Study is a key part of a boy’s life in school, and being able to study effectively is something he needs to strive to achieve. Although studying hard is important, learning to study smart may be the catalyst to a boy’s academic success. Here are a few tips for effective study.
Get organised
With homework, tests, sports, hobbies, family, friends and everything in between, it can be easy for study to fall through the cracks. For effective study, encourage your son to get organised. Write all the assignments that need to get done and put together a to-do list. By doing so, your son is able to clarify his responsibilities and helps him to prepare for each task.
Develop a study plan
Effective study begins when your son knows what he needs to learn. Come time for exams and assessments, he needs to be aware of the types of questions he will be asked and the topics that will be covered. Going through the course outline or syllabus will be useful because this can serve as a guide for the semester. Help your son to understand what’s expected of him, because if this isn’t clear studying can become difficult. Encourage your son to be confident in approaching his teachers with questions about assignments and grading.
Manage time
Being able to manage time is critical to your son’s success. Allocating the appropriate amount of time to prepare for tasks will keep your son on track and prevent him from cramming and facing last minute stress. For more effective study, help your son to set up a good routine, to develop the right habits and to stick to a schedule.
Come up with goals and objectives
Having clear and defined goals for the school year can be the difference-maker to your son’s success. What are the things he wants to accomplish in the school year? What are the results he wants to achieve?
A 2015 study found that when people wrote down their goals, they were 33% more successful in achieving them than those who didn’t. Without goals, your son can lack focus and direction. Goal setting sets him up on the right track, encourages him to take control of his circumstances and gives him a benchmark for determining his own success.
Have a balanced lifestyle
Encourage your son to look after his overall health and wellbeing, to balance study with other commitments, and to rest and enjoy life. Ensure that he’s getting a good night’s sleep. Studies suggest that the quantity and quality of sleep have a significant impact on learning and memory – someone who is sleep-deprived cannot focus optimally and therefore cannot learn efficiently. Sleep also plays a key part in the consolidation of memory, which is essential for learning new information.
Studying smart is all about working effectively and efficiently to help a boy learn. Although having discipline, focus and perseverance is important, being smart with the way he studies will complement his eagerness to learn and maximise how effective his studies are.
