It’s crunch time. 

A big test is looming, and there’s no time to waste. Staying focused, retaining information properly, and beating procrastination are the first steps to study success. But solid study skills can transform so-so test scores into top-notch marks.

Check out this checklist for proven study tips for exams to take studying from stressful to stress-free.

Don’t Study Without These 8 Study Tips for Exams

Study Tip #1: Don’t Multitask

When your child is studying, they should focus only on studying. Multitasking can split their attention and decrease their ability to learn material. Your child will absorb information more effectively and retain it longer by giving their full attention to one task.

Study Tip for Exams #2: Set the Mood

The environment in which your child studies can significantly impact their ability to concentrate. Listening to classical music while studying may activate the parts of their brain that help them pay attention and can improve their mood. Make sure their study space is well-lit, quiet, and free of distractions to maximize their focus.

Study Tip #3: Exercise

Physical activity is good for your child’s body and their brain. Consider exercising with your child before a study session. Exercise can help make your child more alert and focused and gives them the endurance they need to study for several hours. Even a short walk can stimulate the brain and improve cognitive performance.

Study Tip for Exams #4: Make Connections

Instead of just trying to memorize information, have your child make connections between ideas and link new information to old information. This will help your child remember more information in less time. Creating mind maps or diagrams can be a helpful way to visualize these connections and reinforce learning.

Turn academic challenges into success stories—find out how here.

Study Tip #5: Use Flashcards

Flashcards are a tried-and-true method for reinforcing memory. Record important information on flashcards and have your child or yourself test them. Focus on repeating flashcards with the material that they have the most difficulty remembering. This active recall technique strengthens memory retention, making it a great study tip for exams.

Study Tip for Exams #6: Review

One of the most effective ways to retain information is to have your child review their study notes regularly. By reviewing study notes within 24 hours of learning, your child can prevent themselves from forgetting up to 80% of the material. Spaced repetition, which involves reviewing information at increasing intervals, can also be highly effective.

Study Tip #7: Practice

Practice makes perfect. If you can, try to have your child take practice tests. Studies show students retain 50% more material if they test themselves after learning. Practice tests can also reduce anxiety by familiarizing your child with the test format and types of questions that they may encounter.

Study Tips for Exams #8: Remember

Don’t have your child simply reread material again and again. Have them close their eyes and recite as much information as possible to test their retention. This can cement information to long-term memory and clarify what material needs to be reviewed. Teaching the material to someone else can also be a powerful way to reinforce your child’s learning.

These study tips for exams can significantly improve your child’s preparation process. By incorporating these tips into their study routine, you can help enhance your child’s learning process and reduce the stress often accompanying test preparation. 

Remember, effective study habits are key to academic success, but sometimes students might need a little extra help.

Need More Study Tips for Exams? 

Oxford Learning can help. If you’re looking for personalized support to boost your study skills, Oxford Learning can help. Our programs are designed to enhance learning and ensure academic success. Find a location near you and take the first step towards achieving your educational goals today.

Find a Location

The post Crunch Time: Don’t Study Without These 8 Tips appeared first on Oxford Learning.

As the year ticked by, students went to class, completed homework, studied for tests and exams and worked on projects. They also turned to tutoring programs at Oxford Learning to help them develop stronger skills and get better grades.

From back-to-school to final exams—and at every point in between—Oxford Learning provided customized tutoring programs that help students turn school struggles into major successes for students of all ages and grades! 

Any time a student struggled with a subject, or a parent worried about a grade, Oxford Learning was there to support students to reach their learning goals with customized tutoring programs that turn stressful school struggles into major successes.

Take a look back at the top learning topics of 2023 with our end-of-year school topics round-up!

Top Topics of 2023

Take a look back at the biggest school topics of 2023 with our round-up of our top five blog posts from the past year!

1. How Screentime Affects Learning

Experts have looked into the effects of screen time on learning for some time now, but the pandemic brought about a major shift. Since schools closed, students relied on screens as their primary tool for learning and their entertainment outlet, significantly bumping up overall online time.

The amount of time students spend on screens has been correlated with a number of negative effects in a variety of areas, such as social/emotional issues, mental and physical health issues, and even academic issues.

Click here to read the full post about Stats To Know About Screen Time and Learning.

2. Homework Pros and Cons

More than two-thirds of Canadians agree/strongly agree that homework is a source of household stress. But whether your family likes homework or hates it, homework is a fact of life for students. The sooner students understand homework’s role in learning and develop skills to manage it effectively, the easier it becomes.

Where do you stand in the homework debate? Click here to weigh in on The Pros and Cons of Homework.

3. Chat GPT and AI in the Classroom

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming an increasingly prevalent part of our daily lives, making it important for kids to learn to navigate the world of artificial intelligence. AI and AI-based tools will never replace the education basics. But if managed effectively can be a tool to enhance learning, both in and out of class.
Read more about how ChatGPT and AI is being used in Classrooms.

4. The Best Children’s Books of All Time

Pleasure reading declines as children age (53% of nine-year-olds read for pleasure, but only 19% of seventeen-year-olds do source). One way to combat the decline in reading for pleasure is to ensure that young children develop a strong love of reading at an early age by introducing them to books that will spark their imagination and capture their hearts. 

This BBC 100 best-loved children’s books list will surely have something for every student and every interest.

Read the full BBC 100 Greatest Children’s Books post here.

5. How Tutoring Helps Students Succeed

Studies researching tutoring benefits show several critical benefits of tutoring. First, tutoring provides personalized instruction tailored to each student’s unique learning needs. This individualized attention can help students struggling with specific concepts or skills to catch up to their peers.

Additionally, tutoring can help students who are already performing well to further develop their skills and knowledge further.

