Good study skills can increase a student’s confidence, competence, and self-esteem, as well as reduce anxiety about tests and deadlines.
At Rugby School Thailand, the E and D Block (Years 10 & 11) students recently participated in a special study skills seminar with Elevate Education. Drawing upon 20 years of research into the habits of top students worldwide, Elevate’s high-impact seminars and workshops help students improve their study techniques, increase their motivation, build confidence, and lift exam performance. Their reputation for achieving behavioural change has led the company to become an international leader in education, working with over 1500 schools and 350,000 students in the UK, USA, Singapore and South Africa.
The feedback from Rugby School Thailand students following the seminar was fantastic, and it has given them added confidence as they prepare for the upcoming examination season.
Here are the top 5 study skills tips they took away:
1) Effective Note Taking: Title your page with the class name and date, and prepare yourself by knowing the core themes and ideas that will be discussed in the lesson. Listen for introductory and/or final remarks, which often summarise concepts, as well as repeated words and key phrases, such as “to sum up”. Referring to notes within 24 hours of taking them will allow students to check for clarity, fill in any missing pieces and better organise their thoughts.
2) Trigger Words: A trigger is a mechanism that causes something else to happen. By using carefully selected ‘trigger words’ in studying, students can activate their memories and deeper thinking skills. This technique can also be used to significant effect when reviewing their own notes.
3) Mind Mapping: By creating a graphic network of organized information using visuals, colours and trigger words, students can provoke their memory, as well as encourage new thoughts.
4) Developing an independent learning file: Markers quickly become acquainted with the typical content and ideas that students use when they learn for exams. If students prioritize spending 20 minutes a week exploring content that is not directly related to their classwork, their detailed and unique responses will easily stand out from the crowd, leading to much higher results.
5) Using past papers as revision: Past papers are an invaluable resource for familiarising with terminology and identifying patterns within different subject exams. They help students practice writing, analyse work and understand the marking system.
