Study Smart: Study Skills for Middle Schoolers that Actually Help

As parents, you may have experienced this: your child, who was performing perfectly fine in elementary school, suddenly struggles to maintain good grades in middle school. The main reason that contributes to this is the fact that classes get more complex and assessments become stricter around middle school. As academics become progressively challenging and the number of subjects and classes increases exponentially, inefficient study habits and underdeveloped study skills may be crippling the potential of your child.

Although schools teach study skills, your pre-teen may need more guidance than that. Modeling effective study habits through demonstration and repeated practice can guide your child to discover strategies that help them learn efficiently. In this article, we will explore effective study skills and habits that can help middle schoolers succeed now and lay the foundation for future academic and career success.

The Essential Study Skills for Academic Success in Middle School and Beyond

‍Middle school presents a key opportunity to establish strong study habits, as the academic demands of high school, college and careers will only intensify in subsequent years. Mastering study skills early on in middle school will significantly improve your child’s ability to ace tests and learn meaningfully in the future.
‍
Here’s a short list of skills to teach your pre-teen for a successful and fulfilling learning

1. Understanding their own learning style and preference
2. Learn note taking skills
3. Create a personalized system for managing tasks
4. Planning for long projects and big tests
5. Staying motivated
   

Exploring different learning styles

Knowledge of one’s learning style plays a crucial role in better understanding and retaining information. Broadly speaking there are four different learning styles that experts have identified and these are visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic. While no one learning style is suitable or just enough to power your child through their learning journey, a combination of these styles is essential to build strong study skills.

Take time to introduce your child to the different learning styles and help them figure out what learning style they are most compatible with. This can be understood mainly through gauging which learning style appeals to them and what are their core strengths. Continue experimenting with different learning styles across different subjects to arrive at the most compatible learning methods.

Here are the different learning methods and what they mean:

Visual learners find illustrations, diagrams, and other visually appealing materials best suited to understand and remember new information. Videos are another tool that can aid the learning process for visual learners.

Auditory learners tend to be most engaged when they can hear learning materials rather than solely reading independently. Some highly effective techniques for these learners include listening to lectures, audiobooks, instructional videos, and even explaining topics aloud to teach others.

In contrast, Reading/Writing learners typically benefit most from visually ingesting content through reading notes, textbooks or other materials themselves. They also consolidate knowledge well through activities like rewriting notes or summaries of what they've read.

Kinesthetic learners will benefit most from hands-on lessons such as experiments and demonstrations. A simple and effective method is writing down notes as this category of learners learn best when they engage with what they are learning through activity.

Note taking skills

Unlike elementary school, where children could mostly rely on worksheets and workbooks, middle school requires students to be attentive in order to fully comprehend complex concepts. Note-taking, even though it may seem like a daunting task, especially for students who are just entering middle school, can actually help them retain more information compared to just actively listening. This is because listening to someone speak about a topic does not engage the mind as much as the physical act of writing down the information.

To teach your child note-taking, encourage them to take notes of the exact information that their teacher writes on the board during class. Then slowly build on these skills by asking them to include information that they find to be most crucial to the topic. Be sure to emphasize the benefits of note-taking and its importance as a reviewing tool, especially for exam preparations. Consider introducing your child to other note-taking methods and tools such as mind maps, the Cornell note-taking method, etc., to make this process more efficient.
‍
Cornell note taking: Developed by a Cornell University professor back in the 1950s, the Cornell note-taking method provides a framework for taking notes in class. This method involves dividing the paper into three distinct sections: the notes, the cues, and the summary. During class, take the notes and relevant information in the notes section. Use the cues section to record anything specific mentioned by the teachers, such as different types of questions for tests, prompts to study the topic, and so on. Use the summary section only once the lecture is over. Take one to two minutes to look over the notes and write a summary in two to three lines, highlighting the biggest ideas covered.

