Exam season is here! Want to motivate the kids so studying is anything but boring? One study coach shares her top tips for fun study methods that actually work!
As parents, we all want our children to succeed academically while enjoying the learning process. Encouraging good study habits from a young age can make a huge difference in their educational journey. We spoke to Dr. Christina Wong, founder of 10X Study Academy, to get some tips on scientifically proven study techniques that are also super fun! Thanks to her tips, students under the academy typically achieve a two-grade improvement within the first month, alongside significant gains in happiness and overall well-being – impressive right?
Keep reading for her 10 fun and easy-to-implement study techniques you can teach your child to help them thrive in school. These study methods are suitable for children aged eight to 14 years old!
1. The Pomodoro Technique
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The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that breaks study time into short, focused intervals (usually 15-25 minutes), followed by a short break. This works very well to break procrastination. The secret to doing the pomodoro technique well is to make sure a clear goal/task is set before each studying session.
Set a timer for 15 minutes and encourage your child to focus on a single task during this time. After the timer goes off, they take a 5-minute break to relax or do something fun (but avoid using the phone or screen time as an incentive). Repeat this cycle 3-4 times before taking a longer break. You could make a game out of it by letting your child decorate their own “Pomodoro chart” using craft supplies.
2. The Power of a Growth Mindset
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A growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. Encourage your child to view challenges as opportunities to grow. Praise their efforts rather than just their results. For example, instead of “You’re so smart!” say, “I’m proud of how hard you worked on that project!” You can also share stories of famous individuals who succeeded through perseverance.
Fun activity idea: Create a “Growth Mindset Jar” where your child can add a note each time they overcome a challenge or learn something new.
3. Active reading
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‘Active reading’ means to engage with the learning material actively (such as textbooks, notes, even story books) rather than passively reading. Teach your child to highlight key points and make them write their own notes after reading. Encourage them to ask three to five questions about the said material and seek answers. Use graphic organisers like mind maps to visualise information.
Fun activity idea: Turn reading into a treasure hunt by asking your child to find and highlight certain pieces of information within the text.
4. The Little Teacher / Feynman Technique
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This method encourages your child to be the little teacher and teach you what they have learnt. This is one of the most effective learning techniques ever! There’s no better way to learn than to teach.
Have your child pick a topic they need to study. Ask them to explain the topic to you or a sibling as if they are the teacher. Ask them a lot of questions and get them to explain. Try setting up a ‘classroom’ at home where your child gets to be the teacher and you or their toys are the students.
5. Chunking information
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‘Chunking information’ is when you break down large amounts of information into smaller, more manageable chunks. Help your child divide their study material into sections and focus on one chunk at a time until they feel confident, then move on to the next. You can try using colour-coded flashcards or sticky notes to organise the chunks.
Fun activity: Create a puzzle out of the chunks. Write different sections of information on puzzle pieces and let your child assemble them as they study.
6. The SQ3R Method
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The SQ3R Method is a reading comprehension method designed to help students understand and retain information from their textbooks.
Survey: Have your child skim the chapter to get an overview.
Question: Encourage them to ask questions about what they’re about to read.
Read: Let them read the section thoroughly.
Recite: Ask them to summarize what they’ve read in their own words.
Review: Go over the material again to reinforce learning.
7. Mnemonic Mommy
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Memory techniques such as mnemonic can help students recall larger pieces of information through acronyms, phrases, or songs. It is very useful for specific information but can’t be used too many times for different things, as children can get confused. It also takes some extra time and effort to create. You can help your child create acronyms or phrases to remember lists or sequences. Encourage them to make up songs or rhymes that incorporate the information they need to memorise. You could also use visual mnemonics, such as drawing a picture to represent a concept.
For example, to remember the seven characteristics of living things: Movement, Respiration, Sensitivity, Growth, Reproduction, Excretion, Nutrition; You can take out the first letter of each phrase, and they will create a mnemonic “MRS GREN” with each letter standing for one characteristic of living things.
M for Movement
R for Respiration
S for Sensitivity
G for Growth
R for Reproduction
E for Excretion
N for Nutrition
To make this mnemonic memorable, you can Imagine “Mrs. Gren” as a lively character who embodies all these characteristics. You can even draw her to make the concept more visual and fun!
8. Study groups
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Collaborative learning sessions with other children to discuss and reinforce understanding of the material can be an effective and fun way to study. However, it also means it’s easy for children to get distracted. Organise study groups with your child’s classmates but also lead the charge in setting questions for the group to get them to find the answers themselves. Assign roles within the group, such as a note-taker, question-asker and explainer. Pair this with educational games and enjoy some healthy snacks, and you’ve got a fun study party!
9. Mind Mapping
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Mind mapping is a visual tool that helps students organise information. By helping the child visualise the organisation of the information, it becomes easier to understand and remember what they have learnt. Show your child how to create a mind map using a central idea and branching out into subtopics. Encourage them to use colours, images and keywords to make the mind map engaging. You can use mind maps for brainstorming, planning essays, or summarising chapters.
Fun activity idea: Start by having your child create a mind map for a topic they’re interested in, such as their favourite book or their favourite subject in school!
10. Skimming
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Parents, you might remember learning to do this in school! Skimming, which involves quickly glancing through text to get a general idea of the content, is great for kids reading or learning new topics. Show your child how to look at headings, subheadings, and highlighted or bolded words to grasp the main points of what they’re reading. Teach them to read the first and last sentences of paragraphs for a quick summary. Encourage them to identify keywords and phrases that stand out.
Fun activity idea: Turn skimming into a race by giving your child a short article and challenging them to find the main ideas in a set amount of time. Reward them for accuracy and speed.
By incorporating these fun and effective study techniques, you can help your child develop strong learning habits that will serve them well throughout their academic career. Remember, the key is to make learning enjoyable and to support your child’s efforts with encouragement and positivity!
Thank you Dr. Christina for these awesome tips! All the best with the exams, parents and kiddos!