Doesn’t matter if your child is a rank holder or scraping the bottom of the barrel, the stress leading up to the exams is equal. A 2019 survey by the Australian NGO ReachOut showed that internal pressure to succeed and concern about the future are key drivers of exam stress. This stress is often self-generated and your little one will need your support and guidance to get through this period.
While stress is only natural and can even help improve performance, it cannot overpower your child’s ability to study and prepare. That’s why getting the balance between studying and maintaining mental health is necessary. And that’s where parents play an important role.
Here are 10 practical tips to study effectively for exam that you must share with your child.
10 Tips To Study Effectively For Exam
As your child prepares for exams, you will realise that he/she has so much to learn and memorise within a short span of time. But, some effective study tips can help your kids reduce stress.
1) Make the most of class time
Tell your kids to sit through their classes attentively. Ask them to pay close attention to the lectures, and take notes. These notes become a reference point and will come in handy ahead of the exams. Encourage them to clear their doubts in the class.
We were also in the middle of the pandemic that forced classes to go online. So as parents, you need to understand that your kids won’t be able to grasp everything well. They are still getting used to going back to attending physical classes. While, the online portals have an option to ‘raise hands’, but your kids may face some trouble during class. So, try and understand their concerns.
2) Focus on understanding the basics
Tell your child the importance of having clear concepts. Image courtesy: iStockphoto
You will find that kids quickly develop a habit of memorising. But tell your child to understand the concept first and then memorise. This will give them the confidence to attend to any questions that come on their way.
Having clear concepts is the key to have a better hold on that particular subject.
3) Plan well and ahead of time
You need to teach your child the importance of planning well. It is obvious that when they start to cram all the studying during the final week of the exam, they will panic. So, for instance, if they have 10 chapters to finish in 4 weeks, teach them a practical approach they can take. They can split the topics and review them. Then the night before, write out a few key ideas to look over before the exam.
Teach your child the method to break down overall tasks into smaller, manageable chunks. In this way, preparing for a test won’t be overwhelming.
You can introduce your child to tricks like mnemonic devices to help with recalling information. This is one of the simpler ways to study effectively for an exam.
4) Write down important points
Writing down important points while studying will help your kids to memorise better. Image courtesy: iStockphoto
Teach your kids the importance of writing down important points. Some of them may feel a disconnect with writing by hand in the digital age. But, you can tell them about its many advantages including how it can help to better memorise subjects and also improve attention. After all, writing by hand involves rich sensory-motor experiences that help stimulate the brain.
5) Switch subjects if needed
You need to tell your child that it is okay to switch subjects. That’s because giving too much time to one subject can make them lose their concentration. One of the most important tips to study effectively for the exam is to change topics every 30 minutes. This will also prevent learning fatigue.
6) Motivation is key
We all love to be motivated and an encouraging pep talk can actually do wonders. In fact, its one of the most practical tips to study effectively for exam. But how do you motivate your child? The answer is simple: gratification and thoughtful gestures.
For instance, if you see your kid slogging hard, treat them to their favourite dish over the weekend. You could also write positive affirmations on their vision board and repeat them loudly in front of them. Show them that you care and that you are proud of their achievements.
7) Allow them to take adequate breaks
Encourage them to take frequent breaks. The objective should be to help them feel relaxed and then start afresh. Healthy snacks, nice walks outside, or even an episode of your favourite TV show are good ways to keep them motivated.
As parents, we often nag children with: “You are not studying” or “You are being extremely lazy.” But, maybe your child is putting quality hours in the limited time in which he or she is studying. So it doesn’t make sense to sit hours with their books. What matters is how well they are able to grasp the subject.
8) Engage in physical exercise
Exercise is extremely important for your child to keep their mind and body healthy. They may not be able to devote a lot of time to it but 20 minutes of physical exercise daily is enough. They can start their day by doing some light yoga or head out for a quick jog with you.
If you find your kids being lazy then it is time to intervene. Set your alarm as a reminder and then remind your kids of the need to stay fit. The best way to practice is leading by example.
9) Push them to eat healthy
You can serve them healthy food in the most interesting manner. Image courtesy: iStockphoto
Remember, while you may love to go on a salad diet, your kid doesn’t. The trick lies in how well you present it. For instance, you can use the boring veggies to make stuffing for the tacos. Or give your child fruits mixed with cream and flavourful toppings. A healthy diet plays a great role in sharpening your brain.
The importance of soaked
almonds can never be overstated when discussing brain health. It is full of vitamin E, which is known to preserve memory longer by boosting alertness. So how about soaking the almonds right away for those little brains to function faster?
10) Encourage them to sleep well
Just ahead of exams, you will find your kids staying up late and then waking up early in the morning to revise. But, this routine may not help them in the long run. On average, they should sleep 7-8 hours every night to make sure all their day’s studying is retained by their brain.
It is very important to not lose your cool and support your kids in their academic performance at all times. But, if you find them taking excessive stress that is hampering their health, you need to talk to their teacher or school counsellor. You may also need to ensure that your child knows a bad result isn’t the end of the road. There’s always something new to look forward to and with more effort and consistency, your little one will ace their exam the next time.
We hope that these tips to study effectively for exams can help you relax and your child perform well.
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