STUDY SKILLS RESEARCH FINDING: The ways in which children study influence strongly how much they learn. Teachers can often help children develop better study skills. COMMENT: Research has identified several study skills used by good stu- dents that can be taught to other students. Average students can learn how to use these skills. Low-ability students may need to be taught when, as well as how, to use them. Here are some examples of sound study practices: . Good students adjust the way they study according to several factors: -- the demand of the material, -- the time available for studying, -- what they already know about the topic, -- the purpose and importance of the assignment, and -- the standards they must meet. . Good students space learning sessions on a topic over time and do not cram or study the same topic continuously. . Good students identify the main idea in new information, connect new material to what they already know, and draw inferen- ces about its significance. . Good students make sure their study methods are working properly by frequently appraising their own progress. When low-ability and inexperienced students use these skills, they can learn more information and study more efficiently. Bransford, J. D. (l979). Human Cognition: Learning, Understand- ing and Remembering. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Brown, A. L., and Smiley, S. S. (l978). "The Development of Strategies for Studying Texts." Child Development, Vol. 49, pp. l076-l088. Craik, F. I. M., and Watkins, M. J. (l973). "The Role of Re- hearsal in Short-Term Memory." Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, Vol. 12, pp. 599-607. Hayes-Roth, B., and Goldin, S. E. (l980). Individual Differences in Planning Processes. Santa Monica, CA: The Rand Corporation. Segal, J., Chipman, S., and Glaser, R. (l985). Thinking and Learning Skills, Vol. l: Relating Instruction to Research. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum Associates.