Most students just read notes in order to study. But that’s not super helpful for most. The need to teach effective study strategies is underrated! Most students aren’t ever taught how to study, just expected to know how to do it. I’m a HUGE advocate of teaching students to be responsible for their own learning. While I would love to hold their hand every step of the way, these kids are 16 years old. It’s about time for them to step up . Here are some strategies that I encourage my students to take their learning into their own hands.
Use Lesson Learning Targets as a Checklist
At the start of my career I didn’t care about learning targets at all, but now I know just how effective they are. Learning targets are an excellent way to give students a clear understanding of what they need to know and be able to do by the end of each lesson and before their unit test.
Encourage your students to use these targets as a checklist for their study sessions. After class, they can go through each target and check off the ones they understand. If they find any targets they’re unsure about, they know exactly what to focus on. This not only keeps them organized but also helps them prioritize their study time efficiently. I give a list of all the learning targets at the start of the unit for them to work from throughout.
Watch YouTube Videos
YouTube is a goldmine! There are countless channels dedicated to explaining chemistry concepts in a variety of ways, from animated videos to real-life demonstrations. Even I have one where I teach each of my lessons. Before those videos were created, I’d curate my favorites into Google Classroom. See? That’s me guiding them to take responsibility for their own learning. I set them up for success, but it’s their job to “bring it home.” (I also liked to curate these to make sure they weren’t “overstudying.” Or in other words, watching college-level content when they should be at the high school level.)
Encourage your students to watch videos related to the topics they’re studying. This can reinforce what they’ve learned in class and provide alternative explanations that might resonate better with them. For visual and auditory learners, videos can be particularly helpful in solidifying their understanding of challenging concepts. Teach this effective study strategy to your students and I’m sure it will be a crowd favorite!
Learn and Understand Vocabulary Terms
Chemistry has its own language, filled with specific terms and concepts that are essential for understanding the material. Make sure your students are not just memorizing vocabulary but actually understanding the terms. This is why vocabulary has become such a HUGE part of my teaching as the years have gone on.
For each unit of chemistry that I teach, I have a set of vocabulary activities. My students first must write the word and definition of my assigned vocabulary terms for each unit. Of course, I will give them a quiz on the terms at some point in the unit. It’s only 10 matching questions, so very low stakes. The idea is mainly for the quiz to convince them to actually learn the terms. Then throughout the unit as small pockets of time arise, I hand out the other vocabulary activities (or I use them as sub plans). They are a crossword puzzle, a joke decipher worksheet, flash cards, and word-definition dominoes. We make sure to have fun with these in class. You can try out the Chemical Bonding set for free.
Encourage Students to Ask Questions in Class
When your students feel comfortable in class, they’ll ask questions. But you should still encourage it! Some of the more shy students will need a little help with this. Make it clear that there are no “stupid questions” and that asking questions is a critical part of learning. When students ask questions, it shows they’re engaged and trying to make sense of the material! Answering their questions in detail can also benefit other students who might have the same doubts but are too shy to ask. This is the simplest study strategy you can teach your students.
Give Students Homework
I’m really not on team homework. At this point, I feel like my class time is used very effectively and I don’t really need to send the kids home with anything. But I didn’t always feel that way. Plus some schools straight up require that you send out homework. Regardless, it’s a classic way to teach effective study strategies.
Regardless, it does give students a chance to practice what they’ve learned in class and apply it to different problems. But that’s only true if the homework is of quality. Be sure to assign problems that will challenge them and help them reinforce their understanding. Reviewing homework in class can also be an opportunity to clear up any misunderstandings. Although this wasn’t the intended use, I know there are lots of teachers using my Quick Practice Worksheets for exactly this purpose. The best part about these worksheets is that they’re quick. So there’s plenty of time for your students to live their lives, play sports, go to work and spend time with friends after school.
Students Should Redo In-Class Problems at Home
In my guided notes curriculum students are given a few questions at the end of each lesson to test themselves. They are given the answers as soon as they’re done. Meaning that if they are keeping up with their notebooks, they have PLENTY of practice problems (and answers) to study from. No need to create a whole practice test for them to do at home. If you encourage your students to redo the problems they have an opportunity to solve the problems independently. Without you or other students around. Maybe they’ll even set up a quiet space to do this, as if they were taking at test. By redoing problems and checking answers, students can identify areas where they might still be struggling and seek help before the test.
Group Study Sessions
I’m really not one for a seating chart either. I find it’s a battle often not worth fighting. I like to encourage my students to make friends, or spend time with friends they already have. Then these study groups are a lot easier to form! They can review the materials together. Which at least means that it’s more fun… If they do it well, they well ask questions, discuss material and work to teach each other. Studying in groups allows them to teach each other, discuss complex topics, and gain new perspectives on the material. Sometimes, a peer’s explanation can be more relatable and easier to understand. Additionally, study groups can help students stay motivated and on track with their studying.
Utilize Practice Tests
I don’t really love these until we get to the final exam. But if this is your thing, it’s a great way to get your students studying! These tests can help students familiarize themselves with the format of the questions and practice time management. They can also be a good indicator of areas where they need to focus their study efforts. Encourage students to simulate exam conditions while taking these practice tests to build their confidence. Using this test and its data would certainly be an effective study strategy if you teach your students how to use it well.
I also recommend that you have students track their test scores all year long. This is a great way to help them know which topics they did well on and which need some work. You can get that for free, here.
Teach these effective study strategies and you can help your students develop strong study habits that will serve them well in chemistry and beyond.
