STUDY SKILLS

Language is considered as a ‘skill’ rather than as ‘knowledge’. Skills are acquired through practice. The four language skills, LSRW have to be mastered by any user of the language.  If anyone wants to study anything through a language, one has to master what are known as study skills (supplementary skills).  While mobilizing all efforts to develop the language skills named listening, speaking, reading and writing, the English teacher’s task is not finished. Supplementary skills are to be developed in our students. The ideal of English language learning is to develop all the major skills and the supplementary skills in the most balanced manner so that both linguistic and communicative competencies are nurtured to the maximum level.

What are study skills?

                Study skills may be defined as skills which help learners to study more effectively. Study skills    enable the learners to ‘learn to learn’. Thus independent learning takes place and the learner learns ‘how to learn’

            The process of meaningful study undergoes mainly four operations/processes:

1.     Perception (perceive what is relevant or significant)

2.     Comprehension (understanding in the short term memory)

3.     Retention (the comprehended material enters long term memory)

4.     Retrieval (getting into use whenever needed)

            In other words the learner should first perceive what is relevant to his/her needs and select only those areas which are important. Next he/she has to read or comprehend the material. Comprehension constitutes an important stage in the process of learning.  Whatever the learner understood may be easily being forgotten hence the learner has to make special efforts to retain what he/she has learnt. As the part of that learners adopt different means towards retention. Very weak students blindly memorize the whole lesson, and brighter learners try to keep short notes which could be paraphrased later.  Retrieval involves retrieving the stock of information and knowledge whatever learnt at the time of need.

            There are three types of study skills corresponding to the four operations in the process of study. They are:

1.     Gathering skills (Perception, Comprehension)

2.     Storing skills (Retention)

3.     Retrieval skills (Retrieval)

Gathering skills

            These are also known as reference skills and enable a learner to gather information as quickly as possible. This requires two sub-skills: locating and comprehending information. Information is to be gathered quickly for which the learner has to locate what is needed and then comprehend. Knowledge of what to refer to or the sources available is a pre-requisite. The learner should know how to make use of a dictionary, library catalog or how to get information from a computer etc. once he locates the source by glancing through the ‘contents’ or index he can skim through them and perhaps scan only those sections which are useful for his study. The gathering skills may be summed up as follows:

            Locating information - through reference to dictionaries, library catalogues, tables of content, index etc.

            Comprehending information - through mastering the sub-skills of reading, like skimming, scanning etc.

Storage skills

            What is comprehended is to be stored for ready use. All that we listen to or read will not be stored automatically. It needs an effort from the part of the learner. The relevant information which will have to be used later can be stored on a permanent basis in the brief form. While listening to a lecture talk etc. the listener can involve in ‘note-taking’ and while or after reading, the reader can do ‘note-making’. Later he will have to refer to these notes alone and needn’t go over the original source again.  

Thus storing skills have two major categories: Note-taking and Note- making.

Note-making and Note-taking

            The process/sub-skills involves-

a)     Comprehension of content material (text, lecture)

b)     Identification of main points

c)     Distinguishing main points

d)    Deciding order of priority of points

e)     Identifying the organization of points

f)      Organizing the points into notes (visual display)

Note-taking

            Note-taking involves taking down notes while listening to the teacher, radio or such other sources. It is a very important skill to be developed because this will help a learner at higher levels.

For concentration, one should plan the time, set the goal in mind, create conducive atmosphere and have the right attitude to listening piece. For developing note-taking skill one should need:

Ø Attend the class faithfully

Ø Make use of abbreviation

Ø Be on the lookout for signals of importance

Ø Write examples

Ø Write connections between ideas

Ø Review notes after the class

Ø Get down record of each class

Note-making

            It is a technique to store information for ready retrieval and use. Note-making means making notes while or after reading. The speed, meaningfulness etc of the note is highly individualistic. As the first step, the reader has to comprehend the text, identify the main points, distinguish main points from minor ones, and organize the points.

Retrieval skills

            The skill will be reflected when the student summarizes what he has stored or reports what he has comprehended and stored. Here the student will have to analyze, judge and present the material with clarity, brevity etc.  The length of a summary may vary depending on the purpose for which it is intended. A summary must be coherent, logical piece of discourse in the form of a continuous paragraph. It must be comprehensive and should include the relevant points.

Why do students need training in study skills?

            Students have two types of goals: the short term goal is to pass the examination. The long-term goal is to prepare for life i.e. the second goal extends beyond examinations. In order to achieve both these goals they have to know how to study. Hence the importance of study skills.

            But it is a sad fact that our students do not know how to locate information even in their mother-tongue also. After telling the English teacher about the importance of study skills, and training them in study skills, the teacher indirectly helps the students to study their other subjects also more effectively. By proper guidance and practice, the students acquire the skill. Training can begin from the primary level itself with simple tasks.

            Many teachers argue that there is no need to focus on study skills or give special training in this area. They have the opinion that the students will learn the study skills unconsciously. In the case of note-making and note taking the students have not much idea. They adopt the trial and error method to develop these skills due to the lack of proper guidance. Even the undergraduate students do not know how to make notes or how to write a summary. They lift words at random and string them together and call it a precis. The concept of note-making is totally strange to them.

            Instead of regarding the time spent on developing study skills as a waste of time, it is necessary to regard it as a wise investment. Study skills are needed at all levels. Children at the primary level need them. For example, identifying the moral of a story is a study skill. Locating answers to questions is another study skill.  As students go to higher classes the nature of study skills becomes more complex. The English teacher is the best person to develop study skills in students. It is very clear that study skills should be developed by giving simple activities which require a problem-solving approach.