Study guides

Good question. I assume this means your children will be taking memorization-based tests. In which case, I’d make up sample tests for them as a study guide. A study guide can clue kids in to what might be on the test but it doesn’t tell the young child how to assimilate the information. They don’t know how to “study”.

I’d try to find out the testing format - multiple choice? true-false? and then take the information they’re responsible for and write up a sample test or two. Let them take it and thus get them familiar with how the information will look when in a test and help to reinforce the information.

The study guides I make for my regular ed class follow the t-note format.
Terms are listed on the left of the T, and I have the students write the definition on the right. Statements are written right through the T. I have the students fill in the definitions for the terms on their own after we have spent time pronouncing the words correctly. We add the statements to the Study Guides only after reading the section covered. I have them highlight key words.

For the kids who need extra attention in my class, I give them a partially filled in Study Guide, and they have to fill in the key words. It seems to work out well and keeps everybody participating during classtime. I have not found a better way for Science and Social Studies yet.

The suggestions you’ve gotten so far have had a very heavy emphasis on verbal definitions. If you can, include visuals — pictures that are examples of concepts they need to know.

It’s imperative if these things are going to work that they be interactive; a “study guide” with the “Stuff they need to know” written on them and the edict to “study this stuff” is something I’ve known lots of people (including myself) to try. So many times I’ve heard teachers wailing, “But I told them exactly what would be on the test!!!” And not only are the teachers still frustrated (except the ones that think that this just means the students are hopeless cases and therefore they’re not accountable), but even if the kiddos do “study” the exact stuff it tends to be the very temporary rote knowledge.

Asking for examples of things (or matching examples with concepts), asking quesitons like “what are three things an abolitionist would say?” and bringing in pictures and visuals and even musical examples can be very helpful, too.

I work as a paraprofessional with 7th grade students. We always make up study guides for every subject except for Math and here is how I do it. The most important thing is to get the test. Our teachers know that I will want a test along with a key at least one day prior to the test day. If they are unwilling or unable to provide, then they know that our kids will be taking the test twice possibly, which means a long time before they get our kid’s grades in their gradebook. Then I take the key and make the study guide directly from it, rewording the question so it’s a statement. Sometimes I’ll type the actual answers bold and underlined, although they don’t know this at the time. Then on the test day, we practice taking it, of course, using the key. Each one has the use of a study guide in their IEP, so we are required to provide it. Of course, just because we provide it doesn’t mean they’ll use it, and lots of them don’t. Every so often I’ll sneak in a sentence that says, “if you are reading this study guide, please see Mrs. __________ first thing in the morning”, and then I give them some small treat. Hope this helps, Marcia

Oh, I forgot to add that I have the students come up with a picture-symbol for each term and draw it by the term.