2. ADOLESCENT FRIENDLY SCHOOL INITIATIVE
IAP VISION 2007
STUDY-SKILLS
&
STRESS OF EXAMINATION
- C.S.N.Vittal
3. Study Skills
• Poor study habits are a
major problem in almost
50% of Indian school
children who are healthy
otherwise and have no
major adjustment
problems at school and at
home.
4. Study Skills
• Parents, teachers and
pediatricians should
motivate and teach
adolescents the skills of
working to their maximum
potential to achieve
success in school.
5. IAP VISION 2007
ADOLESCENT FRIENDLY SCHOOL INITIATIVE
OBJECTIVE OF PROGRAM
To help students taking exams
understand stress & anxiety.
• To be aware of early signs of stress and
anxiety that builds up during exams.
• To help parents and guardians facilitate
children towards healthy coping and
preparation for exams
6. IAP VISION 2007
ADOLESCENT FRIENDLY SCHOOL INITIATIVE
STRESS
• Stress has become integral part of
everyday life.
• Starting from 2nd year of life to adulthood.
• We can’t eliminate stress but yes, we can
reduce stress in our life.
• Gross route of problems is individual
failing to comprehend their own selves.
7. IAP VISION 2007
ADOLESCENT FRIENDLY SCHOOL INITIATIVE
STRESS
• Body’s non specific response to varying
demands that placed on it.
• Stress can help to keep person alert &
motivated. Lack & too much of stress are
problem.
• Try to learn how to manage stress & take
advantage of it.
• Most frequently encountered problem of
today’s youth is stress of examination.
8. IAP VISION 2007
PHYSICAL REACTIONS OF
EXAMS STRESS.
ADOLESCENT FRIENDLY SCHOOL INITIATIVE
Stress can cause any of the followings:
– Sleep difficulties,
– Rapid pounding heart beat.
– Frequent urge to pass urine,
– Fast shallow breathing.
– Chest discomfort,
– Change in appetite,
– Constipation / diarrhea,
– Backache
9. IAP VISION 2007
ADOLESCENT FRIENDLY SCHOOL INITIATIVE
PSYCHOLOGICAL REACTIONS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Frustration / aggression,
Feeling tense,
Unable to relax,
Mentally drained out,
Fussy, gloomy.
Suspicious,
Constantly frightened,
Irritable.
Inability to concentrate or complete the task.
11. IAP VISION 2007
REASONS
ADOLESCENT FRIENDLY SCHOOL INITIATIVE
AGE
• Adolescents are more emotionally labile
& get disturbed.
• Class 10th &12th falls in this period of
adolescence.
• Important in view of future carrier.
• Frequents frictions with parents due to
emotional & behavior changes.
12. IAP VISION 2007
REASONS
ADOLESCENT FRIENDLY SCHOOL INITIATIVE
FAMILY ENVOIRMENT
• Disturbed family environment.
• Working mothers & paucity of time.
• Parents’ expectations increases
stress in adolescents.
• Anxious parents transfer their
anxiety to adolescents.
• Unhealthy parenting practices.
• Disturbed child parents relationship.
• Reduced socialization.
13. IAP VISION 2007
REASONS
ADOLESCENT FRIENDLY SCHOOL INITIATIVE
EMOTIONAL IMMATURITY
• It makes adolescents unable to cope up
with examination stress for fear of
failure.
• Anxiety may be imbibed from peers,
over demanding parents, & over
ambitious teachers
• Casual comment, freak accident may
lead to negative thinking.
14. IAP VISION 2007
ADOLESCENT FRIENDLY SCHOOL INITIATIVE
STRESS - RELIEF
• Stress can be overcome by through
preparations, systematic, organized and
persistent efforts from beginning of
sessions.
15. Stress Relief - Study Skills
• The key to success in any
exam is persistent, regular,
thorough and organized
method of studying right
from the beginning of the
academic session.
16. Strategies
• To help the student to
perform well and
• To avoid undue stress and
anxiety just before the
exams.
17. Strategies
1. To listen in the classroom
2. To take good notes and to review
them within 24hrs
3. To schedule time
4. To study with concentration
5. To use SQ3R method to improve
text book comprehension
6. To start revising a week before
exams
7. To use good exam taking
strategies
8. To Always Remain Cool
18. 1.To listen in the classroom
• Should sit near the front of the class
• Should not talk while listening
• Should listen with concentration,
• Take notes and
• Try to correlate with previous
knowledge
19. 2. To take good notes and to review
them within 24 hrs
• prepare the pages of the long
notebook.
• A 2-3" column on the right side is
made and is titled as 'recall'.
• take good legible notes.
• Abbreviations save time.
• A few blank lines are left after each
section. These could be filled later
with the student’s notes, which
he/she could write after going
through various reference books
and textbooks.
20. 3. To schedule time
….is to improve efficiency.
1. A list of top five things, which one feels
are a waste of time, is made. One should
try to reduce the time spent over these
activities
2. The time spent on daily activities like
sleeping, grooming, on meals, on doing
errands, in school, in play, in watching
television etc each day is listed. Each
value is multiplied with seven and then
all the figures are added.
The sum is subtracted from 168
and that gives the number of hours that
one could use for studying
21. 3. To schedule time ….is to improve efficiency.
3.
Then a study time schedule is made.
One should set either daily or weekly
or monthly goals
4. The schedule needs to be reviewed
every week
5. Leave some unscheduled time for
flexibility. This would allow one to deal
with any emergency situation without
disturbing the schedule.
