Study Skills and Strategies

About MeName: Mauricio NajarroCollege: Williams CollegeSAT Score: 2400

• Has a rich and diverse teaching background, starting as a writing tutor and workshop leader while finishing up his undergraduate degree

• Has worked as a high school instructor in El Salvador, Washington, D.C., and Oakland, CA.

• Taught SAT strategies for over a year and a half with another test preparation company before coming to Revolution.

• His encyclopedic knowledge of the material complements his teaching style-patience and flexibility with each individual student and a thorough approach for each test strategy.

What we’ll cover tonight

1. What are study tools and strategies?

2. Why are study tools and strategies so important?

3. Important tools and how to use them

4. Study Tips

Students:

• Complete your Study Skills

Inventory.

• Be honest!

Parents:

• Talk with your student to help

him/her identify study strengths &

challenges.

Study Skills Inventory

What are study tools & strategies?

Study Tools: steps, procedures, or

resources to help you acquire, organize,

remember, and use information

Study Strategies: the ways in which

you choose, use, and stick to your

study tools

Why are they so important?

Turn to your partner and discuss:

• Why do you think it’s important to develop

good study habits while you’re in high school?

• What has helped you study successfully in

the past?

• When do you have a hard time getting

motivated to study?

Why are they so important?

High school (and then college!) requires

more student independence – you are

more in charge of your schedule, your

work, and your grades.

Why are they so important?Studies have shown that…

• Students at all levels who possess good

study skills are more likely to achieve academic

success

• Students who believe that studying is

important are more likely to achieve academic

success

• People who know how to study are also

more likely to be successful in other pursuits

Important Study Tools

Different tools can help you effectively

acquire, organize, remember, and use

information, as well as plan when you’ll

actually study.

Calendars• Keeping a monthly calendar will help you see everything that’s

coming up

Take time every day to fill out

all of your upcoming

assignments and obligations –

practices, games, rehearsals,

volunteer work, and even fun!

– on your calendar.

To Do Lists• Along with your monthly calendar, track when specific assignments

are due.

Mark the priority level so you

can immediately see what has

to be done and when.

Record each task’s due date,

steps for completion, and

notes to remember.

Grade Tracker• Track every assignment’s grade in each class, as well as your

overall grade.

This is a particularly helpful

tool if your teachers wait to

return your assignments until

the end of a unit.

KWL Chart• A KWL Chart helps you organize your thinking about your learning –

either when you’re learning something new or studying what you’ve

already learned

The chart gives you space

to list:

• what you know about a

subject

• what you want to know

• what you’ve learned by

studying

KWL: Practice!

K: what do you KNOW about black holes?• work with your partner for five minutes to list everything you know

W: what do you WANT to know about

black holes?• work with your partner for five minutes to generate at least five

things you want to know

L: what did you LEARN about black

holes?

Note-Taking Template• Structured note-taking will help you take better notes in class and

study from them before a big test – one of the most important skills

for any subject or grade

Use this form to. . .

• take notes in class

• identify key points from

those notes

• summarize the overall ideas

Learning Styles

Before you can set up a study system

for yourself, it helps to know a little

about how you learn best.

Visual Learners

Clues

• You need to see it to know it

• You have a strong sense of color

• You have trouble following long lectures in school

• You may be artistic

Study Tips

• Use graphics to reinforce learning – movies, illustrations, and diagrams

• Color code your notes• Write out directions

when you hear them• Write your notes as flow

charts

Auditory Learners

Clues

• You prefer to get information by listening

• You may have difficulty following written directions

• You rely on someone’s tone of voice rather than facial expressions

Study Tips

• Record lectures if your teacher allows you to

• Learn by participating in discussions about a topic

• Softly read test questions aloud

Kinesthetic Learners

Clues

• You prefer hands-on learning, like experiments

• You can assemble parts without reading directions

• You may not like to sit still

• You learn better when physical activity is involved

Study Tips

• Take frequent breaks in your study periods to move

• Try experiential learning by making models or role playing to help you remember

• Trace letters and words with your fingers to help you remember facts

Tips for Success

• Designate a specific space for studying

(your desk, a quiet room) and always

work there

• Bring everything you need to study –

and nothing you don’t.

• Talk to yourself – literally! Say things

aloud to help them stick.

Tips for Success

• Ask yourself questions about what

you’re learning, and answer yourself in

complete sentences.

• Take regular, short breaks to help your

brain absorb what you’re learning

• Ask someone to check on your

progress and praise your successes

Discussion

Turn to your partner and discuss:

• Which tool(s) that you learned about

today do you think will be most helpful in

your studying?

• How will you change your study

strategies based on what you’ve

learned tonight?

Questions?