New Year, New Term and New Study Skills!

Many students in grade 7-12 struggle with study skills as well as executive functioning.

There are many reasons why students struggle with a lack of organization and effective study skills. Most often, it is not a function of poor understanding of curriculum material, rather a challenge with executive functioning. EF are the thinking skills that enable us to make and execute plans, pay attention, regulate our emotions and monitor our thoughts and actions. Working memory, ( the cognitive" bulletin board" that helps us use and make connections with information), is often very problematic for some students with EF issues. 

Here is a list of useful ideas that will help your teen feel better about their study skills.

1. Don't treat homework as a punishment. Support your child in a positive way, encouraging them to take small steps to become independent learners. 

2. Where possible, provide a quiet, personal work space at home that will be respected by other family members. Make sure there is a comfortable chair, good lighting and a work top.

3. Consistent homework time in your family can be helpful. In our busy lives, this is not always possible, but making every effort to stick to the schedule is helpful. 

4. How much time should my teen spend doing homework? That all depends on the grade, your child's learning skills and ability to attend to task. A well-fed, rested student is best able to approach homework with confidence. If your child has ADHD, anxiety or learning issues, please make sure they take frequent breaks. They should use a timer and set it for smaller chunks of time, allowing a break between each subject or longer project work. 

5. It is strongly recommended that your child leave their phones outside of their homework spaces to avoid distractions.

6. Be there to support, where possible. Just offering an encouraging word, or having your child share their completed task, can build confidence and self-worth. 

7. Encourage your teen to write down questions for the teacher as they complete tasks. This will build independence in learning.

8. Finally, have confidence in your child, and be positive. Share any strategies, apps that work for you relating to time-management, task completion and how you cope when you don't understand something. Don't hesitate to connect with the teachers if you feel that your child is struggling.