Spark a Reading Revolution Bundle: Life Skills Focusing on Study Skills

 

Reading Guidance: Study Skills and Work Habits

At the start of the Academic Year, we encourage everyone to read books and borrow from the BA Library. Our Griffins follow a book quota to complete throughout the school year. The book quota is a reading challenge activity wherein students meet a number of books to read and borrow in a school year. The numbers to meet for each grade level are as follows:meet a number of books to read and borrow in a school year. The numbers to meet for each grade level are as follows:

Grade 9 - 20 books

Grade 10 - 30 books

Grade 11 - 40 books

Grade 12 - 50 books

This year, to guide our Griffins through the reading challenge, they were given an infographic that identifies topics and genre of books to read. 

To start them off with book recommendations, the BA Library put together a list of books on study skills. This was routed and shared to the advisers so that they may be able to inspire their advisees to read and direct themselves to better study skills and work habits.

Infographic: Study Habits

This infographic is made using the web app easel.ly. Graphics are from clipart.com.

Information Literacy Skills Instruction at Home - Part 1

Charity begins at home. The same goes with Information Literacy.

When my eleven year old daughter, Zoe asked permission if she can go online to search for information on the weak points of the human body, I allowed her. She knows how to turn the laptop on and connect online via broadband. Google is the search engine of choice. Over the years, she has acquired the habit of thinking aloud, especially when she's unsure of her thoughts or when the ideas in her head are all a clutter. Saying the words aloud helps her think.

I have not taught her yet that writing  ideas down will help in finding clarity. That would be the next lesson.

So, when she blurted out, what are the weak points or weaknesses of the body, I knew she's using her brain to access information from Google. I stepped in.

I told her, "You don't type the whole question on Google. What is it that you want to know?"

She replied, "I want to know the weak points of the human body."

"OK. I can identify two phrases that you can use to search in Google. Weak points and human body. That's all you need to type in Google." I said.

"Oh. Thanks, Ma!"

In less than a minute, Google gave her hits.

"See," I said. "Weak points and human body are key words to help you search faster online."

She clicked a link and started reading. I was amused at how amused she was learning the different weak points. I learned too that many weak points are found in the face. It was interesting stuff. She got her notebook and took notes. Luckily for her, the site she was on had text that was easy to read. When stumped with a difficult word, she paused and asked, "Ma, I need to check the dictionary."

She used the dictionary app in my MacBook. When it did not give her the meaning of the word, she called again for me.

"It's not in the dictionary."

"Use World Book Online. Your word must be a difficult one."

"Yeah. The word is radius but it's not about the topic I'm reading on the human body. Look here."

--To be continued--

Quickie Reviews: Study Skills for Teens

The holiday season has been wicked! The blog's been sleeping for weeks. Here's a list of book reviews in brief. I have taken this from my list of recommended reads in the library. Hoping to blog more the coming days since school's out on Christmas break.

a. Your Guide to Effective Studying by Jenny King - King shares six steps to becoming a better student. She helps readers establish a focus at the start of the academic year -- setting goals and keeping track; following through and reflecting on progress, failures included. Time management, good nutrition and a stable support system are added to the list as strategies to keep in becoming a better learner.

b. Study Skills for the the International Baccalaureate by John Tomkinson - Comprehensive in scope and coverage, the readers will find the book useful in all aspect of studies under the IB umbrella. Tomkinson orients the student to imminent success and possible failure in academics. So he warns IB students: BEWARE! Surfing the web can be addictive. You may find yourself wasting valuable time following up irrelevant leads.

c. Study Skills in English by Michael Wallace - For teachers who teach university bound students and students who are SERIOUS at attending university, the book covers topics on reading varied academic texts; taking notes (yes, even with a laptop, this is an essential skill!); using library resources; taking part in discussions and managing time. Includes task assessment worksheets for teacher and student, assisting them in charting progress and otherwise.

Some websites worthy of your time on this topic --

For teachers and parents who wish to help and support their teenagers become independent learners, Kids Health discuss positive learning.

A document to download on tips and techniques on studying better.

We can teach our teens to think. We can teach them to study too!