22. 4. To study with concentration
1. Set aside a niche in the house only for
studying.
2. make sure that the study area has good
lighting, ventilation and preferably a chair
and table.
3. It is essential to keep the area is free of
distractions like a television, fridge, radio,
etc.
4. The work is to be divided into easily
attainable goals.
5. Study for not more than 50 minutes at a
stretch.
6. Try to study at the same time everyday so
that it becomes an enduring habit.
23. 5. To use SQ3R method
…to improve text book comprehension
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Survey
Questions
Read
Recite
Review
24. 5. To use SQ3R method
…to improve text book comprehension
1) Survey –
When any chapter is to
be read, it should be
surveyed first.
The introduction,
summary, bold headings
and graphics are to be
read and understood.
25. 5. To use SQ3R method
…to improve text book comprehension
2) QuestionsEach bold face heading
should be turned into one
or more questions that are
written on a paper.
26. 5. To use SQ3R method
…to improve text book comprehension
3) Read
The section under each
bold heading is to be read
and the answers are to be
written in the reader’s own
language. New questions
could be added while
reading.
27. 5. To use SQ3R method
…to improve text book comprehension
4) Recite
The answers should be
learnt and then recited.
28. 5. To use SQ3R method
…to improve text book comprehension
5) Review
The whole chapter should
be reviewed at the end.
If the reader is not able
to remember any answer,
he should to relearn it.
29. 6. To start revising a week before
exams
• Would avoid last minute nightmares and
reduce stress and anxiety just before exams.
• If one has any doubts regarding any subject,
asking the concerned teacher well in time
before the final exam could clear these
doubts.
• Self-tests could be taken to assess one’s
preparation for the exams during this period.
30. 7. To use good exam taking strategies
1) One day before the exam
2) On the day of the exam
3) During the exam
31. 7. To use good exam taking strategies
1) One day before the exam
1. Find out exactly where the exam is.
• The bus route,
• the parking lot,
• the exact building and the room
• number where one has to sit while
taking the exam have to be carefully
noted.
2. Put together all that one needs while
writing the exam like pens, pencils, rubber,
scale, watch etc neatly in a bag
3. Ensure a sleep of at least 6-7 hrs that night.
4. For a multiple-choice exam it is better to
revise all facts and definitions a day
before.
32. 7. To use good exam taking strategies
2) On the day of the exam
1. Have a light but nutritious breakfast.
2. Wear comfortable clothes.
3. Should practice positive self-statements
like 'I am going to do well' on the way to
the exam.
4. Should arrive a bit early at the exam
location. Stress provoking crowds waiting
outside the exam hall are to be strictly
avoided.
33. 7. To use good exam taking strategies
3) During the exam
1. Should quickly read the question paper
and prioritize areas and schedule the
available time. Should keep at leas t
10-15 minutes in the end for checking.
2. Should skip to another question if one is
drawing a blank.
3. Always write legibly.
4. In case one starts getting symptoms of
increased stress like sweating,
palpitations, tremors, one could do
relaxation exercises like deep
breathing for a few seconds.
34. 7. To use good exam taking strategies
4) After the exam
1. Should not get depressed about the
mistakes made in the exam and waste
time brooding over them, instead one
should start studying for the next exam.
2. The mistakes made in the exam could
be discussed with the teachers after all
the exam papers are over.
35. 8. To Always Remain Cool
• These strategies would be effective only if
one is cool and remembers to put in
his/her best without bothering about
marks and results.
• One should learn to put in persistent effort
throughout the academic year to
achieve success in exams.
36. Other Strategies
• Use of mnemonics to improve memory,
• Mind mapping etc.
• Eat healthy & regular diet ; your brain will
benefit from nutrients.
• Regular moderate exercise to boost your
energy.
• Try out some yoga, it improves your
concentration level & you sleep better.
37. IAP VISION 2007
ADOLESCENT FRIENDLY SCHOOL INITIATIVE
CONTROLLING EXAMS STRESS
• Acknowledge the stress and strain
because everyone faces it
• Appreciating what causes your stress
• Alleviating the pressures is all about
resorting to simple stress-busting.
• Altering your lifestyle is the next step
towards exam Stress
• Avoiding last step is the toughest but also
the most beneficial.
38. Guidelines for Parents
• Look for common signs of stress,
irritability, lack of sleep, loss of
appetite.
• Try to be patient, controlled & calm.
• Do not have unrealistic expectations.
• Be positive & reassuring, emphasize on
success.
• Avoid comparison with other students.
• Do not stress on rank.
• Do not offer bribes.
• Avoid negative talk.
39. Expectations from Parents
• Provide financial & psychological
support.
• Ensure regular studies trough the year.
• Spend time to know his / her –
routines / friends / difficulties.
• Offer help in need.
• Periodic interaction with teachers.
• Involve yourself in child’s routine.
• Offer feeling of love / security / warmth
in relationship.
• Positive listening to the child.
40. Parents better – Avoid ..
• Do not nag / pester / push for
studies.
• Do not interfere during relaxation /
refreshing / enjoying.
• Keep expectation according to
caliber.
• Do not indulge in activities, which
interfere with child’s studying
moods, concentrations & plans.
41. Parents better – Avoid ..
• Do not try to teach child if you
are likely to loose temper .
• Do not over react on occasional
failures & mistakes.
• Avoid conflicts & frictions
amongst family members in front
of adolescents.
42. Conclusion
Simple study skills
described above are in
fact healthy study habits
that can be easily
adopted by all students
to improve their school
performance and
thereby enhance their
self-esteem.