Quiz me, Mom!
Surely one of the most common answers when one asks a child how he will study for an assessment is “I’ll have my mom or dad quiz me.” While such a review strategy can, indeed, be helpful, it does not teach children study skills. Nor does it give children a strategy they can use if adults are not available. Below are some ideas for how to study independently. Try teaching these strategies at home. Older children may benefit from having a printed study strategies menu that they can consult when they review for tests.
Review homework and classwork for the unit. Check any corrections to that work. Retry problems you answered incorrectly the first time.
Re-read notes and handouts for any topic that seemed difficult. Consult your textbook, talk to a friend, or meet with your teacher if any topics are still unclear.
Write a summary of what you have learned in the unit. Consult your notes, class work, homework, and textbook to make sure that the information you write is accurate.
Try unassigned questions from the textbook. Look for questions where there is an answer key in the book.
Check your online textbook or textbook publisher’s to see if any practice questions or quizzes are available.
Check your class website for online study resources.
Create flashcards for vocabulary or facts. These can be hand written or made using an online tool like Quizlet.
