Study Skills
 

Purpose: This is an intensive eight-hour course designed to give the student the organizational and test-taking skills that are the essential components to becoming a highly successful and motivated student.

Procedure: The four weekly sessions (two hours per session) are sequenced in the following manner:

The first session consists of a diagnostic interview, at which time the student’s level of organizational skills, reading comprehension strength, and test-taking abilities are assessed. In addition, the student is instructed on how to setup a color-coded, note-taking and highlighting system consisting of in-class writing books in conjunction with an associated at-home, three-ring binder for chronological storage of class hand-outs, returned tests, and miscellaneous items.

Week 2:

The second session consists of the student presenting his or her newly produced, color-coded, note taking and highlighting system to the instructor for evaluation, and when necessary, corrections are made. Next, the student is thoroughly instructed in highlighting skills. Although often overlooked or relegated to a minor position in most study skills programs, appropriate in-text-highlighting skills is one of the cornerstones of all A+ students. Finally, the student is instructed in the basic essentials of efficient, in-class note-taking procedures.

This session consists of a systematic review of all the salient materials that were covered in the first two weeks. Again, corrections are made when necessary. The next part consists of a lecture (usually in mathematics and/or the physical sciences), given by the instructor in such a fashion as to create an atmosphere of a real-life, school situation. The student is required to use all of his or her newly acquired study skills, and to actively participate in any class discussions. The third part is exclusively devoted to teaching the student how to effectively transfer his or her in-class notes and in-text highlighted material into a computer-based program for subsequent retrieval prior to upcoming exams. Finally, the student is trained in the utilization of the retrieved, computer-based study sheets. This will include (but not be limited to) the effective use of highlighting and repetition as reinforcement procedures, with the ultimate goal of enabling the student to "ace" any exam. The instructor will then conclude this important session by telling the student to prepare for an exam that will be given and graded during the fourth and final week of this program.

The final session consists of a cumulative review of all the materials that were covered in the first three weeks. As before, corrections are made when necessary. Next, the instructor will thoroughly review the student’s exam preparation procedure, with an emphasis on optimizing the student’s study-time/exam success ratio. After this is accomplished, the student will be given the exam to complete and upon completion, the exam will be graded and discussed. Finally, the instructor will wrap-up the study skills program with an informal conference with the student and his or her parents. At this final conference, any further concerns can be addressed and appropriately dealt with.

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