STUDY SKILLS FOR EVERY STUDENT Lydia Harrison, M.Ed

Overview of Presentation I.Executive Function Skills (Study Skills) and Brain Research II.Working Memory, Time Management, Planning/Prioritizing, and Organization III.Resources IV. Additional Questions

Study Skills are Executive Function Skills Cognitive processes required to plan and direct activities, including task initiation and follow-through, working memory, sustained attention, performance monitoring, and goal-directed persistence. Develop gradually through the first two decades of life.

Executive Function and the Brain  Growth spurt of rapid learning and development occurs around ages of 11 or 12 as the brain prepares for the demands of adulthood.  The growth takes place from the back of the brain to the front.  Girls typically develop growth faster; boys may take to until early 20’s.

The “Pruning” Process Neural connections that are being used are retained, while those that are not used are lost. Brain researchers call this process “pruning.” The prefrontal lobes are the last area to fully develop as they become the final, common pathway for managing information and behavior. So, the practice of executive function skills are extremely important for learning self-management, and to retain the skills needed for late adolescence and adulthood.

Executive Function Skills Four areas we’ll discuss tonight:  Working Memory (test taking, taking notes)  Time Management  Planning/Prioritization  Organization (binders, planner, calendar)

Learning how to learn enhances a student’s sense of competence and his/her ability to achieve.

Working Memory  It doesn’t matter how quickly we first learn information, we begin forgetting at least some of it immediately after we stop trying to learn and remember it.  If we remember a fact beyond 15 seconds, it has moved from short term to long term memory.  Everyone can learn techniques to remember more and forget less.

Working Memory Difficulties  Short term memories do not make the connection to long term memory.  Cannot keep long term memories for very long.  Struggle to retrieve information that is stored.

Memory Strategies Feed the brain small pieces of information (20-30 minute study session/break) Mnemonics (HOMES for Great Lakes) Rehearsal (practice different methods of reciting information) Chunk (organizing information to be learned in meaningful associations) Visualization (putting information into mental pictures) Verbalization (putting information into words or verbal concepts)

Time Management  As students enter middle school, demands on time increase just as parents tend to cut back on monitoring and supervision.  At the high school level, time management issues are a major cause of friction between parents and adolescents; students often resist directions and directives from parents.  At both levels, the number of obligations increase just as the number of distractions increase.

Estimating Time  Most critical component of developing time management skills is time estimation skills.  Students may either overestimate, underestimate, or struggle with a sense of time.  Most students today use digital clocks rather than analog clocks. According to research, it is now more difficult for them to process “We will need to finish in 30 minutes,” rather than “We will finish by 10:45.”

Time Management Strategies  Create daily plan from Weekly Schedule Sheet or other weekly calendar.  Then create daily plan, including extracurricular activities, using a planner or calendar.  Estimate how long each assignment and activity will take; add start and stop times.  Keep track of estimation and the actual amount of time needed for a week.

Planning/Prioritizing  Most children and adolescents need support in learning how to plan and prioritize.  Left on their own, most will have good intentions, but end up frittering away their time on watching television, playing video games, chatting on phone, using the computer for Facebook, etc.  Communication between school and home is critical in creating realistic plans for completing assignments and long-term projects.

Planning/Prioritizing Strategies  After creating daily plan, devise a system to prioritize daily assignments.  Plan needs to include long-term projects and review of materials for upcoming tests.  Student needs to learn that putting something off until tomorrow may mean that tomorrow’s tasks may not get done.

Planning/Prioritizing Final Words Students will need support in walking through the process many times with multiple kinds of tasks (planning a party, long-term assignment, looking for a summer job) before adults can gradually turn over the process to the student.

Organization Many disorganized students are oblivious to the mess! They will struggle to contain the chaos unless supported with new strategies. Establishing good habits is much easier than breaking old ones.

Organization  Put a system in place that is simple but effective.  It is important to start very small ~ system to place homework when completed or to place papers in the correct binder or to bring home needed materials from school. Focus on only one skill.  Support/supervise daily and then gradually decrease.

Organization Strategies  If organizing study space, take a photo of the space when organized.  Color code notebooks, binders, pencil pouches, etc. for each class. Blue is history, red is math, etc.  Create simple checklists for student to follow and support using the checklists. For example, create an end-of-the-day checklist for materials, books, etc. that need to come home.

Graphic Organizers  Students who struggle with organizational skills often struggle in organizing their thoughts on paper.  Graphic organizers are valuable instructional tools as they show the order and completeness of a student’s thought process.  Organizers can also show different aspects of an issue or problem ~ details and big picture.

Learning a New Skill  Remember ~ learning a new skill takes time. Don’t become discouraged after a few days or a week.  The new skill needs to be explained, modeled, and reviewed.  Give the student lots of opportunities to use the new skill, hopefully in different environments and a variety of materials.

Resources  There are many resources for teaching executive function skills.  Look for information that is based on research and best practices.  With the development of apps for smart phones, tablets, etc., there are now a variety of downloads to support organization, time management, etc.

Concluding Thoughts  Albert Einstein once shared, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.”  Embrace your child’s strengths and passions; remember “good enough” is better than constantly striving for perfection.