English Study

Skills Guide

curated by:
MOHAMED ALI KHALAF
KEEP IN TOUCH
 Teacher Training School

English Study Skills Guide

Read daily

If you want to improve your ability to read, then read. Spend at least 20 minutes a day
reading books, newspapers, online blogs, poems, etc. The greater the variety of reading
you do, the better. Regular reading will not only improve your ability to read, it will also
improve your ability to write in English. In fact, there is no other activity that will improve
your ability to read and write in English faster than reading a little each day. You'll be
surprised how quickly your vocabulary grows, your reading fluency and comprehension
improve, and how much better you're able to write just by reading a little each day.

Be consistent

Unless you're a reading buff, studying English can be boring and tedious. Especially for
those of us who already know how to speak English. How many kids do you hear talking
about how much they enjoy their English class? Not many. Among middle and high
school age students, English is one of the least favorite academic subjects. When
studying English, set clear study time limits. The key is to be consistent. A little study
each day is far better than a lot at once. Don't attempt to read an entire novel overnight.
Don't try to learn all the English grammar rules in a week. Take it slow and easy. Read a
little each day. Learn a little more each day. Doing too much at once just leads to
burnout.

Don’t cram

A study produced by the University of California Los Angeles suggested that for 9 out of
10 students spacing out learning is far more effective than cramming. Cramming rarely
works. And when it does, it's short lived. At best cramming leads to short-term rote
memorization gains but rarely leads to meaningful learning and understanding. In most
cases, the disadvantages of cramming outweigh the advantages. Cramming is
especially problematic when it causes a student to sacrifice sleep. Students who
sacrifice sleep in order to study more than usual are likely to perform worse
academically, not better, the following day.

Curated by: Mohamed Ali Khalaf | Founder 1

https://tefl-ism.com/
Source: Study Skills: Learn How To Study English (educationcorner.com)
 Teacher Training School

Get extra help

If you want to improve your writing and mastery of English, then ask for help from your
teacher or get an English tutor. English, especially written English, is one of those
subjects that is difficult to "figure out" on your own. Learning how to write correctly is far
easier, and more productive, when you're able to learn from those who've mastered this
skill.

Take good notes

Note taking is an important strategy for success in any academic subject, but it is
particularly important when learning to read and write English. Note taking is essential
to the study of English for several reasons. First, note taking forces you to write things
down. As you write down important concepts, rules and ideas they move from your
short-term to your long-term memory. Second, good note taking requires active
listening which forces you to pay close attention to what is being taught and what's
meaningful. Finally, you can use your notes to review and prepare for English exams.

The following are tips for taking good notes.


Make sure your notes are clear and accurate.

Focus your notes on what the teacher indicates is important.

Come to class prepared and having completed all assignments.

Compare your notes with those of other students.

Try to avoid distractions (talking with friends, sitting where there is noise, etc.)

Make sure your notes are organized (see The Cornell System for Taking
Notes)
 Use abbreviations and symbols for long words to save time.
 Write legibly so your notes are useful to you later.
 Review your notes immediately after class and then again before your next
class.
 Write down any questions you have.
For more information on taking notes read Improving Your Note Taking.

Pay attention in class

Regardless of whether you're in high school or attending college, go to class and pay
attention. Paying attention in class seems like a no brainer, but it's a big reason
students struggle in English. Not only do you need to learn English, you need to learn
what it is that your teacher or instructor finds important. There is a science to English
reading and writing, but the subject is also a bit objective at times. If you want to
perform well in your class, you need to learn what it is that your instructor is looking for.
The best way to do this is by attending class and paying attention.

Curated by: Mohamed Ali Khalaf | Founder 2

https://tefl-ism.com/
Source: Study Skills: Learn How To Study English (educationcorner.com)
 Teacher Training School

Take advantage of online study guides

There are a variety of online study guides designed to help students with English
reading, writing and literature. Some of these include Cliff notes, Sparknotes, and
Jiffynotes, to name just a few. These guides are chock-full of notes and information on
English literature. They provide summaries, interpretations, essay tips, helpful hints,
video tutorials and Old-to-Modern-English translations. Online study guides provide
information that can help you better understand your textbooks, essay assignments and
classroom lectures.

Form a study group

Forming a study group is an effective strategy for improving your performance in your
English class and earning a good grade. Forming a good study group will help you (1)
improve your note taking, (2) learn from the knowledge and unique insights of other
students, (3) develop a support system, (4) cover more material and (5) make learning
English more fun.

The following are a few tips for forming an effective study group.


Keep your study group to between 4 and 6 people.

Select group members who are responsible and dedicated.

Find a study area for your group that is free from distractions.

Keep study sessions under 2 to 3 hours.

Plan to meet with your study group at the same time and place each week.
You can learn more about developing an effective study group by reading Using Study
Groups.

Ask questions

If there is one thing I learned from watching Big Bird on Sesame Street it is that, "Asking
questions is a good way of finding things out!" This couldn't be more true with respect to
learning and studying English. If you have a question, ask your teacher or a fellow
student. Make sure you've come to class prepared and that you're not asking questions
you should already know the answer to from completing your textbook assignment, but
when you don't understand something, ask. Even if your question seems stupid to you,
never hesitate to ask. The only stupid question is that one not asked. If you feel
uncomfortable asking your question during class, stay after and ask the teacher in
private – but ask.

Prepare for exams in advance

If you've kept up with your textbook readings, have attended class, taken good notes,
and completed all assignments as they've been assigned, you should be ready to ace
your English exam. Notwithstanding, we recommend that you start reviewing for your
exam at least four weeks in advance. Meet with your study group each week, review
Curated by: Mohamed Ali Khalaf | Founder 3
https://tefl-ism.com/
Source: Study Skills: Learn How To Study English (educationcorner.com)
 Teacher Training School

your notes and essays, and make sure to get a good night's sleep the day before the
exam. Again, avoid cramming at all costs. It will only stress you out and cause you to
lose precious sleep time.

Other English study resources

In addition to the strategies we've provided above, we recommend reviewing the tips
and strategies provided by the following websites:

 English Syntax and Sentence Structure

 Guide to Grammar and Writing
 How to Read Poetry

Curated by: Mohamed Ali Khalaf | Founder 4

https://tefl-ism.com/
Source: Study Skills: Learn How To Study English (educationcorner.com)