As Miguel peeked into his son Joey's room, he found him frantically flipping through his textbook, his face a mix of determination and confusion.
"Joey, the test is tomorrow!" Miguel exclaimed, trying to keep his tone light despite his mounting concern.
"I know, Dad!" Joey replied, furrowing his brows as he scanned the pages. "I'm just making sure I cover all the chapters."
"In one night? That's quite the strategy, Joey."
Joey shrugged, looking up with a hopeful grin. "Well, I thought if I read fast enough, it might stick!"
As parents, we've all been there. We want to see our children put in the effort to do well in school, but more importantly, we want them to actually learn and develop important skills such as planning, organization, and time management. Last-minute cramming sessions like Joey's are mostly ineffective and more stressful than helpful.
So how can we teach our children to study effectively for tests? Let's explore some strategies that can help.
Introduce Study Strategies That Work
There are many study strategies that work. The key is for your child is to find the study strategy that works best for them and for the subject they are studying:
Study Buddy - For social learners, studying with a partner can be effective. They can quiz each other, discuss concepts, and bounce ideas off of each other, which makes studying a more interactive experience. Some students report that having a discussion with a study partner who is really interested in the subject matter is the best way to prepare.
Teach One - Another effective method is to have your child teach the material to someone else—whether it’s you, a sibling, or a study buddy. Explaining the material out loud helps them organize their thoughts and deepen their understanding.
Flashcards - Flashcards are great for memorization and can be especially useful for visual and kinesthetic learners. For some students, making physical flashcards old school still wor s for others, online flashcard apps are more popular. Flashcards are particularly useful for subjects like social studies, history, and languages.
Practice problems - For math and science, doing extra practice problems is often the key. Even you have acquired a new concept, applying that concept in different variations through practice problems is the best way to be ready for whatever question shows up on the test.
Reading review - For humanities courses like English/Language Arts and history, it is critical to review the subject material either by going back to the book or textbook or by rereading your notes or an outline a teacher has supplied.
Teach Time Management Techniques
If you have a child who tends to procrastinate, which affects their study habits, you may want to read our article on procrastination (link to procrastination article). You can also introduce your child to time management techniques like the Pomodoro method (studying in 25-minute blocks with short breaks in between) or time chunking (dividing study time into specific subject blocks).
Build Consistent Study Habits
Learning is a process, not an event. It’s important to set up regular study times throughout the week, rather than relying on one last-minute cramming session. You can also teach them the importance of active listening and note-taking in class. This can significantly reduce study time later.
Help Your Child Discover Their Learning Style
Every child learns differently, and figuring out their learning preferences can make a world of difference. Some kids are visual learners – they understand and remember things better when they see them. For example, many children find charts, diagrams, and videos more engaging than verbal instructions.
Others might be auditory learners – they do well when they can hear the information. Listening to recordings of their notes and talking through ideas can be really helpful for them.
Then there are reading/writing learners who prefer to interact with text. These kids love making lists, taking notes, or writing out summaries of what they’ve learned.
Kinesthetic and tactile learners are more hands-on. They learn best by doing. If this sounds like your child, try using physical objects, role-playing, or finding activities that allow them to move while they learn.
Some kids are also solitary learners who prefer to study alone, while others are social learners who thrive when they can study with a friend or a group. Understanding whether your child likes to work alone or with others can help you set up the best study environment for them.
Remind Them What It’s Like to Cram
Most kids know what it’s like to cram, so it might help to have them reflect on the negative consequences of last-minute studying. Remind them how stressful it was and that this strategy doesn’t always lead to the best results. They may have lost sleep and felt groggy all day, all for the illusion of having studied effectively.
We hope these strategies work for you, but if you are looking for more ways to improve your child’s study habits, HabitCoach is here to support!
