Study Skills and Reading Strategies that Can help Your Child Become a Better Student

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Study Skills and Reading Strategies that Can help
Your Child Become a Better Student
Dinorah MacElwain Gunston Middle School Reading
Skills Specialist
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What you needs as Student to Set Up a Study Area

• Things you need to get ready
• Your assignment notebook -write down all
  assignments right away and listen carefully to
  what the teacher says
• Start immediately when you sit down to study
• Plan what you want to accomplish
• make a list of what you need to do
• choose a consistent time and place for best
  results
• Break down large tasks into smaller ones
• Have a solid, flat surface you can write on
• Clear everything off your desk except what you
  are working on
• Make sure you have good lighting not too bright,
  not too dim
• Pick a regular chair that is comfortable
• Have all necessary text books, reference books
  and supplies
• pencils, pens, markers, erasers, white-out,
  ruler, stapler and staples, paperclips, pencil
  sharpener, post it notes, index cards, paper,
  scissors, calculator,  etc. Keep them in a
  handy place - like in a shoe box

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• Keep a clock nearby - This will help you to
  manage your time
• Eliminate all distractions - this would include
  TV, loud radio music, boom-boxes, etc.
• Classical music played softly may be helpful
• If you have a computer, have it handy. It may be
  helpful. 
• If you are supposed to wear glasses, please do
  so. This will help in getting the most out of
  your studying
• Good health
• get enough sleep
• set a reasonable bedtime
• eat breakfast
• eat three good meals a day - your body needs
  energy to study well
• get some exercise
• take frequent breaks from studying - this may
  mean every ten minutes to begin with
• Be aware of when you start to daydream - and stop
  right away 
• Keep a record of what you have accomplished. It
  helps keep the I Cant monster away.

TO DO LIST Math page 17, 1-6 Geography, pages
121-39
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I CAN vs. I Cant - Asking the right questions
helps.

• Ways to put off the I Cant syndrome before it
  begins.
• Did you write down your assignment?
• Have you read the directions?
• What is it that you dont understand?
• Do you have a friend you can call to help you ?
• Have you asked your teacher for help?
• Have you tried to do it yourself?
• See. I knew you could do it. Now, all you have
  to do is
• Being positive is one of the most important steps
  to becoming successful.

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Study Aids

• Taking Notes
• Mapping
• Marking and underlining
• Post It Notes
• Overlays
• Highlighting
• Breaking down difficult text
• Dictionary
• Time management

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A Good Reader.
A good reader does as many of the
following as possible Captures the main
ideas                              Thinks about
what the author is saying  Is active, not
passive                          Concentrates on
what is being read  Remembers as much as
possible,        Applies what is being read to
personal experience make connections. .
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Before you Read Think about the
subject you are going to read about. What
do you know about this subject? What do
you want to learn about this subject?
As you begin readingSkim the section you
are going to read. Do you see anything
familiar?Do you see anything new?What is your
overall impression?
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Then...Read for comprehension - Make a note of
important parts. Use a post-it note or an index
card and write down important main ideas and
vocabulary.  This will help you review what you
have read.Stop and re-read ideas that you are
not sure you understand.Think of where else you
might find more information about he same topic. 
While reading.and at the endRecall to
yourself what you have just read, stopping
occasionally to put into your own words what you
have readAt the end of a chapter, recall what
the main points wereWhat new things did you
learn?   Discuss what you have read with another
student, your teacher or your parents. This
will help you clarify your thinking.
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Reading for Comprehension from a Textbook
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Breaking Down Difficult Text

• Preview the Text
• Get a grasp on how the material is organized
• If there is a summary, read it.
• Look at the pictures and graphs.
• Make connections- what do you already know?
• Read first what you do understand
• Ask yourself questions
• Go over what you have read and put it into your
  own words.
• Look up words.
• Take notes and organize your ideas.
• If the
  material is still difficult, reread the text.
• If it still
  proves challenging, ask for help!

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Marking and Underlining Text

• Read a section of the text
• Review the selection
• Mark or number important ideas in the marginin
  pencil, or use an overlay sheet.
• Underline or highlight
• Main ideas- and examples of ideas that help you
  understand them
• Unfamiliar vocabulary and/or definitions
• Jot down paraphrases, questions and summaries on
  margins or where space is available (Post It
  Notes)
• DO NOT Highlight entire pages or selections. This
  makes it difficult to pick out what is really
  important.

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Notes from Textbooks
There are many different ways to take notes from
a textbook. Try several different ways until you
find the one that works best for you. Here are
three examples
What is important in taking notes is knowing what
is important and what is not necessary. Choose
your categories and ideas carefully before you
begin to annotate (take notes).
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An Easy to Use Reading Strategy
Fold your paper in three equal parts.
Write K, W, L One letter in each of the three
sectio K- List what you already KNOW about the
subject W List WHAT you want to know from
the reading L- List what you have LEARNED after
you have read
KWL

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Steps to use in problem solving- a different
kind of reading.

• Word problems are really applied math problems.
• The most challenging part is converting the
  problem
• into mathematics. Here are four steps you to
  use
• 1. Understand the problem- identify which
  quantity the problem is asking you to find.
• 2. Devise a plan - what skills and techniques
  do you need to apply to solve the problem.
• 3. Carry out the plan- Show your work.
• 4. Look back, check your answer- Does the answer
  make sense? Also. Note what the problem asked for
  and what skills you used to solve it. In this
  way, you will recognize, and be able to solve,
  similar problems.
• Most important of all, READ THE WHOLE PROBLEM
  before you begin.

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As a parent, you can make reading for pleasure an
important part of your child becoming a better
reader.

• Ask your child what he/she likes, then find
  reading materials on that topic at a bookstore or
  library.
• Have your child help you with a recipe, building
  a model, or looking for information on the
  computer.
• Spend time reading with your child instead of
  watching TV.
• Share about your reading with your child.

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How to find and share good reading material for
parents and students.

• Ask friends, teachers,and neighbors for
• the names of their favorite books.
• Visit the local public library and ask the
  librarian for suggestions.
• Check book reviews in the newspaper.
• Browse the bookstore and the library with your
  child.
• If your child doesnt like a book, get a new one.
• Use every opportunity to share
• reading with your child.

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The Pitcher The Catcher
(taken directly from How To Read A Book by M.
Adler and C. Van Doren.)
Think of it this way  The author is the
pitcher. When you read a book,  you want to catch
the meaning.
The reader is the catcher. The catcher has to be
active and exert the right amount of effort at
the right time  to catch the meaning of what the
author is saying.
Make sure you keep your eye on the ball! If you
are daydreaming, you are going to be in trouble!