Beyond intelligence, study habits are essential to achieving good academic performance. It is also one of the main workhorses of parents, who do not know how to get their children to do homework. However, it is the task of the parents to establish a study routine at home, explain the importance of that effort and motivate them. Let,s discover how to improve study habits of children.
How to improve study habits of children
1. Set up an area for the study
Most children do not study willingly, so it is important to use all the tools at our disposal to motivate them. The good idea is to create a study area, which is pleasant, where the child has all his school supplies at hand and feels comfortable.
2. Choose the right time
It is important that children do not make a negative association with the study. Therefore, it is recommended that they first do homework and then be allowed to perform a pleasant task, such as playing. In this way, they will not assume that the study is a kind of punishment.
3. The necessary time
It is not convenient to force the child to spend too much time studying. As a general rule, it is convenient to start with short periods, at the beginning 10 or 15 minutes will be sufficient, and then increase as the course progresses or according to the complexity of the duties. In any case, during the first years the child should not spend more than 50 minutes studying, the ideal is that he dedicates to this activity only half an hour.
4. Avoid distractions
Children are easily distracted, especially when it comes to studying. Therefore, it is convenient that at the time of doing homework there are no distractions. Keep the TV off and leave any game aside. It is important that the child can concentrate because it will end faster, less frustrated and the result will have higher quality.
5. Plan tasks
The study habits do not only refer to the time that is dedicated to this activity, but it is also important the organization. If you teach the child to study, he will be able to do his homework in less time since he will take better advantage of every minute. Therefore, it is convenient to teach him to organize and plan tasks, such as explaining that he should start with the most complex tasks and finish with the simplest ones.
6. Subdivide complex tasks
When children are young, they expect an immediate reward, which is why it is difficult for them to visualize the end of a task, especially if it is too long. To motivate you and avoid frustration you can divide a task into small steps. For example, if you must learn multiplication tables, you can devote a week to each number, so the child will not feel overwhelmed.
7. Recognize your effort
It is not about giving gifts, but you need to reward your effort, a few words of encouragement or a special dessert for dinner may be enough for the child to feel motivated to continue studying. Remember that the compliments and attention of adults are great incentives for children. You can also make him see how much he is moving forward so that he is encouraged to continue.
8. Create a routine
Creating study habits is not limited to doing homework, it is rather to devote a space of time to this task every day of the week. Therefore, even if the child does not have homework, you can ask him to sit down for a while to read or write. You can also look for fun tasks, such as making crafts.
9. Constant supervision
At first, the child will need to be supervised until the habit is established. This means that you must sit at the table with him until the homework is finished. Little by little, you can give it more autonomy, emphasizing the fact that you trust it. However, keep an eye on their progress, reviewing the task at the end.
