Study Skills.

Three developments lend support to the idea that schools must help teach study skills: (1) advances in cognitive psychology that suggest children are active learners; (2) society's concern for at-risk students; and (3) growing demands for improved student performance. There is evidence that systematic study skills instruction does improve academic performance. Study skills entail a beneficial study environment, self-management, and time and stress management, as well as the more traditional skills of effective listening, reading comprehension, note-taking, and sophisticated writing skills. Motivation is essential for instilling study skills. Research suggests that behavioral self-management, mood management, and self-monitoring are successful tactics in developing motivation. Development of study skills should be addressed at every educational level. Programs to enhance teachers' preparation to teach study skills are important, because the perception they are unprepared negatively affects student performance. Efforts in Oregon demonstrate both the need to develop study skills and the outlines of some successes. Students' eagerness to acquire study skills dissipates quickly, demanding a strong commitment from school boards, administrators, teachers, parents, and students to make study skills instruction maximally effective. An appendix lists eight study skill programs. (Contains 21 references.) (TEJ)