Effective Study Skills Are the Sole Foundation of Sound Education

Study Skills are approaches applied to Learning. There are many study skills methods. The essay will discuss whether effective study skills are actually the sole foundation of a sound education or just part of a students education. Teaching study skills to children when they are beginning to read, benefits them in the longterm Salinger 1983. This research focuses on just reading , not on any other part of a childs education. Any study technique which is taught to students will assist them but in order for the technique to be useful the students have tutored in a specific way, Armbruster 1981. This seems to show that yes , in general study techniques do help but they have to taught in a particular way. Wingate 2006, argues that what the student learns, the manner at which the students learns is important and that a study skills course separate to this would be of no use.With this in mind, it shows that study skills alone are not adequate and other factors need to be considered, for example the subject or course matter and the means by which a students learns. While this may be true, study skills assist towards a sound education but this research shows that study skills are just one part of the building blocks necessary for education and are not the sole foundation.

Manbeth 2002 shows that academical students perform better when they have effective study skills. University students results can be improved if they are taught study skills, Afsner Hassanbeigi et al, 2011. Results from these studies have shown that study skills appear to improve grades. Although these studies are clear in their conclusions students must also be proficient in the use of computers as it is necessary for almost all course work, Richardson 2010. It is evident that study skills help aspects of education, in addition to this Dill, Anna et al,2011 has shown that study skills also assist in keeping students in education where they might otherwise be suspended. Study skills learnt can also help with anxiety that is related to performance during exams, Damer 2011. It seems it is not only the students that need training. A study by Thorpe 2010, showed that the teachers didn’t seem to comprehend what study skills entailed and they needed training to be able to give clear instruction. To sum up, it is evident from the research and the studies shown here that study skills enhance a students education. Different aspects of a students education are benefited by learning study skills but not all aspects. From this we can see that study skills are not the sole foundation of a sound education but are a valuable tool to assist in many aspects of a students learning experience.

References

Armbruster, Bonnie B: Anderson, Thomas H. (1981). ‘ Research Synthesis on Study Skills ‘ Education Leadership, v39 n 2 p154-156. Damer , Diana E Melendres Lauren T ; ‘ Tackling Test Anxiety ‘. A Group for College students. Journal for specialists in group work, v36 n3 p163-177. Dill, Anna L. (2010-2011) ‘A Successful Retention Program for Suspended Students’. Journal of College Student, Retention Research Theory and practice. v12 n3 p277-291 Hassanbeigi, Afsoner et al, (2011).’ The Relationship between Study Skills and Academic preformanceof University students’. Procedia-Social and behavioural sciences,V30 P1416-1424. Manbeth Gettinger,Seibert Jill K, (2002)’ Contributions of Study Skills to Academic Competence’. School Psychology Review ,v31 n3, p350-365. Ricardson, Judy S et al(2010) ‘ A History of study skills : Not Hot, But Not forgotten. Reading Improvement, v47, n2. p111- 123. Salinger , Terry S. Study Skills(1983) ; A”Basic “in Elementary Reading Instruction. Reading Improvement, v20,n4 p333-137. Thorpe, Christin, (2010) ‘ Promoting Academic Achievement in the Middle School Classroom’. Integrating Effective Study Skills Instruction, On-Line Submission. Report – research tests questionaires. Wingate Ursula ; ‘Doing Away with Study skills, Teaching in Higher Education. v11, n4, p457-469.