Study Skills Pisgah High School

							STUDY SKILLS

 Pisgah High School Freshman Transition Program
Lesson 1: Get Organized
 Good organization sharpens study skills. Different colored file
 folders and assignments and notes filed in a class-specific
 notebook are signs of organization.


 •The Notebook. Notebooks make learning materials easy to
 find. Folders and binders with dividers are great to organize
 notes, assignments and test results. Have separate, labeled
 notebooks for each class.
 •Assignments. Write down assignments for all classes in one
 designated place. Include due dates and important information
 for each one. Ask the teacher to explain unclear assignments
 and keep records of the grades received. Notice the types of
 assignments that need more work.
Activity for Lesson One
Organization : Setting Priorities
ACTIVITY ONE: SETTING
PRIORITIES
From soccer practice and
homework to family meals
and TV, each day is busy and
full. Learning how to
prioritize everyday tasks is a
challenge even for many
adults.
How do you set priorities?
You have the right to choose
your own priorities, but some Now do the Setting Goals worksheet
may lead to better            and discuss with the class.
consequences than others.
Lesson 2: Note Taking

Improving Your Note Taking
Learning how to take good notes in class is an
important part of study preparation. The
information provided and topics covered by your
teacher are what you will be studying. If you don’t
take good notes in class, you won’t know what to
study once class is over.

The following tips can help you take effective
notes:
•Make clear and accurate notes
Clearly written, accurate notes help to capture information for
later study and review. Often when taking notes in class, you
will understand what the teacher is saying, so you will decide
not to take clear and accurate notes, only to find out later that
you can't remember what the teacher was saying and that your
notes aren't clear or accurate enough for you remember the
details of the lecture. Taking accurate and clear notes will (1)
ensure that you understand the subject matter being discussed,
(2) will help to concrete what is being taught in your mind and
(3) will provide you the means to go back after class and review
the subject matter being taught.
•Compare your notes
When class is over, compare your notes to those taken by other
students. Sometimes other students will pick up on things
discussed by the teacher that you missed or didn't find important.
Comparing notes will help ensure that your notes are complete
and accurate.
•Minimize distractions
If you're serious about your education then you'll want to remove
any distractions that keep you from concentrating on class
lectures and taking copious notes. Sit close to the front of the
room. Don't sit next to individuals you are tempted to talk to
during class, and try to stay away from any other situation that
would distract you during class.
•Come to class prepared
There is nothing that will help you take better notes than coming
to class prepared. Before coming to class make sure that (1) you
have read all assigned readings and (2) that you have reviewed
your notes from the previous class. Coming to class prepared
will help you take much better notes. You'll be able to take more
detailed notes on items you don't fully understand. You'll be able
to ask questions that will lead to more accurate and useful note
taking. And you'll be better prepared to learn new information
not covered in previous class lectures.
•Organize your notes

Start each class with a clean sheet of paper.
Put the day's date at the top of your notes along with any other
relevant information (i.e. history notes, chemistry notes, etc.).
This will help you to keep track of each day’s notes and
increase your ability to go back and review your notes for
exams and quizzes.
•Use abbreviations and symbols
In some classes it can be difficult to write down
everything that the teacher is saying. Use short
sentences and phrases and easily remembered
abbreviations and symbols in order to make sure
you're able to keep up.
•The following are few common abbreviations
and symbols that students can use to speed up
their note taking: cf (compare), ie (that is), e.g.
(for example), w/ (with), w/o (without), &, +
(and), = (equals, is). There are numbers of other
abbreviations that you can come up with to
increase your note taking speed, but you must
make sure you remember what each abbreviation
is or make sure that you have a key that tells you
what each abbreviation means. You texting experts
will be good at this!
•Write clearly
It doesn't matter how many notes you can take if you can't
make sense of your notes after the lecture is over. Make
sure to write clearly -- especially if you're using
abbreviations. Its also useful to leave plenty of blank space
in the left margin or in between ideas or new concepts so
that you can come back later and add more information.
•Review your notes
Review your notes as soon as you can. Reviewing your
notes directly following a lecture will make sure that (1)
you understand your notes, (2) you understood the lecture
and (3) you make concrete in your mind the concepts and
information you learned.
•Write down questions
Quite frequently you're going to find -- especially as
you enter college -- that is can be difficult-- if not
impossible-- at times to understand everything the
teacher is talking about. Make sure to write down any
questions you have or concepts you didn't completely
understand so that you can go back after class and ask
the teacher specific questions or use reference
resources to better understand difficult concepts.
  Lesson 3: Effective Listening
Learning requires listening. Learning effectively requires
effectively listening. Even though listening is one of the
most important skills for effective learning, most people are
not good listeners. Since most of what you are required to
learn in school is going to be communicated by a teacher, it
is imperative that you learn to listen. Don’t make the
mistake of thinking that hearing and listening are the
same thing—they are very different. When you listen to
what someone is saying, you are not only hearing what
they are saying; you are also processing what they are
saying.

