Teaching Study Skills

Suggestions from Introductory-Level Classes with Major and Non majors

Katryn Wiese – City College of San

Francisco

Teaching Study Skills

Introductory-level courses bring a diverse group of students:

Recent High School Graduates

Workforce Graduates (postponed college)

Professionals looking for career changes

CCSF – Mentor / Student / Faculty Mt. Diablo Field Trip

Teaching Study Skills

Reasons for learning/relearning good study skills:

• Never learned them the first time• Forgot how to be a student• Need to adjust to college expectations

Teaching Study Skills

Reasons for teaching good study skills:

• Helps in their future classes (and thus improves their confidence)• Helps them progress through your own class more successfully. • Makes it easier to maintain high expectations because you give them the tools to success.

TEACHING STUDY SKILLSSet high expectations;

then give them the resources to meet them

WHAT ARE SOME GOOD WAYS TO HELP STUDENTS MEET HIGH EXPECTATIONS?

TEACHING STUDY SKILLSSet high expectations. Suggestions:• THE BEST WAY THE I’VE FOUND TO GET STUDENTS TO MEET HIGH EXPECTATIONS IS SIMPLY TO EXPECT IT! (You will not receive peak performance from every student, but everyone will try; many will succeed; and those who don’t will have given more thanthey usually do and thus have expanded their own expectations!)

• Help them meet these expectations with office hours, tutors, and study sessions led by mentors (previous A students) on content PLUS key skills like: studying for exams, reading the chapter, taking notes, and more.

TEACHING STUDY SKILLS

Give incentives

What are some ways to reinforce good study skills through reward/incentives?

TEACHING STUDY SKILLSGive incentives (build grading schemes around good study skills). Suggestions:• Assign reading and then quiz them with questions from the reading• Remind them to review last week’s material and then quiz them with questions from last week.

TEACHING STUDY SKILLS

Provide homework activities that encourage

efficient, effective studying.

What are some activities you can provide to get students to study more

effectively and efficiently?

TEACHING STUDY SKILLS

Provide homework activities that encourage efficient, effective studying. Suggestions:• Writing out answers, in their own words, from their own understanding• Explaining their answers or their understanding to other students in groups• Practicing quantitative problems and problem solving through extra handouts• Completing study sheets prior to exams (requiring that they review and write out answers to basic questions prior to coming to the exam)

TEACHING STUDY SKILLS

Demonstrate the skills yourself.

How can you demonstrate good study skills

as you teach?

TEACHING GOOD STUDY SKILLS

Demonstrate the skills yourself. Suggestions:• Memorize your students names and other facts throughout the semester and show them the method and time it takes• Grade your tests and assignments right away and thoroughly• Tell students you’ll research the answer to questions you don’t know how to answer in class (and the do it!)• Remind students at the end of each class what your expectations are regarding their review, homework, and understanding of the material.

We have now completed this week’s question sheet.

On your own, review each question again. I recommend that you write out your answers (synthesize your thoughts and notes and put

the answers into your own words).

If something doesn’t make sense or to just get some feedback, come see the tutors or me

during my office hours.

Remember: half of next week’s quiz will contain any question from the question sheet.

TEACHING STUDY SKILLSGet familiar with your college’s resources

and advise students to use them!

What resources exist at your college?