The past few years have created a serious learning gap for children, and they’re finding it harder and harder to catch up. They’re struggling to retain information, recall it later, and do well in school as a result.
Your child should be spending time studying, but not all studying is productive. We’re here with a few study tips that can help. Read on to learn more.
1. Stick to a Single Topic
Children are easily overwhelmed and they only have the capacity to take in so much information at a given time. When you’re helping your child study for something important, try to stick to one topic per study session.
This is difficult when the end of a term is coming up and your child has several tests to study for, but segment their time wisely.
By trying to focus on several subjects at once, you’ll just confuse your child, especially if every subject contains difficult concepts.
2. Take Breaks
Believe it or not, breaks are great for study sessions!
Taking breaks improves your productivity and ability to focus. The better you’re able to focus, the better you’ll be able to retain new information.
Breaks should be purposeful. Don’t have your child scroll through social media. Instead, have them take a walk, do some quick exercises, or even play a mind-stimulating game.
On that note, sleep is also good for information retention. If your child is tired, they’re no longer going to be taking in new information effectively. While they rest, they’ll be committing what they learned to memory.
3. Write Everything Down
In the digital age, too many students never have to write anymore. They have tablets and laptops available for all of their work.
There are benefits to this. Children have easier access to information; they can record things faster, and they aren’t hindered by their own handwriting. On the other hand, they don’t get to take advantage of the benefits of writing things down by hand.
Writing actually helps you memorize. Have you ever written down a list for the store, forgotten it, but still remembered everything on the list? The act of writing helped!
Writing by hand on physical paper is even better for memory than writing with a stylus on a tablet.
4. “Teach” Someone Else
When your child is nearing the end of their study session, or if they’re between study sessions, have them teach you what they know.
When a child can teach you what they learned, they’re strengthening their recall abilities. This will make it easier for them to “pull up” that information during tests or essays.
Teaching a topic will also give your child a better understanding of it. They’ll learn where they have gaps in information that they can then fill.
5. Pick the Right Study Time and Place
Try to pick a study area and time that will work for your specific child.
Is your child a morning person? Make sure their study sessions are in the morning when they’re at their best. If your child is a night owl, studying at night makes far more sense.
The same is true for where your child is studying. Children who need background noise may study well in the kitchen with other people around, or in a coffee shop. A child who needs silence may be better off in a quiet office or bedroom.
Help Your Child Retain Information
You can’t teach someone how to retain information, but you can use strategies to help. These study tips will help your child stay on track during and between study sessions so they can improve their grades.
At The StudyPro, we want to help children improve their academic performance. We offer study help, executive function coaching, and more. Contact us to learn how we can help your child.