Memory Tip:

A strategy to help you memorize information is called visualization. To visualize means to see an image in your head without actually looking at it. Visualizing is easy for some people. For others, however, visualizing is difficult. Try it. Try to visualize the street you live on. Try to see as much detail as you can.

From No. 452 Improve Your Memory Skills pg. 17

Writing Tip:

Write a clear, specific thesis. A thesis can be many things, but usually it’s what you are going to prove in your paper. Sometimes, if your paper isn’t trying to prove anything, but just trying to show the reader something, it’s not so much a thesis as it is a focus. A good thesis is like a road map. It needs to be clear, assertive, and very, very specific.

From No. 453 Improve Your Writing Skills pg. 11

Homework Tip:

Does your child ever lose her homework? Have her keep her homework in a consistent, handy place. Many kids complete the homework but forget to take it to school. Or they lose it in the locker. Kids usually can’t get to their lockers between classes. In order to always have the assignment, it needs to be put in the book bag, in a separate folder for completed work or put in a pocket of the binder the minute it is finished.

From No. 450 Improve Your Study Skills pg. 29

Phonics Tip:

Dipthongs are two vowels that blend together to form one sound.

Examples include: oil, toy, shout.

From No. 199 Phonics Card Games

Memory Tip:

Information that comes to you through your senses goes into your sensory memory. It stays there only about 1 to 4 seconds.

Some things in your sensory memory are interesting to you; they catch your attention. These things are passed to your short term memory. They stay there only about 30 to 60 seconds.

Finally, if you review and rehearse information in your short term memory, it will be passed to your long term memory. This is where you want important information to end up. Otherwise you’ll forget it and it will not be available when you need it.

From No. 452 Improve Your Memory Skills pg. 3

Math Tip:

Some people claim that they have trouble understanding decimals, yet they have no trouble using money. That means they can do decimals—but they don’t realize it.

For example, it would be confusing to say that you have one twenty, one five, three singles, two quarters, one dime, and one nickel. Instead you say you have $28.65. See—you’re using decimals!

From No. 454 Improve Your Math Skills pg. 19

Focusing Tip:

Have your child work in spurts. Do not have him work for more than 20 to 30 minutes at a time. This way he takes that time seriously because he knows he’ll have a break in a little while to do whatever he chooses. The break should be about 10 minutes long. Have him treat himself well--after all, he has worked hard!

From No. 450 Improve Your Study Skills pg. 28

Writing Tip:

Here are some good transitional words and phrases:

1. To add a point - furthermore, besides, finally, moreover
2. To emphasize – above all, indeed, in fact, in other words
3. To show cause and effect – as a result, consequently, therefore, thus, hence

From No. 453 Improve Your Writing Skills pg. 6

Reading Comprehension Tip:

Before reading a book, a passage or a paragraph, have the child skim the material to pick up clues that will tell him what’s important about the reading. Clues are found in all different parts of books. They make comprehension much easier, by “clueing you in” to what the reading material is mainly about. Clues can be found in the following parts of a book: summary, review, end-of-chapter questions, key words, heading, diagrams & captions, graphs, maps, back cover, and pictures.

From No. 451 Improve Your Reading Skills pg. 12

Memory Tip:

It’s a good idea to use as many senses as you can to help you hold on to information. This strategy is called the multisensory approach to learning. The more senses you use, the easier to learn new things.

From No. 452 Improve Your Memory Skills pg. 4