How Your Child Study? Still Using The Same OLD Method You Used Decades Ago?

Alright parents, let us travel back to memory lane here. Remember the time when you are a student back in the 1990s or even 1980s perhaps, how do you actually study for your UPSR, PMR and SPM exams? I bet many would agree with me if I say that we study by reading through thick textbooks and struggling to memorize the entire content. And how many of us actually produce excellent results by using this method?

Let us look at some current figure here. In Wilayah Persekutuan, out of 25,671 students who sat for UPSR exam in 2008, only 2,797 managed to score straight As which is approximately 10.8% only. Those that can score straight As are the excellent students, they pay attention in classroom and if they don’t understand they’ll raise hand and ask. Excellent students have no problem reading through thick textbooks as they can understand the topic well and are able to output it during exams.

Those that fall under the 90% category are either average or weak students. Most of them are not paying good attention in classroom and have no confidence to raise hand and ask questions when they do not understand. So, if your child and belongs to the 90% category and are struggling with the same old method of studying through thick textbooks then you need to STOP it.

Children are individuals who learn in a variety of different ways. The key is to find the way that the child learns best and to supply the child with the tools and skills which help them study in a way that could reduce their stress levels, improve their grades and along with all this give things they wish to do apart from their studies.

Here are some of the tips to help your child to study more effectively:

Take Good Notes And Review It Daily

Brief but compact notes are essential and especially suitable for students wishing to do revision on any subject before practicing on the exercise. And it should be prepared topically. Highlight major topics and subtopics, with the goal of generating an outline of your notes. Even if you take your notes in outline form, this is a good practice. This suggestion is one which we have all heard a thousand times. Unfortunately, most of us never really believe it until we actually try it. Spend 30 minutes or so each evening going over the notes from each topic. Research has shown that reviewing new material within 24 hours of hearing it increases your retention of that material by about 60%. If you want to significantly reduce the time necessary to prepare for exams, this is the way to do it.

Mind Mapping

Studying using mind map is a great way to review topic with a ton of related information, such as science and history. The result is that the remembering process and repeating technique are faster and more effective. Weak and average students would benefit greatly from studying using mind maps and it is an excellent study aid and can make revising for exams easy and fun!

Time Management

Set up a routine for the children to study, at least one hour daily should be dedicated to their study and learning. Whatever the children learn in school that day, should also be revised with the parents at home and any other teacher. This way they will grasp it quicker and will remember it. If parents show interest in their child’s studies, the child will automatically be alert and interested too. Don’t study last minute. It is proven that studying a large amount of material the night before an exam is unproductive. Not only you fail to learn anything, but you also lose sleep.

Motivation & Encouragement

Remember the days when constant shouting of your parents and even cane beatings were not able to motivate you to study. You don’t want your children to have the same problems which you had to suffer because of not studying from the childhood. Motivation and encouragement are important to help them achieve success and confidence in their life. Praise him/her when they bring good grades and encourage them to study. Talk to your child about his/her likes, dislikes, and the subjects, which he/she finds easy or difficult. Keep the flow of communication open between you and your child. It will help you keep a tab on his/her studies. Studying doesn’t just mean completing homework. So instead of allotting time for completing the homework, allot time for studying.