High School Study Skills

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Motivation
Get Motivated
Stay Motivated

Monitoring Input
Listening
Note Taking
Reading
Class Participation
Managing Process
Self Management
Time Management
Concentration
Managing Your Learning
Managing Your Memory
Class Participation
Test Preparation
Mastering Output
Test Taking
Dealing with Test Anxiety
Learning from Tests
Preparing Written Reports
Preparing Oral Reports
Class Participation

 

Class Participation as Process

The primary processing operations exercised during class are:

  1. Summarizing

  2. Questioning

  3. Developing Associations

  4. Participating in Class Discussions and Small Group Activities

Summarizing 

When you summarize information, you are determining the value of the information at the same time you are restating the idea in your own words.  This process is a much higher order thinking skill than direct recall of information.  It is a very efficient and effective way to gain understanding and to improve your memory.

Questioning

Throughout class activities, you should question what is being said and done silently by asking yourself the standard 5 w and 1 h questions, as well as judgment questions like: What do I think the material means?; What could be the next idea?; What is the teacher driving at?; Why does the teacher emphasize that? etc.  

Developing Associations

As the teacher is talking, get into the habit of forming associations with the ideas presented.  Ask yourself, what do I already know that is similar to this material?  For example, associating the date of a new event with an event whose date you already know can help you remember the new date.

Class Discussions and Small Group Activities 

Talking to someone is a very effective means for improving recall.  It requires high-order thinking, as you sort material into meaningful chunks of knowledge.  We recall about 22% of what we hear and about 24% of what we see, but 76% of what we say and 94% of what we do.  Talking is the best way to recall abstractions that cannot be performed.


Tips for making a positive impression on your teacher

 

 

 



Suggestions for increasing class participation