In this blog post I share some of my best study tips for middle school students. I learned them over the years from my amazing teacher mentors, while supporting my students, and becoming a better learner myself. Whether you are a teacher, student, or lifelong learner, these tips can help make studying easier and more effective.
You can use these ideas to improve your study habits, or teach them to students. I go over these tips at the beginning of the schoolyear, then continue to utilize the strategies and enforce these practices so my students can get the most out of their studying:
- Use Techniques Conducive to Your Learning Style
- Come to Class Ready to Learn
- Ask Questions, and Get Extra Help
- Utilize the Textbook
- Review and Revise Your Class Notes
- Use a System for Vocabulary Development
- Get Extra Practice Answering Questions
- Utilize Supplemental Resources
- Create a Designated Study Spot
- Put the Phone Away
- Eat a Snack
- Make it a Daily Routine
#1 Use Techniques Conducive to Your Learning Style
We all learn in different ways. Most of us fall into one or more learning styles: Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic. Each learning modality is associated with activities and techniques that help them learn best.
At the beginning of the year, my students take a survey to find out what their learning style is. They discover study tools and habits for their personal learning style that help them learn more efficiently. Just Google “3 learning styles survey” to find some free online surveys.
When I was in school, nearly all of my teachers told us to make flashcards to study. Even in college, it was one of the only study tips I received. Flashcards can be a great way to review for many. But it’s also good to switch it up sometimes, and better yet, to utilize study tools that are specific to you and your learning style.
Check out my blog post, Learning Styles: A Valuable Beginning of the Year Activity to read more about how to discover your learning style(s) and make use of that knowledge to your benefit.
#2 Come to Class Ready to Learn
Maybe one of the most important study tips is, be in class. There’s no substitute for getting information and directions directly from the teacher, and learning side by side with your peers. Attendance can greatly affect your class performance.
Come to class ready and prepared to learn. Bring supplies like pencils and notebook/paper. Pack your bag the night before school and make sure your homework and assignments are complete and ready to turn in.
Use a planner or agenda to record homework and unfinished assignments. With 6 or more different subjects/classes, that’s a lot to remember and manage! Check the board at the beginning of class and write down the homework before you begin anything else.
Pay attention. During lectures and discussions, listen attentively. If you find yourself zoning out, daydreaming, or falling asleep, stay engaged by highlighting or underlining your notes. Even doodling can be helpful to stay focused while you listen.
If the teacher asks a question, try to answer it in your head. Even if you don’t volunteer or get called on, you can still practice by coming up with ideas and listening to the correct answers.
#3 Ask Questions, and Get Extra Help
Highlight or mark points of confusion on notes, or write your questions down. Ask a classmate, friend, or sibling what they think.
Follow-up with the teacher, and ask for extra help. Attend your teacher’s office hours, or wait for independent work time during the class period to ask for individual help. Those are the best times to get the most out of your teacher’s attention and time.
#4 Utilize the Textbook
The Textbook is available whenever a question comes up outside of the classroom. The same stuff being learned in class is found in the textbook.
The Textbook is a valuable resource to my own learning and teaching of a subject. However, I see that in many classrooms the textbook is an underutilized resource these days. So do you know how to use it?
- Read a Section and Answer the Section Review Questions
Read the section or sections that cover the material. Take notes or add information to your notes from class. Then do the short assessment at the end of the section.
Usually the answers to some questions are in one of the appendices in the back of the book, so you can check our work. If you don’t know the answer, or if something was confusing, look it up in Google Search, follow up with a classmate, or ask the teacher.
- Take the Practice Tests
Before a test, take the practice test in the textbook. It’s usually at the end of a chapter or a few chapters that are grouped together in a unit.
If you don’t know the answer right away, find the page in the textbook that covers the information. Re-read the text, or check your class notes to help you confirm your thinking and reach a final answer.
The questions in the practice tests are probably the closest thing to the actual test you will be taking in class, since the text is aligned to the learning standards being taught in class. This makes the practice tests excellent preparation!
#5 Review and Revise Your Class Notes
Notes aren’t useful if you stick them in your notebook and never look at them again. Reinforce what you learned in class by reviewing notes, labs, assignments, and activities. Research suggests that we quickly forget what we learn, so reviewing notes as soon as possible after taking them is the most beneficial.
Revising notes is a technique and skill that takes practice. Some teachers utilize the strategy in their classes, and they provide explicit instruction. If you want to learn the techniques yourself, you can learn how. AVID strategies are easy to follow and learn, just Google them!
With revising notes, the idea is to interact with them and the information. You can improve your notes by making them more clear, clarifying points, and filling in missing information. Some of my favorite ways to revise notes are to:
- Number new concepts or ideas
- Circle vocabulary terms
- Highlight/underline main ideas
- (?) Identify questions or points of confusion. Ask a partner or the teacher!
- Draw diagrams and pictures
- (^) Add extra details and examples
#6 Use a System for Vocabulary Development
Vocabulary is important in learning. Vocabulary development improves students’ communication skills in all areas of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. If vocabulary isn’t explicitly taught or learned, students have a harder time grasping abstract concepts. Vocabulary is essential for reading comprehension and understanding complex ideas.
