Effective Study Skills

Objectives

• Understand the importance of effective time management
• Learn strategies to prevent procrastination
• Develop skills for organising time efficiently when writing assignments

Curriculum Area

PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education)

Level: Year 13

Materials Needed

• Whiteboard and markers
• Handouts with sample weekly planners
• Sticky notes
• A4 paper and pens
• Timer or stopwatch

Lesson Plan

Starter Activity (10 minutes)

1. Introduction and Objectives

• Welcome students and provide a brief overview of the lesson's objectives.
• Ask students to share their biggest challenges when managing their time or writing assignments. Capture answers on the whiteboard.

Main Activities (40 minutes)

2. The Importance of Time Management (10 minutes)

• Discuss why time management is crucial, especially in Year 13, and how it affects academic performance and overall well-being.
• Use real-life examples, such as busy schedules of professionals or university students, to illustrate the point.

3. Tackling Procrastination (15 minutes)

• Define procrastination and discuss its common causes (e.g., fear of failure, lack of interest, feeling overwhelmed).
• Break students into small groups and have them discuss strategies they've used or heard about to combat procrastination.
• Reconvene and write their ideas on the whiteboard. Supplement with proven techniques such as the Pomodoro Technique, setting SMART goals, and seeking accountability partners.

4. Practical Time Management Strategies (15 minutes)

• Explain and distribute the sample weekly planners.
• Demonstrate how to fill out a planner with different categories: schoolwork, personal time, extra-curricular activities, etc.
• Activity: Have students fill out their planners for the next week, including study blocks for any forthcoming assignments.
• Use sticky notes to allow flexibility in their planning. Place them on the whiteboard to show different possible schedules.

Plenary (10 minutes)

5. Reflection and Q&A

• Ask students to share their filled planners and discuss any potential challenges they foresee.
• Encourage students to set specific, measurable goals for the upcoming week based on their planners.
• Open the floor for any questions regarding time management or procrastination.

6. Exit Ticket

• Provide students with an A4 sheet of paper and ask them to jot down one new strategy they will implement to manage their time better and one method to combat procrastination. This will be handed in as they leave.

Extension Activity

• Suggest students create a vision board or use apps like Todoist or Trello to keep track of their tasks and goals.

Evaluation

• Assess students’ planners and the strategies they noted on their exit tickets to measure understanding and readiness to implement these skills.
• Follow up in the next session, asking students to share how they managed their time and dealt with procrastination over the week.

By the end of this lesson, students should feel more confident in their ability to organise their time and tackle procrastination, setting them on a better path to academic success.