The following are tips for improving your ability to listen:
•Listen for meaning
Pay attention not only to the words being
spoken by your teacher but to the
thoughts and messages they convey.
Identify the main idea, concept, or
subject being addressed--and the
relating issues. Listen for explanations,
descriptions, and clarifications. Again,
don't just hear the words; listen to the
meanings being communicated.
     •Adjust your note taking style to the type of
     lesson

Poor listeners try to        *   Effective listeners
write down everything,       *   adjust their note-
believing a detailed         *   taking to the lecture
outline and effective        *   style. They listen to
notes are the same thing.    *   what’s important,
They get frustrated when     *   they try to
they cannot see the          *   understand
meaning behind what          *   concepts, and they
they are writing down, or    *   take notes that
they go to review their      *   clarify, organize, and
notes and don't              *   reiterate important
understand the concepts      *   details of the lecture.
that were taught in class.   *
•Tackle difficult-to-understand
material


•Frequently, when a teacher starts to
speak on a topic or concept that is
difficult to understand, students stop
listening. They are hearing what the
teacher is saying, but they are not
processing the information they are
hearing. Effective listeners tackle
difficult material and expend the brain
power required to process what they
are hearing—even when it is difficult.
•Concentrate and pay attention
Poor listeners frequently are poor concentrators.
Effective listening requires that you concentrate
and pay attention. Remove all thoughts of home,
friends, fun, and ancillary activities from you head
while the teacher is speaking. Learning to focus
and concentrate will help you become an effective
listener and a much more effective student.
•Be prepared
It is difficult to listen and mentally process
what you're hearing when you come to your
class unprepared. If your teacher gives you
a reading assignment or homework
designed to prepare you to understand a
topic, it’s important that you are familiar with
the topic before it is discussed in class.
Being ready to listen means being prepared
for each class ahead of time.
•Focus on what is important
Poor listeners focus on fact. They may retain a few of
those facts, but the information is usually garbled.
Effective listeners focus on main ideas, fundamental
concepts and vital issues.
•Choose to be interested
One of the most tell-tale signs of poor listeners is that
they just can't find what the teacher is talking about to be
interesting. As a consequence, they don't listen with real
intent and often miss important topics and details being
addressed. Good listeners are able to decide to be
interested in the subject matter being addressed by the
teacher. As a result, they listen more intently and
effectively.
Activity for Lesson Three: LISTENING
EFFECTIVELY

  Now we will do some activities
  that will help us to
  •Improve Our Listening Skills
  •Come to a Consensus (Group
  Decision)
  •Follow Directions Better
Lesson 4: Dealing With Test Anxiety
 It’s completely normal to experience
 anxiety at some time or another – we all do.
 And while we may not enjoy feeling
 anxious, a little bit of anxiety can be
 beneficial. A little bit of anxiety helps to
 keep you motivated, focused, and alert.
 However, too much anxiety may interfere
 with your ability to study, learn, remember
 things, and perform well when taking tests.
 Too much anxiety about taking tests is
 referred to as test anxiety.