My favorite tool for vocabulary development is Vocabulary Logs. It is a great routine assignment that reinforces the concepts in class and builds academic language. Check out my blog post Vocabulary Logs to read more about this important graphic organizer, study tool, and routine assignment in my classroom.
#7 Get Extra Practice Answering Questions
A great way to study is to find out what you don’t know. Quizizz is my favorite assessment practice tool. You can find practice quizzes on lots of different topics. I love how you get a report at the end with all the questions that you missed. You need to be 13 or older to create an account, then you can access tons of quizzes for free.
Also, don’t forget about the practice tests in the Textbook!
#8 Utilize Supplemental Resources
If something from class was confusing, seek out further explanation that’s presented in a different way than you heard it in class.
- YouTube has an excellent trove of educational videos, many made by teachers themselves. For science I love CrashCourse Kids. Ask your teacher what channels or creators they recommend for their subject. I’m sure they will give you plenty of ideas!
- Khan Academy is another great place to get information. It’s like an online textbook. They even have videos that take you through the steps of math problems.
- BrainPOP and Flocabulary are two of my favorite resources for middle school. They are subscription based, and your school just might have a membership.
- IXL is another subscription based learning site. It is popular for Math instruction, however they also offer Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and Spanish curricula. You can do lots of practice problems and receive personalized feedback.
Take notes while you watch videos or read online. Fill the page notes, 10 Facts, KWL charts, and Cornell Notes are a few ideas to take your own notes. I wrote about some of them in my blog post, 5 Ways to Take Notes Without a Worksheet if you want to check that out!
#9 Create a Designated Study Spot
Your study spot is where you do homework and study outside of school. It can be anywhere; in your room, the living room, or at the library.
Some students work well with a little distraction, like listening to music. It depends on your Learning Style and personal preference! However, many need a quiet space that is free from distraction. This means going to another room away from family members, and having the television off.
Have a surface to write on. It can be a desk, table, the floor. You can work on a couch, but it’s a little harder to write and spread out study materials and notes. Personally, before long my neck starts to hurt and I usually pack it in early. I prefer to work at a desk or table, with a wide flat surface to spread out on.
Keep all your textbooks and study materials in a spot nearby, maybe organized on a shelf. Have your supplies ready to go like paper, pencils, pens, and highlighters.
#10 Put the Phone Away
I think in the future, the ability to focus will be a superpower. We’re already seeing this in how some companies are displeased with the work habits and output of their remote employees.
The easier it is to see your phone, the more it will remind you of new messages, updates from friends, and entertaining things to watch. Put the phone out of sight: in your book bag, purse, or in a spot in your room. Get it off your body, off your desk, and out of your line of sight.
Social media is designed to be enticing and suck us in. Give your brain some quiet time without the bright colors, light, and nonstop stimulation. Strengthen and show off your superpowers: your brain, your unique thinking, and your opinions.
#11 Eat a Snack
What did you eat at school today? If the answer is a power bar, Hot Cheetos, chips, or a Gatorade, then your body is in need of some fuel. Come home and eat a (healthy) snack.
Baby carrots, sliced vegetables like red peppers and cucumbers with hummus, a sandwich, yogurt, fruit like an apple, banana, or berries. Leftovers from dinner last night… Aim for something nutritious.
Try to resist packaged snacks like chips and sugary drinks. Wash your snack down with a big glass of water and see how you feel!
#12 Make it a Daily Routine
To be successful in my class, stay on top of your work. If you don’t finish something in class, it becomes homework. Complete it the same day while the content is still fresh in your mind. And you won’t fall behind.
If you’re all caught up, spend even 10 minutes on the days you have class to review the material you learned. Use some of the ideas in this post like revising notes, watching videos, and taking practice quizzes.
Don’t wait until the test to study. By then, there’s a lot of information to cover. It can feel overwhelming. A cramming session the night before a test can help, but the information isn’t as likely to stick with you long-term. When the final rolls around, you’ll be back in the same spot. Stressing about what will be on the test, and staying up late.
Make Your Life Easier and Study Smarter
I was always one of those students who had to study hours each night to get A’s and B’s. That wasn’t the case for a lot of my friends and fellow students. They were “booksmart,” and whatever was said in class, they just remembered. Then they aced the test.
Looking back, I spent a lot of extra time and stress trying to keep up with my schoolwork and with everyone else. I realize some mistakes I made back then. Especially after becoming a teacher, and helping my own students learn and study.
I wish I was aware of these tips and tricks when I was a student. My hard work paid off, but I could have made my life way easier by studying smarter and following the tips in this blog post.
Become a Lifelong Learner
Studying isn’t just about getting an A or passing the test. The knowledge you gain becomes a part of you. You find interests that become part of your personality. If you’re lucky you can find a passion that inspires you throughout your life. Maybe a passion will even become a satisfying and fulfilling career.
There are more ways to access information now than ever before. If you can focus and have the drive, you can teach yourself anything.
Learning is powerful. Your future is in your hands. You can be successful and make your dreams come true.
I hope the tips in this blog post can save you some valuable time and stress! What are some of your favorite ways to study? What study advice would you give your younger self? Let me know by leaving a comment, I would love to hear from you! If you want to read more study and teaching tips, check out the blog posts below!
https://howsheteaches.com/2022/11/26/how-she-teaches-what-is-a-system/
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