What to Do When Kids Have Trouble Studying
In this article, you will find:
The questioning process
A Self-Reflection ChecklistThe following checklist condenses the questioning process for developing a personal plan for study for middle school students. Make copies for yourself and Vinny. Add, delete, or change questions to accommodate his changing needs and academic demands. Have him use this before and after all major assignments until he can do it spontaneously.
Checklist For Thinking About Studying
Thinking before I study
Do I understand why I have to read this material?
What do I already know about this subject?
Can I make some predictions about this material before I read it?
Do I know all that I need to know about this?
Do I know where I can get more information?
What are some new strategies and tactics I can use to learn this?
When is the work due?
How much time will I need to do or learn this?
How do I submit it?
Thinking when I finish studying
How can I spot an error if I make one?
Will I be able to answer questions correctly in class?
Will I be able to answer them on a test or quiz?
How can I revise my plan if this one is not working?
A final and very powerful way to get Vinny to think about his thinking is to think aloud yourself. Strategize aloud as you shop in the supermarket, buy a new car, fix dinner, or figure out how to get him to the dentist after the soccer game and home in time to let the cat out. Metacognition prompts self-reflection, forces clarification, and paves the way for self-correction. Show Vinny, with a thinking checklist and by your own good example, that forty-five minutes of self-monitored ruminating is the best study method he can strap to his brain.