Student Tip Sheet
LISTENING SKILLS
Listening is a skill that takes effort and practice. But the more effectively you listen, the
better you will do in school. A good listener not only hears words but thinks about their meaning.
Here are several suggestions to help you become a better listener.
 Realize that listening is hard work. Did you know that your body reacts to the effort of
listening? Your heart rate quickens, your blood circulates faster, and your body
temperature increases.
 Be ready to listen. Clear your desk of unnecessary materials and distractions. Tell
yourself it is time to concentrate.
 Decide to get interested in what is being said. This will help you concentrate, remember,
and ignore distractions.
 As you listen, look at the speaker. This will help you pay closer attention.
 Picture in your mind what is being said.
 Ask yourself questions about what is being said.
 Relate what the speaker is saying to what you already know.
 Ask yourself if the speaker is hinting at something. Listen ”between the lines”.
 Summarize in your mind the main points of what has been said. Do this often when your
teacher is talking.
Student Tip Sheet
FOLLOWING
DIRECTIONS
FOLLOWING WRITTEN DIRECTIONS
 Read all directions carefully before you begin.
 Ask questions if there is something you don't understand.
 Be aware of key words such as READ, ANSWER, and WRITE.
Be aware also of order words such as FIRST, NEXT, THEN and FINALLY.
 Break the assignment into steps to be completed.
 Organize the steps in the order that you will complete them.
 Do not change any directions or the order of the steps
 When you have completed an assignment, review your work, and check for mistakes.
FOLLOWING ORAL DIRECTIONS
 Listen carefully to what is said.
 Ask questions if there is something you don't understand.
 Repeat the directions to yourself. Write the directions in you notebook so you can refer
to them later.
 Be aware of key words and order words.
 Break the assignment into steps to be completed.
 Organize the steps in the order you will complete them.
 Do not change any directions or the order of the steps.
 When you have completed the assignment, review your work and check for mistakes.
Student Tip Sheet
SELF CONCEPT AND MOTIVATION
You can do it! Putting forth the effort isn't always easy, but the results are worth it. If you
can't figure something out yourself, find someone who can help you. Keep asking until you get
the answer.
“stoplight”
red
Message to yourself
“I can’t do it”
yellow
“I can’t do it YET, but I’m
trying.”
“I can do it”
green
Effect
You choose not to try or think
that the task is too difficult
You are working on it and
trying your best.
You choose to try and begin to
see success.
Remember, mistakes can help you learn. Find the correct answers to questions you miss on a
test. Why did you miss these? Were you rushing to complete the test, did you know the
information ? What can you do differently next time?
Ask yourself these questions: If the answer to any of these is “no” or “I’m not sure” ask an
adult for support and guidance.
 Do you have self-confidence?
 Do you have self-control?
 Do you have self-respect?
 Do you want to learn?
 Do you come to class prepared with paper, pencil, and books?
 If you don't understand something, do you ask for help or go over the material again?
 Do you pay attention and concentrate?
Don't wait for inspiration to strike - it probably won't! An athlete must train day after day no
matter what. Like the athlete, a student gets in training for tests and exams by doing what's
expected over a long period of time.
Student Tip Sheet
TEXTBOOK LAYOUT
Learn the different parts of your textbook Use these parts of your textbook
to save yourself time and work
 The title page is the first page of your book. It lists the title and often the author and
publisher.
Wondering when the book was written? Look at the title page.
 The table of contents is located at the front of your book. It lists the number
title of units or chapters and indicates the page on which each begins.
and
Wondering what you’re going to learn about during the year in that subject?
Look at the table of contents.
 The glossary is in the back of the book and contains definitions for words in the book.
Don’t know the meaning of a word in the textbook? Look in the glossary
 The index is often the last section in a book. It is an alphabetical listing of subjects or
topics with page references.
You have a homework assignment and it asks about a certain topic- look up
the topic in the index to find out where the answer may be!
 The appendix is located at the end of the textbook. It includes additional information on
specific topics.
Interested in learning more about something you’ve read about?
Look in the appendix to find more books on it!
.