Cognition and learning: study skills

Ideas and resources to help young people studying.

Study skills can be difficult for many young people, particularly those with literacy or memory difficulties. Specific problem areas can include:

• Memorising: facts, names, sequences, rote memory.
• Concentration.
• Expressive writing problems: even when orally competent.
• Copying and note taking.
• Word retrieval.
• Lack of automaticity.
• Confidence.

We have compiled a list of helpful ideas and resources:

• Personal organisation
• Helping with memory
• Resources

Personal organisation

Personal organisation is an important part of helping young people become independent learners and use their study skills. The following ideas and resources can be helpful:

• explicitly teach how to use homework organiser or planner
• timetables (visual timetables, ICT versions, Google Calendar) 
• plan things in advance
• technology and applications. (e.g. Workflowy, Remember The Milk, Brain In Hand, Siri, calendar, iPhone, Microsoft Outlook, Office 365, Microsoft learning tools).
• teach learners to prioritise work in the time available.

Resource:

• My Study Bar (Blogspot website)

Helping with memory

• give one instruction at a time.
• ask student to repeat instructions.
• chunking information.
• notebooks and techy aids, checklists.
• teach mnemonics.
• personal prompts e.g. markers.
• visual aids.
• apps.

This booklet contains excellent research-based ideas on supporting working memory:

• Understanding Working Memory: A Classroom Guide (PDF, 0.4MB)

Resources

Helpful sites for revision and independent study:

• Study skills (The Open University website)
• Study Skills for Students (Education Corner website)
• Diversity and Ability website 

A interactive website designed for adult students. Information can be adapted:

• Study skills for students with dyslexia

Technology to support study skills:

• EduApps website

For help with referencing:

• Mendeley website
• RefMe website 
• Resources (Diversity and Ability website) - select the 'Referencing' filter for downloadable guides and information.
• Zotero website

Read the helpful resources on avoiding plagiarism:

• Essential Study Skills (Sage Publishing website)

Information on metacognition and other learning strategies:

• Education Endowment Foundation website