 The following are a few tips for dealing
 with too much test anxiety:
•Develop good study habits. Good study habits will not
only prepare you to address test material, but they will also
provide you with confidence that will help to reduce
unhealthy test anxiety.
•Be prepared. Being totally prepared for a test is the most
important thing you can do to reduce anxiety. Knowing that
you know the material on the test will provide you the
confidence you need to overcome anxiety and the ability to
perform. You've got good reason to be overly anxious if you
go into a test unprepared.
Don't cram! Cramming for tests can lead to test anxiety. If
you'll prepare for your test ahead of time, you'll be able to
reduce a lot of test anxiety associated with last minute
cramming.
•Get adequate exercise
Getting adequate exercise and staying in shape is believed
to help sharpen the mind.
•Get plenty of sleep
Getting a good night's sleep before an exam can help
reduce test anxiety dramatically. Conversely, not getting a
good night’s rest before an exam will make you tired while
taking an exam and will lead to increased test anxiety.
•Get plenty to eat
Don't take an exam on an empty stomach. It’s quite
common not to want to eat before an exam due to anxiety.
However, if you'll get a good meal before taking an exam,
you'll experience less anxiety, and your mind will be more
keen.
Create a Study Environment
Real learning takes time and attention. Reinforce a consistent
approach to learning by creating a specific place and routine time
for studying. Don't forget to allow for breaks!
•Set a Place. Choose a place that is quiet with few distractions
and that has pens, pencils, paper, a dictionary, and a ruler at
hand. Study space should be well-lighted.
•Set a Time. Designate study time when you are alert, fresh, and
relaxed and, ideally, at the same time daily. Don't forget short
breaks to refresh the mind. During the break, take a walk outdoors
or try deep breathing exercises. Research studies show that
physical well-being promotes mental well-being and renewed
energy.
•Stay positive Don't focus on failing the
test. Focus on acing the test, and you
probably will. Thinking about what might
happen if you fail will lead to unnecessary
anxiety and just might become a self-
fulfilling prophecy.
•Focus on the learning experience Don't
think of a test as the final judgment. Rather,
view each test as a learning experience, and
you'll get much less stressed out.
Stay relaxed Take slow, deep breaths and
stay in control.
Activity for Lesson Four: Now do the STUDY
        ENVIRONMENT worksheet.


                              For more
                              information, see
                              the “Finding a
                              Good Place to
                              Study Handout”
Lesson 5: Finding Your Learning Style
There are many different learning styles and learning preferences.
The most common include
•Visual Learning Style (the most common)
•Auditory Learning Style
•Tactile (Kinesthetic) Learning Style

Additional learning styles and preferences include Logical
(mathematical), Social (interpersonal), and Solitary (intrapersonal).
There is no right mix, nor are your styles fixed. Some people may
find that they have a dominant style of learning, with far less use
of the other styles. Others may find that they use different styles in
different circumstances. You can develop ability in less dominant
styles, as well as further develop styles that you already use well.
Visual Learning Style

Individuals that learn best when ideas or
subjects are presented in a visual format,
whether that is written language, pictures,
diagrams or videos, are visual learners. Visual
learners usually learn best when the teacher
provides written study notes, writes on the
chalkboard, and uses an overhead projector to
explain concepts. Visual learners frequently take
detailed notes in class, when studying from a
textbook or listening to lectures. They also
create diagrams and use pictures to understand
and remember concepts and ideas. If this sounds
like you, then you are probably a visual learner.
Auditory Learning Style

If you learn best by participating in class
discussion, by listening to your teacher
lecture, listening to audio tapes, or by
listening to other language formats, then
you are probably an Auditory Learner.
Auditory Learners, unlike Visual
Learners, are able to learn, understand,
and retain information better when they
hear it rather than see it.
Tactile/Kinesthetic Learning Style

Tactile Learners, also commonly
referred to as Kinesthetic Learners, are
hands-on learners. They learn best when
they are able to physically participate
directly in what they are required to
learn or understand. Tactile learners
usually excel when they are able to
handle something in order to learn
about it. Tactile learners may do
especially well in classes where lab
work is required. Unlike Visual
Learners, who learn by seeing, and
Auditory Learners, who learn by
hearing, Tactile Learners learn by
touching and feeling.
Logical Style

If you find that you like using your
brain for logical and mathematical
reasoning, you probably prefer the
logical learning style. Logical learners
can recognize patterns easily and are
good at making logical connections
between what would appear to most
people to be meaningless content. If
you're a logical learner, you'll learn
better if you classify and group
information.
Social Style

If social learning is your
style, you'll communicate
well will others, both
verbally and non-verbally.
You are good listeners and
are able to understand
others’ views. People
listen to you and come to
for advice. Social learners
prefer learning in groups
or classes and typically
like to spend one-on-one
time with a teacher or an
instructor.
Solitary Style

If you have a solitary style of learning,
you tend to be private, introspective
and/or independent. You're able to
concentrate and focus on a specific
subject, topic, or concept without outside
help. You are very self aware and able to
analyze the different ways you think and
feel. Solitary learners prefer to work on
problems by retreating to somewhere quiet
and working through possible solutions by
themselves. However, solitary learners
need to be careful, as they may spend too
much time trying to solve a problem that
they could more easily solve by talking to
someone or working with a group.
Activity for Lesson Five: Finding Your
Learning Style
Now do the Learning Styles Activity to see what
your learning style is.
So why is identifying and
understanding your learning
style so critical to your study
preparation?


