STUDY SKILLS

1. STUDY SKILLS October 3, 2011

2. Organizational Skills • Time Management Skills • Active Listening Skills • Note Taking Skills • Speed Read • Vocabulary Tests • Test Taking Skills • Tracking your grades

3. Organizational Skills Tips AT HOME • Make sure you have all your supplies: • Sort out your folders every night, handouts and papers to be signed. • Pack your backpack at night and avoid last-minute morning scrambles. • Have the phone numbers of two friends that you can call when you are sick to catch up with school work. • Keep your locker neat and clean. • Take out of your locker what you need in the order of your subject periods at school.

4. Organization Skills AT SCHOOL • Have the supplies you need: notebooks, binders, folders, paper and pencils. Update often. • Color Code your papers or folders by subjects. • Use a student planner to write everything you have to do. Due Dates of projects, Tests, and assignments. • Keep your locker neat and clean. • Take out of your locker what you need in the order of your subject periods at school.

5. Where Do You Study? • Is there a place you call it “My Study Area” ? If not, make one! • Choose a place: • With least distractions (away from TV, music, family discussions) • With bright light • Keep your supplies in the same area within ease of reach.

6. Time Management Skills • Figure out realistic times for how long things take you. • Make a schedule that works for you, including free time activities. • Keep a monthly calendar so you can make long-range plans. • Make a to-do list and cross out when you are done.

7. PLANNING a) Time management b) Daily (agenda) c) Week at a glance d) Monthly plan to see Big Picture and plot due dates, activities and family plans

8. A WEEK AT A GLANCE – TO PLAN AHEAD OF TIME

10. MY AFTERNOON SCHEDULE I AM IN CONTROL OF MY TIME; HOW I SPEND IT THE RESULTS SHOW IN MY GRADES

11. Active Listening Skills • Pay attention • Look at the speaker/teacher • Avoid distractions • Don’t interrupt • Ask questions • Repeat what the person said to make sure you understood.

12. PAY ATTENTION a) Taking notes b) Listen to key words, important words, c) Teacher’s cue and voiceintonation

13. Note Taking Skills • Copy information the teacher writes on the board. • Listen for clue words that signal important information • Put a question mark in the margin if you don’t understand and go back to check it out. • Use abbreviations to help you write faster, Make up your own. • Review your notes as soon as you can.

14. Tips for Good Note-Taking • Listen for words like: “pay attention”, “here’s an important point”, “I want to emphasize this”, “here is something that will come on the test” • Listen for details: there are three major themes in this story, the first thing you do is, the second…. • Put a question mark in your margin when you are unsure about the information and review later to fix. • Use abbreviation that make sense to you. • Date, subject and number your pages. • Look over your notes very soon and fill in the blank where you did not complete your sentences.

16. Be a Speedier Reader Get Flexible: • Careful, analytical reading (50-300 WPM). Textbook material- stuff you’ll be tested on later. • Rapid reading (300-600 WPM). If the material is easy for you, if you already know a lot about the subject, and if you’re not going to be tested on it, go ahead and read quickly. Magazine articles, newspapers… • Skimming (up to 1500 WPM). Preview a chapter, zip through a newspaper article, or race through a magazine piece using this reading rate. Your eyes may stop on a word here or there, or a paragraph that’s especially interesting to you. • Scanning (up to 3000 WPM). Use this supersonic rate to find a name in a telephone book, a word in a dictionary, a movie in the TV guide, or the answer to a textbook question after you’ve already read a chapter.

17. Be a Speedier Reader – cont’d Break Bad Habits: • Do you point your finger at every word? Do you move your lips? These habits can slow you down. Instead, hold a card under every line as you read it. • Do you always go back and reread? Sometimes this can improve your comprehension. But you shouldn’t have to read everything twice. Try highlighting or take notes. Do something! This will help you to focus your attention • Do you read every word on the page? It’s much faster and more efficient to read in word groups. Don’t let your eyes stop on every word, instead focus on three to four words at a time.

18. Be a Speedier Reader– cont’d Practice: • Try the four reading rates with different materials. Get a feel for each one. You’ll soon discover which to use when. • Mark off 100 words and time yourself when you read. Use a stopwatch. Start with articles that are easy for you . Try to remember what you read. • Practice rapid reading on a newspaper article, magazine article, or short story. Write a two or three sentence summary. • Skim a newspaper or magazine article. Write a one-sentence summary.

19. Be a Speedier Reader – Practice cont’d • Scan the telephone book for your name and your friends’ names. Scan sports articles for high-action verbs. • Read mysteries. Trying to solve “whodunits” will speed up your reading rate. • Gradually move on to more difficult material. Try reading your textbook pages a little faster, but make sure that you can mentally summarize each page before you go on to the next. • Try word-group reading a newspaper, where the columns are thin and the words group naturally.

21. Signal Words:

23. Vocabulary Tests • Go to www.studystack.com • Type your own vocabularies and definitions • Play games: flashcards, crossword puzzles, study chart…. • You can find vocabulary charts already made.

24. Test Taking Skills • Study in a comfortable place where you won’t be distracted. • Schedule review time. Don’t leave it to the last minute. • Write a study sheet using your notes, homework and class materials. • Check off information you know • Circle information you don’t understand. • Ask the teacher for help.

25. Type of Questions • True or False • Matching • Multiple Choice Questions • Word Box and questions – fill in the blank • Short answers or responses • Essay answers: 1 – 3 paragraphs

27. STAYSHARP! • Relax. Take a deep breath. • Read all the directions – carefully. • Don’t be afraid to ask the teacher to explain any directions you don’t understand. • Read all the answer choices—even if you spot the correct answer right away • Skip over questions you can’t answer quickly, then go back later. • Pace your time—to complete the test. • Proofread your answers before you hand in your paper. • Go for the extra credit or bonus point if you missed the test or could not retake it.

28. Track your grades a) chart your grades b) average your grades to stay above average c) Target areas of weakness d) Seek help/tutor, reach out for help

29. Chart Your Grades

30. Grades by Subject: _____________________ Quarter ____

31. Stay healthy a) exercise b) take a break between homework c) eat well and healthy d) get enough sleep (go to bed early!!!

32. StudySkills • Planning a) Daily (agenda) b) Week at a glance c) Monthly plan to see Big Picture and plot due dates, activities and family plans d) Time management e) Organization of supplies • Pay attention a) Taking notes b) listen to key words, important words, c) teacher’s voice d) Test-Taking skills • Track your grades: a) chart your grades b) average your grades to stay above average c) Target areas of weakness d) Seek help/tutor, reach out for help • Stay healthy a) exercise b) take a break between homework c) eat well and healthy d) get enough sleep (go to bed early!!!)

33. Have a successful year! Remember the habits you establish today, will become life time part of your daily routine which eventually lead to success or destruction… which one are you aiming at?