Study Skills
Online Workshop Series (5) - School Success Toolbox Watch for Sessions in Spring 2024
Session #1
Assessing Strengths & Strategies to Maximize Study Skills
In this online interactive session, students assess skills critical to academic success in high school and in preparation for post-secondary studies. In addition to developing a skill profile outlining strengths and challenges within their learning strategies, participants begin to explore how to leverage their strengths and to address skills requiring further development. This session helps to inform student focus and strategy choices in subsequent study skills workshops.
Each registered student will receive a link and instructions one hour prior to the workshop so that they can complete a Learning and Study Strategies Inventory – High School (LASSI-HS). The LASSI is a tool to gather information about learning and study practices and attitudes.
* Completion of this inventory before 2pm is required for the session
TBD Online
1:00-2:00 LASSI completion online
2:00-3:00 direct instruction in the workshop. Online
Please note that the instructor will be available in the Google Meets session for 60 minutes prior to the session (1:00-2:00) to support students as they complete their LASSI.
* Students may wish to be prepared with their Google Classroom or BrightSpace login and password, as they may wish to refer to it during the session
* Students may wish to have their school agenda book/the calendar that they use to schedule their school activities available to refer to during the session
Course Objectives:
1. Participants will understand that they can influence their own academic skill, will, and self-regulation strategies.
2. Participants will assess and create a strengths/challenges profile reflecting their current strategies for:
(a) Information Processing, Selecting Main Ideas, and Test Strategies;
(b) Attitudes, Motivations, and Anxieties
(c) Concentration, Time Management, Self-Testing, and Study Aids.
3. Participants will apply knowledge from their profiles to set goals related to skill, will, and self-regulation in the the context of their academics and study skills.
Session #2
Strategies for Taking Notes
TBD Online
In this online interactive session, students learn how to sharpen note-taking skills with strategies for before, during, and after classes.
Required Resources:
* Google Classroom or BrightSpace login and password are required, as participants will refer to these resources during the workshop to inventory information provided by teachers.
* Students will need at least 3 samples of electronic and/or hard copy notes that they have taken in the past months. These will be used during the workshop as a ‘starting place’ to identify skills and strategies already employed, and to foster further development.
Recommended Resources:
If students use particular platforms or programs for note taking (OneNote, EverNote, NoteAbility, etc.) it would be beneficial for them to have access to those during the workshop.
Course Objectives:
1. Participants will explore how to develop strategies to prepare before taking notes in class, incorporating both materials provided to students and classroom expectations.
(a) What does your teacher provide for note taking support in advance/in class?
(b) What are the expectations for note taking? (You? Teacher? Family?)
(c) How will you use these notes?
2. Participants will explore how to develop strategies to use during note taking.
(a) What is your goal for note taking in different situations?
(b) Model, demonstrate, scaffold, and practice different strategies for note taking (provide options that target different learning strengths)
3. Participants will explore how to develop strategies to use after class to review notes and add (change) information or format (condensing to minimal cues)
(a) Transform notes to support retention, retrieval, and expression
(b) Develop an effective study plan based on your notes.
Session #3
Strategies for Completing & Submitting Assignments
TBD Online
In this online interactive session, students learn how to ‘up their game’ for school assignments, exploring tools and strategies to begin assignments from an informed standpoint; to thoroughly complete and submit assignments; and to integrate teachers’ feedback on future assignments.
Required Resources:
*Google Classroom or BrightSpace login and password are required, as participants will refer to these resources during the workshop to inventory information provided by teachers.
*Students will need at least 2 samples of electronic and/or hard copy assignment instructions, accompanied by the completed assignments and teacher mark/feedback from this school year. We anticipate that many participants will access information for these activities through their Google Classroom/BrightSpace accounts. Information from previous assignments will be used during the workshop as resources to identify skills and strategies already employed and to foster further development. No sharing of marks or comments is required in the workshop setting. This information will be accessed only by the students themselves to help inform their personal decision-making.
Course Objectives:
1. Participants will explore how to develop strategies to prepare before starting assignments (active reading & transformation strategies; instructions and rubrics; planning and pacing)
2. Participants will explore how to develop and employ strategies to use during work on assignments (PIMEM strategy)
3. Participants will explore how to develop strategies to use after completing assignments (revising, submitting)
Session #4
Strategies for Preparing for Quizzes & Tests
TBD Online
In this online interactive session, students learn how to ‘go into training’ and build their strategy toolbox in advance of tests and assessments.
Required Resources:
Google Classroom or BrightSpace login and password are required, as participants will refer to these resources during the workshop to inventory information provided by teachers as part of determining strategies appropriate to classroom expectations, demands, and resources (i.e. vocabulary lists, study guides, sample tests, class outlines, etc.)
Course Objectives:
1. Participants will learn how to build a study schedule & stock their strategy toolbox to prepare for quizzes, tests, midterms, and finals:
(a) How to develop strategies to prepare before they start selecting dates and times to study (inventory information and self-knowledge)
(b) How to develop strategies to use during establishment of a study schedule (what to study, how to study it, what resources to use)
(c) How to develop strategies to use after completing a study schedule (Getting study sessions started. Who is your team? What are their roles? What is your backup strategy? Get Ready, Do, Done, Do Done/Get Done)
Session #5
Strategies for Taking Quizzes & Tests
TBD Online
In this online interactive session, students learn how to go into ‘performance mode’ with the tools that work best for them to take tests and quizzes.
Required Resources:
*Students will need at least 2 samples of completed and marked quizzes or tests in electronic and/or hard copy.
We anticipate that some participants may access information for these activities through their Google Classroom/BrightSpace accounts. Information from students’ quizzes and tests will be used during the workshop as resources for each student to individually identify skills and strategies already employed and to foster further development. No sharing of marks or comments is required in the workshop setting. This information will be accessed only by the students themselves to help inform their personal decision-making.
Course Objectives:
1. Participants will develop strategies to warm up for tests
(a) Survey to use the test format to your advantage – Weight? Length? Time? Number of questions? Multiple choice? Short answer? Essay? Easiest? Hardest? Longest? Shortest?
(b) Make an exam action plan.
(c) Use strengths and preferences to decide which questions to complete in what order and which organizational strategies to use.
2. Participants will learn how to develop strategies for the work during tests
(a) PIMEM (self-monitoring strategy)
(b) Create and consistently use own systems
(c) Practice Information retrieval to avoid distractor options in multiple choice
(d) Leverage organizational strategies to complete essay and long answer questions efficiently and effectively
3. Learn how to develop ‘cool down’ strategies after tests to analyze feedback, marks, and personal strategies
Who Should Attend?
This workshop series is targeted at high school students hoping to train for better school success.
Junior high school students and post-secondary students are welcome to register, as are other members of teaching teams (parents, caregivers, learning coaches).
Attend all 5 sessions for $300 and earn a free 30 minute 1-1 follow-up consultation.
Single Sessions $65/each.