By knowing how you learn best,      For more information,
you can select those classes,       see the “Types of
teachers, subjects, college         Learners” handout.
majors, and ultimate careers that
appeal to your unique way of
learning things.
Lesson 6: Improving Your Memory

Remembering information is essential to your
ability to excel in school and later in your career.
If you are unable to remember what you’ve
learned, then you won’t be able perform well on
tests, and you will be unable to apply what you’ve
learned in the real world. Remembering
information is an essential skill.

The following are a few proven tips and strategies
for improving your ability to remember
information.
•Make the information meaningful
One of the most common reasons that
students don't remember is because
material is presented in a way that is
confusing or doesn't make sense.
Students who try to memorize
information they don't fully understand
struggle to remember what they've read
or heard. Don't try to memorize the
author's words. First, put the information
you're reading or hearing into your
words, as your own words are going to
be meaningful and easy to understand. If
you can't put information, a concept, or
idea in your own words, it’s very
unlikely that you're going to be able to
remember the material for very long.
•Organize the information
Organizing material into to logical
categories will help you learn,
memorize, and recall information
more effectively. For example, if you
have several dates you need to
remember for a history test, putting the
dates in chronological order according
to a sequential storyline can make
recalling each date much easier.
Instead of memorizing random dates,
you associate each date with a specific
event that leads to another event.
Information that is well organized is
much easier to learn and remember
than information that is unorganized.
•Use pictures to improve memory
More often than not, a person's memory
for pictures or images is far better than
his or her memory for words. Creating a
mental picture can enhance a person's
memory of verbal and written
information. Mental pictures are
especially helpful when attempting to
learn and remember abstract words and
concepts. Try to create vivid mental
pictures that represent the concept or
term. When you employ pictures to learn
verbal and written information, you are
encoding the information in your
memory system in two ways instead of
just one. Consequently, your ability to
remember the information is greatly
enhanced.
•Mnemonic devices
Mnemonic devices are memory tricks that
can be used to remember factual
information, such as a list of words or
phrases, and they often produce a visual
image in the learner's mind. Some common
mnemonic devices include acronyms (the
most common), nonsense words, nonsense
sentences, and rhymes.

Creating an acronym is a good strategy to
use to remember information in any order.
An acronym is a word that is formed from
the first letter of each fact to be remembered.
It can be a real word or a nonsense word you
are able to pronounce. For example, MADD
is an acronym for Mothers Against Drunk
Drivers (Destructive Decisions).
Examples of Mnemonic Devices

   Mnemonic for remembering the
   number of days in a month:

   Thirty days hath September,
   April, June, and November;
   All the rest have thirty-one
   Excepting February alone:
   Which has twenty-eight, that's
   fine,
   Till leap year gives it twenty-
   nine.
Mnemonic for remembering spelling:

I before E except after C,
and when sounding like "ay" as in Neighbor
or Weigh
(unfortunately there are more than 200
exceptions, including weird, and names like
Sheila and Freidman)
Mnemonic for remembering Supreme Court
Justices in the order of when they were
appointed:
Sometimes Kissing The Great Big Rabbit
Actually Seems Kind
Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Breyer,
Roberts, Alito, Sotomayor, Kagan
Sure, it’s silly, but that’s OK!
Here is a mnemonic for remembering the NEW list of planets (post-Pluto):

My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us Nuts
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune



Mnemonic for remembering groupings of animals in biology:

King Phillip Could Only Find Green Socks
Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species



Mnemonic for remembering the notes in the treble clef:
The lines of the clef:
Every Good Bird Does Fly (E, G, B, D, F)
The spaces of the clef:
FACE
Activity for Lesson 6: Creating Mnemonic
Devices to Improve Memory


   Now read the
   Mnemonic Devices
   handout and do the
   activity on the
   Mnemonic Devices
   Homework worksheet.




                         (C=ceiling; G=ground)