The Importance Of Study Techniques
Today children are overstimulated; they are continually exposed to very diverse information. This makes it increasingly difficult for them to stay focused and attentive for a long period of time, which is essential for studying. For this reason, we have prepared the following article on the importance of study techniques.
Acquiring knowledge is one of the most enriching capacities that human beings have. Therefore, it is best to teach study techniques to children from the first years of primary education so that they can acquire this skill little by little and, thus, avoid school failure.
The importance of study techniques
Study techniques are an essential part of achieving good academic performance. Their use is of great importance when it comes to learning, since they serve to:
- Order the syllabi and school assignments.
- Take advantage of available resources.
- Develop new ways of using knowledge in the future.
By definition, study techniques are considered learning strategies that allow students to obtain the best results from the development of different skills or aptitudes. This helps to face correctly the academic activities that are proposed from the school.
Thus, according to the speech therapist and psychopedagogue José Barrena, study techniques involve continuous training of various types of aspects:
- Conceptual: refers to the physical and psychological conditions before the study, and knowledge of study techniques.
- Procedural: refers to the ability to organize and plan tasks, establishing coherent and effective study schedules.
- Attitudinal: it is the motivation towards the study, so that the meaning and functionality that corresponds to the learning process is granted.
- Cognitive: it is the capacity for memory, attention and reading comprehension skills.
The success of study techniques is based on order, consistency and the creation of habits that allow the child to act with better preparation for certain assigned tasks. They also allow the student to better understand the study material, to be able to perform better on an exam.
Types of study techniques
Planification and organization
Planning and organization are the keys to success. Thus, some of the guidelines that must be followed to organize study time are:
- Write down in an agenda the date of the exams and the work to be delivered.
- Spend a few minutes every day studying or reviewing the subjects.
- Establish a realistic and consistent study schedule.
- Always use the same study place and that it has adequate environmental conditions.
- Take breaks of a few minutes to relax and concentrate better.
Reading comprehension
Reading correctly, paying attention, is essential for understanding any type of syllabus, since all text, in order to be assimilated, must be understood. For this, it is necessary to perform two types of reading:
- Pre- reading : a first quick reading, which serves as an exploration to find out what the text is about.
- Comprehensive reading: a second reading in which you have to read carefully and make sure you understand each paragraph. In this way, the ideas of the text are internalized.
Selection and elaboration
Once the topic is understood, the relevant information must be selected, that is, the main and secondary ideas of the text. This can be done using the underlining technique.
Later, to better understand the agenda, it is advisable to represent the information by means of some elaboration, such as:
- Scheme.
- Resume.
- Mind map.
Memorization and evaluation
To retain what you have learned, you have to make a great mental effort. In fact, storing information in memory is not a simple process. Therefore, it is convenient to use certain mnemonic rules or simple tricks that facilitate memorization.
Also, as the last step in the study, you have to evaluate yourself to see what you have learned. And, if necessary, keep reviewing.
How to teach study skills?
Study skills can be taught at school or at home. But it is important to always follow an active and participatory methodology. In other words, children must be the main protagonists of their own learning. Thus, students can build their own knowledge.
In addition, it must be taken into account that, to teach study techniques, it is necessary to adapt to the characteristics of each child, keeping in mind their evolutionary development and their needs when studying.
Finally, it is important to note that, to achieve a good study method, you simply have to practice and try different learning strategies. For this reason, the importance of study techniques must be emphasized.
