns of mistakes. Another solution is to help your child make a personalized checklist of test taking techniques, looking back to see if any questions were missed or if the answer to the problem was properly spelled out and answered accordingly.
4. Does your child know how to set goals and pace their work?– Does your child rush through studies? You can help your child set goals and pace their work. Ask them to create and review a study plan, setting a timer for a certain study period. Make sure your child builds short breaks into their schedule. Encourage your child to focus on their strengths and emphasize their efforts and that you are proud of them.
Practice these four strategies with your child or even with yourself and you will find that such practices will follow you through a lifetime and reward you over and over again.
Related Articles
Financing your Students Education
By: Kara Lilly | 19/09/2007 | College and University
So your child is ready to go off to college and you are perplexed over how you will pay for their education? If you are like most parents, you have heard of scholarships and loans but when it comes to the details, here is where you get hung up. If this is the case, here is a short synopsis of how to interpret college finance terminology.
Why Go to Colleg?e
By: Kara Lilly | 03/10/2007 | College and University
We hear about it all the time, multi-millionaires who succeed despite not having a college education. So you might be asking yourself or your child might ask, why should I go to college?
Going Back to College
By: Kara Lilly | 14/10/2007 | Women's Issues
If you have been out of high school for a while and are tired of working in a dead-end career, you probably have considered going back to college.
The Search for Scholarships
By: Kara Lilly | 20/11/2007 | Education
Students who are about to graduate from high school are already looking ahead toward planning for their first year of college. With this comes the concern for paying their way through college and the search for scholarship opportunities.
Tips for Starting College
By: Kara Lilly | 20/11/2007 | Education
You are a senior in high school and you will be starting college soon. There will be some concerns you and your parents will need to look at before starting your first semester?
Researching Scholarship Opportunities
By: Kara Lilly | 03/01/2008 | College and University
You are ready to go to college or maybe your child is and you want to know what types of scholarships are available. Maybe you are asking yourself where to start? If so, here are a few tips.
Educating yourself About Student Loans
By: Kara Lilly | 14/01/2008 | Education
When it comes to student loans, there is a huge variety to choose from. One of the nation’s leading providers of student loans is Sallie Mae.
Federal Loans Vs. Private Loans
By: Kara Lilly | 21/01/2008 | College and University
You are ready to go back to college or maybe you are fresh out of high school. If either applies, it is most likely that you have considered how you will pay for your tuition.
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you answer
By: voterperson | 08-07-2008
see reply box for the entire thing
Why were democracy not considered desirable in ...
By: Shawn | 07-07-2008
Why were democracy not considered desirable in many 3rd world countries? Why has this changed in recent times?
Hello i am mother for tow baybes 2years and 1 year ...
By: malik | 06-07-2008
hello i am mother for tow baybes 2years and 1 year i am from algeria i am biologist in my contry (DUAA DIPLOM UNIVERSITER D'APLICATION DANALYSE) 3 years studied in the universette +6months trening in the hospitol .My question is i wat to go to the college but i dont have mony and i dont have a person how take care to the baybes and my english is not very good i wirtte and read ,i inderstund but when the person spick faster i dont inderstund ,and i wat to know if i can to etudier biologi onlin or by mail ?.thank you for your pations .
Scholarship needed for a private school.
By: Andrea Dorantes | 27-06-2008
How could I find financial aidfor my Daughter,She is going to 6th grade?
Orphand needs help
By: souixie | 27-06-2008
We live in alberta canada. A friend of mine is a senior that lost her son 5 years ago in a car accident and has ended up with custody of her grandson. The childs mother is unfit to care for him. Because there was no will, the insurance settlment had to go through probat and this childs money has to be held in a public trust account until he is 18. I have 2 questions. Can it be gotten out of public trust and placed in private trust account so it can draw a better intrest rate? Also someone told me that there is a orphands fund available in Alberta. How can we connect with any organization that helps with these situations. This lady is in her late 60's and they are living off her and her husbands oas and cpp. thanks
Orphand needs help
By: souixie | 27-06-2008
We live in alberta canada. A friend of mine is a senior that lost her son 5 years ago in a car accident and has ended up with custody of her grandson. The childs mother is unfit to care for him. Because there was no will, the insurance settlment had to go through probat and this childs money has to be held in a public trust account until he is 18. I have 2 questions. Can it be gotten out of public trust and placed in private trust account so it can draw a better intrest rate? Also someone told me that there is a orphands fund available in Alberta. How can we connect with any organization that helps with these situations. This lady is in her late 60's and they are living off her and her husbands oas and cpp. thanks
Q&A Powered by:
Latest Education Articles
Take Advantage Of Online Accredited Degrees
By: Bercle George | 18/07/2008
The dog-eat-dog nature of the corporate world has elevated the need for numbers of workers to enhance their educational status. There are lots of jobs popping up all over the place that demands an extensive educational background and training hence the rise in the demand for online study programs and online accredited degrees.
