Ways to encourage good study habits

Parents would want to do everything to help their kids succeed in life and one way to ensure a good future for them is to help them in their studies. Although not everyone is a natural fast learner, good study habits and consistency can help them achieve and maintain good grades. Here are some tips to help encourage your child to have good study habits:

Develop a Love for Reading

Educators believe that a love for reading leads to successful learning. Kids who love to read can also easily learn to love learning. Reading helps a child to have a rich vocabulary, learn to process formal communication, and process concepts. Students who can read well have a greater chance to learn in all subject areas, including science and math.

To share with your child the passion for reading, read to your kid regularly. Schedule a family reading time where every member of the family reads for at least 20 minutes each day. Fill your home with reading materials to create an exciting reading atmosphere for your child. Allow your child to choose their books to read, assist them in reading, and design activities to help make reading fun.

Practice Active Reading

It’s simple to go over a given chapter or book without knowing the main points of reading. You can have your child practice active reading by asking them to take note of the main idea of the discussion. Encourage them to research unfamiliar concepts or words. Create an outline of the chapter or make flow diagrams and flow charts to help arrange the concepts involved. After every section, have your child make a summary using their own words and ask them possible exam questions.

Help Your Child Create a Study Plan

A student needs to know when exams will take place, what the topics covered are, and the types of questions that will be included. From this information, you or the student can create a study plan and set enough time to prepare as cramming before an exam is the worst thing to do. You can help your child by giving them a wall calendar and have them assign topics and tasks every day towards the exam or due date of a project. It’s also important to set goals for each session to ensure success. If your child needs assistance, you can also try Cluey Learning, an online tutoring program, to help them create a customized plan to fit their needs.

Establish a Study Area at Home

Ensure that you provide your child their own workspace at home where they can focus only on studying. Check that the area is well-lit and far from any distractions. Study and note-taking supplies should be within reach such as pencils and pens, highlighters, and notepads or notebooks. Have your child decorate and personalize their study area. Teach them to clean and organize the area each night so it’s ready for use during their next session.

Avoid Distractions

To maximize your child’s focus and make the most of study time, ensure that your child gets enough sleep and eat healthy meals. When studying, ask your child to turn off their computer and other devices such as cell phones. Multi-tasking is also an impediment towards learning so it’s best to encourage your child to concentrate on one subject at a time.

Encourage Different Learning Styles

Learning styles can be auditory, visual, physical, verbal, mathematical, even solitary and social. Your child may have learning styles and preferences that they find effective for learning. Help your child explore their preferred learning styles and develop techniques to improve the quality of their learning in school.

Create an Open Line of Communication

Allow your child to express their thoughts and opinions about what’s going on with their studies. Develop an open atmosphere where they can comfortably air out their concerns, likes, and dislikes. Whenever your child expresses their opinion, ensure that you acknowledge their feelings even if you may not agree with them. If a child is stuck or when they feel like their opinions don’t matter, they’re likely to disconnect from the learning process. Meanwhile, good learners are sure that they can freely share their thoughts and ideas without being ignored, judged, or discouraged.

Final Thoughts

Starting a new grade level can be challenging but with good study habits, your child should seamlessly adjust to new expectations and schedules. These study habits are a good assurance not only for additional knowledge, but also for doing good in school. It’s also important for parents to show support to their kids instead of just giving negative criticisms.

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