Mind mapping, especially for visual learners, can be an impactful tool. Mind maps visually represent the relationships between individual concepts and facts. To create a mind map, write the main concept in the middle of the page and branch out from there to flesh out the details. You could use paper to create mind maps during class, but using tools like Coggle or Whimsical can be a fun way for your child to learn with mind maps.‍

Personalized system for managing tasks and organization

For a middle schooler, managing day-to-day tasks on their own might seem quite possible. Yet, you may have encountered instances where your child missed a deadline, turned in an assignment late, or even forgotten about a class test entirely. Such mistakes are inevitable, and that is why building a well-planned system for organizing tasks is crucial.

A middle schooler might not be best equipped to plan, prioritize, and organize on their own, as their executive functioning skills are still developing. Parents can help create a system that allows them to stay organized and on top of their tasks. Let's first look at creating a system to manage tasks, such as events, extracurriculars, and study preparation.

Use a planner or a combination of a task manager and calendars. The first step in the organization process is to record the tasks, including all the relevant details and due dates. Experiment with online task manager tools such as Todoist, Trello, or Any.do to keep the process exciting for your child. Use daily planners if your child prefers a paper-based system.

The second step is to actually plan out the tasks. For this, you could encourage your child to use calendar apps. Teach them to view planning in two stages: weekly and daily. Set aside one day in the week, preferably a weekend, to plan out the tasks for the next week. Continuously review the tasks each day to monitor progress and tasks that have been accomplished.

To manage study materials, including handouts, notes, and assignments, use color-coded binders or dividers. You could also consider using a file box for long-term storage.

Remember, building the habit of using the system consistently and sticking to it takes effort. In the initial stages of building the system, sit with your child to plan everything out meticulously. Once they are familiar with the system, gradually allow them to take control of the planning on their own while keeping an eye on their progress.

Planning ahead for projects 

Planning ahead not only avoids last-minute rushes or cramming but also helps your child score better grades and perform well.

Look at assignments that are due in the next two to four weeks. Sit with your child to discuss their ideas for the project and plan the next steps. The most efficient practice is to help them break down the project into smaller chunks or tasks. Decide on deadlines for these smaller tasks and allocate time in the weekly calendar, as discussed in the previous section. Discussing the time required to complete tasks and allocating time accordingly allows them to learn time management and estimation skills.

‍Keeping  motivation alive

If you notice your child consistently putting off tasks until the last minute, it's likely because they lack motivation to perform those tasks. Difficult , delayed rewards, or other distractions can contribute to procrastination in your child.

To tackle challenging tasks, use the method of breaking them down into subtasks, as discussed in the previous section. This will allow them to focus on specific activities that are less daunting. Another approach is to provide the right support when they feel stuck. Access to a personal tutor or knowledge of helpful resources can boost your child's confidence when dealing with complex problems.
‍
While learning itself should be a motivator, sometimes children need additional incentives. Establish certain milestones they need to achieve in order to earn rewards. These milestones can be incorporated into their daily schedule, such as 45 minutes of uninterrupted study time followed by 10 minutes of screen time. Remember to include bigger rewards, such as watching a movie or having game time, for completing larger tasks.

If you notice your child consistently putting off tasks until the last minute, it's likely because they lack motivation to perform those tasks. Difficult , delayed rewards, or other distractions can contribute to procrastination in your child.‍

Teach Your Child to Study Smartly

Finding the most compatible learning style and establishing a positive study habit that lasts over time requires constant review and monitoring. Building study skills that extend beyond school necessitates an individualized approach.

‍Crimson Rise programs adopt a personalized approach to empowering each student. Through one-on-one guidance, our mentors work closely with children to discern the learning techniques that suit them best. We help students establish a robust foundation for academic success by exploring diverse study strategies and resources until we determine the optimal methods that will serve them well both now and in their future educational and professional careers. Book a free consultation with our academic expert to know more about building an individualized academic pathway for your child.
‍