Magazines On Academics And Information
By: Victor Epand | 18/07/2008
This article explains how to increase your knowledge and understanding with academic and informational magazines. These magazines publish matter relating to a particular discipline in academics and a particular grade or level of accomplishment.
Magazines - A Good Way To Get Into The Reading Habit
By: Victor Epand | 18/07/2008
Reading is a good way of relaxing. However, most of us do not have the time to read lengthy novels, and hence we do not develop the habit of reading. However, magazines, with their short and interesting articles, can help us to get into the habit of reading.
How To Improve Your Reading Speed
By: Francis Hesse | 17/07/2008
Learning to speed read will enhance your reading experience
Why Online Tutoring Systems?
By: Vince Austin | 16/07/2008
The latest arrival, according to this author, is the blooming and ever enlarging portals that claim to provide online tutoring systems.
My last count of "online tutor" term search on Google showed 636,000 results and there appear to be more... I did not bother because the initial figures are good enough...
Ways of Financing Postsecondary Education
By: Jim Brown | 15/07/2008
The Federal government provides students with many loans to help pay the cost of postsecondary education pursuits.
Solar Pv Cells, Residential Solar Energy, and Doping Silicon for Efficiencies (part 10)
By: Daniel Stouffer | 15/07/2008
Introducing impurities, called dopants, into the silicon making up the solar cell creates the one-way flow of electrons necessary to produce electricity more efficient. Two differently doped silicon wafers are layered together to create this flow.
High-Tech Public Libraries
By: Dave Text | 15/07/2008
The best place to get the information you need is always in a library. Public Libraries are provided by the government in order to provide access for all its constituents. Books can be read and borrowed in Public Libraries without any fees, only incurred penalties for late returns. In addition,...
More from Kara Lilly
Student Loans for Those Seeking Health Professions
By: Kara Lilly | 07/02/2008 | College and University
If you are a full-time student looking to study to be a doctor of science in pharmacy; or a doctor of dentistry, podiatric medicine, optometry, or veterinary medicine, you may be eligible for the need-based Health Professions Student Loan (HPSL), designed to provide financial assistance in the form of long-term loans.
Federal Loans Vs. Private Loans
By: Kara Lilly | 21/01/2008 | College and University
You are ready to go back to college or maybe you are fresh out of high school. If either applies, it is most likely that you have considered how you will pay for your tuition.
Educating yourself About Student Loans
By: Kara Lilly | 14/01/2008 | Education
When it comes to student loans, there is a huge variety to choose from. One of the nation’s leading providers of student loans is Sallie Mae.
Researching Scholarship Opportunities
By: Kara Lilly | 03/01/2008 | College and University
You are ready to go to college or maybe your child is and you want to know what types of scholarships are available. Maybe you are asking yourself where to start? If so, here are a few tips.
Tips for Starting College
By: Kara Lilly | 20/11/2007 | Education
You are a senior in high school and you will be starting college soon. There will be some concerns you and your parents will need to look at before starting your first semester?
The Search for Scholarships
By: Kara Lilly | 20/11/2007 | Education
Students who are about to graduate from high school are already looking ahead toward planning for their first year of college. With this comes the concern for paying their way through college and the search for scholarship opportunities.
Going Back to College
By: Kara Lilly | 14/10/2007 | Women's Issues
If you have been out of high school for a while and are tired of working in a dead-end career, you probably have considered going back to college.
Why Go to Colleg?e
By: Kara Lilly | 03/10/2007 | College and University
We hear about it all the time, multi-millionaires who succeed despite not having a college education. So you might be asking yourself or your child might ask, why should I go to college?
Education 
