Study Techniques Part 2 - Best Learning Techniques & Aids for Teens
The teenage years are a pivotal period for your child – and we don’t just mean that it’s when they stop coming out of their room! It’s also a crucial time for their education.
If you’re looking to support your teenager with their secondary studies and beyond, creating a dedicated working environment at home will help them to concentrate, away from noise and distractions. You might also find some of these learning techniques and study aids for teenagers helpful.
Read on for our top tips to ensure your teen gets a tip-top education!
Best Learning Techniques for Teens
1. Active Learning
Active learning methods, such as group discussions, interactive videos and gamification, can help engage tech-savvy teens in their studies. Involving your teen in their learning (as opposed to them just passively listening to a teacher), can help them to understand and retain information. Techniques that engage teenagers can be tricky to find, so you might need to try a few before landing on something that works.
Peer teaching and discussion can allow your teen to benefit from others’ knowledge and perspectives, so you might encourage them to form study groups with their friends. You could also ask them to explain what they’ve learned to you, as voicing information out loud can help it to stick in their mind and reveal any gaps in their learning.
2. Repetition and Study Cards
If you’re anything like us, you need to hear something more than once to remember it. In fact, if it’s a person’s name, we sometimes need to hear it a third, fourth or fifth time (and by then, we find it’s best just to smile and hope you never have to introduce them to anyone else!)
Encourage your teenager to review their lesson notes regularly. It can also be helpful to create study cards with key information or dates, so your teen can easily and systematically refer to them again and again, helping them to retain knowledge. Study cards can also make it easier to test them (if you fancy an evening of fun!)
3. Effective Time Management
Good planning and time management skills can make a real difference to your teen’s learning and help them to balance their studies with the other areas of their life. Online planning tools such as myHomework Student Planner, or calendars found on their phone, can help your teenager to organise their study sessions and breaks.
4. Practice Exams
Practice tests can help your teen with any anxiety over their exams, giving them the confidence that they can succeed. Past exams will also help them learn what to expect from the tests and identify any gaps in their knowledge that they need to address. Sites like SaveMyExams offer practice exams for GCSEs across many subjects and exam boards.
Best Learning Aids for Teenagers
1. Study Apps
If you’re struggling to get your teenager to put down their phone to study, make life easier by installing a study app on their device. Options such as BBC Bitesize have revision materials for GCSE maths, science, English literature, geography, history and many other subjects, whilst popular apps such as Duolingo can help with languages.
2. Organisational Tools
As well as apps aimed at learning, there are plenty of organisational apps and online planning tools that can help your child optimise their studying. For example, your teen might like to use OneNote for their notetaking, or an app such as Bublup to organise their notes, documents and images.
3. E-Books
Your teenager probably has a good selection of textbooks from school, but there are so many more books out there that can help support their studies. An e-reader or the Kindle app on their phone will allow them to access the millions of e-books available online.
4. YouTube
Is your teen a visual learner? Then try YouTube! The world’s largest video-sharing platform is full of educational content that provides engaging, visual explanations of complex topics – check out channels such as BBC Teach and Khan Academy. The chances are, your teens are on YouTube anyway, so they might as well sprinkle in some learning between all the gaming and product reviews!
Best Teen Furniture for Learning
Another way you can help your teenager with their studies is by creating an environment conducive to learning at home. A dedicated workspace can help your teen to focus and improve their productivity. Here are some of our favourite kid’s beds and teen-friendly furniture to help you achieve this.
Teen Beds
Sleep is essential to your teenager’s ability to concentrate and retain information, and the Sleep Foundation recommends that teens should be clocking 8 – 10 hours of sleep each night. Invest in a comfortable bed with a good mattress that can support your teen in their sleep. If they’re still in a kid’s single bed, you might consider upgrading to one of our double beds – to better accommodate their gangly limbs!
Beds with Desks
If your teen has a smaller bedroom, a high sleeper bed with a desk underneath is a great way to squeeze a study area in without taking up extra space. Our Harry High Sleeper Bed has a desk, wardrobe and storage, offering your teen plenty of room for their clothes, books and stationery.
Desks
If you’ve got the space, a separate desk set up away from their bed can help your teen to separate their study space from their relaxation area. Our Vox Evolve Computer Desk has 4 drawers to keep their study materials organised and close by. Pair with an ergonomic chair to support their back while they work.
Storage Beds
A kid’s bed with storage is another way to ensure your teenager’s environment remains organised, clutter-free and conducive to concentration. Storage-packed bunk beds such as our Leo L-Shaped Bunk Bed are an ideal solution if your teen shares their bedroom with a sibling.
Teen Learning FAQs
Q: How can I help my teen improve their time management?
A: Time management can be tricky for many teens! Try using planners and online tools to designate realistic blocks of time for their learning and schedule regular breaks. A method such as the Pomodoro Technique may be helpful, which encourages working for 25-minute blocks, followed by a short break.
Q: What if my teenager prefers online learning over books?
A: Don’t worry! The world has changed a lot since the older generation were at school. In our modern world, it’s perfectly ok for your child to use apps, YouTube and online learning aids in their studies – and it means they have much more information at their fingertips.
As with everything, just ensure these are used in moderation, and limit screens immediately before bed to prevent disruption to sleep.
Q: Do study groups work for all teens?
A: Study groups can be effective for many teenagers, but it depends on their learning style. Some teens thrive in group environments, whereas others might work better on their own. Encourage your teen to experiment and find the best learning method for them.
Q: How can I make my teen’s study area more conducive to learning?
A: Along with choosing the right bedroom furniture, there are a few other things you can do to improve your teenager’s study area. Keep the space organised and well-stocked with any stationery they might need. Ensure the area is quiet, well-lit and as distraction-free as possible – this might mean removing devices or boisterous siblings!
Feeling a Teen-y Bit Better About Your Teen’s Learning?
By using these study techniques and clever furniture pieces, you can help create an optimal study environment and support your teenager during this important time of their education.
If you have any questions about our teen beds or furniture, get in touch at customerservice@cuckooland.com.
Looking for tips for younger children? Check out our Study Techniques Part 1: Best Learning Techniques & Aids for Children.
