While many teachers spend some class time teaching study skills, students often need more guidance than they get in the classroom. No doubt while in school there will be homework, and it will become more difficult as they progress.  This will require analytical skills your child may not have developed yet.

The study skills your child needs to do well on their test on Friday is the same ones needed to succeed in high school and college: getting organized, taking good notes and studying effectively.

As your child moves toward independence, they are less likely to ask for your advice. They will need to go through some trial and error to come up with the strategies most compatible with their learning style. And you'll want to encourage them to take responsibility for their own school work. You can help by monitoring homework, asking questions and helping them evaluate what works for them — and what doesn't.

1. Get organized

• Provide a place to study.
• Help your child develop a system to keep track of important papers.
• Make sure your child has — and uses — a planner to keep track of assignments.
• Encourage your child to estimate how long each assignment will take.
• Help your child break big projects into smaller ones.
• Communicate with your child's teachers.

2. The dreaded question "Did you do your homework?"

Parents need to ask more questions than this one. How much should you help with homework? Monitor homework but remember it's your child's homework, not yours. You can help by asking questions that help guide your child to his own solutions.  Some examples:

• What information do you need to do this assignment? 
  
• Where are you going to look for it?
  
• Where do you think you should begin?
  
• What do you need to do next?
  
• Can you describe how you're going to solve this problem?
  
• How did you solve this problem?
  
• What did you try that didn't work?
  
• Why does this answer seem right to you?
  
• Tell me more about this part?

3. Studying for test

Studying for tests is a skill. For struggling students, it's a mystery. Parents can help their children manage their time and attention which means turning of the cell phone, the TV and the iPod.  Some tips to remember in helping your child:

Rereading isn't the same as learning. 
Reviewing alone is not enough.  There are other ways your student can practice this kind of active learning - highlighting his notes, using Post-its to mark key textbook passages, making study cards, and mapping and diagramming concepts.

People are productive at different times of day. 
Some people focus better in the morning, others at night. Help your child find the times that his efforts will be most effective.

Sometimes we just have to memorize.
Inventing your own silly mnemonic together works just as well and can lighten up a study session.

Help your child make the most of his time. 
Carry a review sheet or book along with her, sitting in the doctor's waiting room or waiting out a traffic jam can be productive study time. That leaves more time for a basketball game after school.

Make sure your child knows the basics.
Find out the skills students at your child's grade level are expected to have.

Look for other sources of support.
Find out the best way to reach your child's teachers and keep that contact information handy all year. Is there a college student in your neighborhood or talk to your child about finding a "study buddy" or group. Study groups can be effective because students can fill in the gaps in each other's knowledge and test their understanding of the material by explaining it to others.

Reflect on what works.
Some questions you can ask your child: How do you know when you've studied enough? How did you keep yourself focused How much time did you plan to spend and how much did you actually spend? How would you do this differently next time

Help your child destress. 
Good study skills can help reduce anxiety, and so can relaxation exercises and regular physical activity.