See more tutoring benefits you may not have known here.

See You in 2024!

From learning to read to preparing for post-secondary success, Oxford Learning’s cognitive-based tutoring programs have been helping students overcome learning struggles, develop stronger skills and get better grades.

Don’t wait to see what the new year will bring; enrol your child in a customized tutoring program today! Start the new year on the right foot with Oxford Learning.

The post Top School Topics of 2023 Round-Up appeared first on Oxford Learning.

Messy bedrooms. Untidy book bags. Forgotten assignments. Missing school notes…

As a parent, you’ve probably dealt with these issues; organization skills don’t come naturally to everyone, and organization skills are not usually taught in schools.

The good news is that the skills we use to be organized at home are the same skills that lead to better grades in school. Skills such as sorting, arranging, grouping, categorizing … These are all skills that can be practised at home and transferred to the classroom. 

That’s because the act of organizing, sorting and arranging objects leads to the ability to mentally organize information. 

If students can organize their sock drawer, they can organize their study and learning habits as both these activities draw on a similar set of skills.

Weekly Organization Tip: Collect something!

Age-Specific Organization Tips

Build organization skills at every age with these tips! 

K to Grade 2

DOWNLOAD

Grade 3 to 8

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Grade 9 to 12

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Develop Organization Skills at Home! 

Our Virtual Table online tutoring program can help your
child develop better organization skills at home.

Contact the center nearest you for more information

The post Tips to Develop Stronger Organization Skills at Home appeared first on Oxford Learning.

However, with the right information and tips or even with the aid of services like the essay writing service reddit, preparing and writing your essay becomes a lot easier. Check out our guide for essay writing below to help you write a paper you can be proud to hand in.

Before You Start Writing The Essay

1. Pick Your Topic

Unless your teacher has given you a very specific topic, you will need to pick one. If possible, choose a topic that interests you. Once you have a topic in mind, narrow it down to make your paper more specific. You want to be able to prove a point with your chosen topic.

Example: “Golden Retrievers as therapy dogs” is too broad of a topic. A topic that is narrower, such as, “Golden retrievers as therapy dogs for residents in nursing homes” keeps your research and ideas focused.

2. Determine Your Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement is the main point you are trying to prove in your essay—it ties all of your ideas and arguments together into one or two concise sentences. A good thesis statement gives your reader a preview of what you will be discussing in the body of your essay.

Example: Golden Retrievers are ideal therapy dogs for seniors in nursing homes because they provide emotional support and companionship to residents.

Discover everything you need to thrive in high school.

3. Find Sources

Once you have an idea of what you want to say in your essay, start finding sources you can use to back up your points. Aim to have at least 2-3 credible sources in your paper, unless your teacher says otherwise.

Some examples of sources include:

• Books
• Websites
• Published articles
• Encyclopedias
• Academic Journals

Always check with your teacher to find out what kind of sources he or she is looking for.
Once you have found (and read) your sources, take note of pieces of information you think could back up your thesis.

4. Create An Outline

Creating an outline of your essay will help make the writing process much easier. It is a way to organize your thoughts and structure them in a way that makes sense. Try to come up with three arguments that support your thesis. These arguments will form the body of your essay.

Example: Arguments to support the thesis could be:

• Golden Retrievers can sense emotion in humans.
• Golden Retrievers are highly intelligent and easy to train.
• Golden Retrievers are more calm and gentle than other breeds of dogs.

Writing Your Essay

All essays, regardless of length, have an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each of these sections serve a different purpose in your paper.

The Introduction

The introduction of an essay is one paragraph that introduces your topic and gives an overview of what will be discussed in the body of the paper.

The introductory paragraph is where you will state your thesis and the arguments that you will be presenting in the body of the essay. Avoid talking about the conclusion or findings in the introductory paragraph—you will be discussing those in the rest of the essay.

Helpful Tip: Even though it appears at the top of your essay, write your introduction last. This way, you can summarize the rest of your essay easily—it’s difficult to summarize something you haven’t written yet!

The Body

The body of your essay is where you present your arguments/evidence that back up your thesis.
Each paragraph in your essay should have:

• A topic sentence: What is this paragraph about? What are you trying to prove in this paragraph?
• Supporting sentences: How can you back up the topic sentence? What sources can you use to support your claim?
• A concluding or transition sentence: How will you keep your reader engaged? How can you link this paragraph to the next?

Every paragraph in your essay should have a unique claim/argument that supports your thesis. Always structure your essay to have the strongest argument in your first paragraph, and the next strongest argument in the final paragraph of the body. Your other argument should be sandwiched between your stronger paragraphs.

The Conclusion

The conclusion is the last paragraph in your essay. This is where you wrap up your findings from your discussion in the body paragraphs.

Start your paragraph by restating your thesis (although not in the exact same words). In a few sentences, summarize your arguments from the body paragraphs, and avoid discussing any new ideas that you didn’t talk about in the body of your essay. Finally, wrap up your findings in one final sentence.

Helpful Tip: Your final sentence should convince your reader that you proved your thesis.

References/Bibliography

The final page in your essay is the references page (sometimes called the bibliography). This is where you document all the sources you have cited in your paper. There are several different formats that can be used to reference sources, such as APA or MLA style. Your teacher may have specified a certain format he or she would like in your paper. If you are unsure, double-check with your teacher before starting.

Polishing Your Work

After writing the first draft of your essay, take one or two days before you go back and read it so your mind is fresh. Make any changes you think are necessary to improve your paper, such as reordering sentences, adding extra information, or taking out sentences that don’t add value to your arguments.

If possible, ask another person to review your essay for spelling, grammar, and clarity. A second set of eyes is helpful to catch small errors you may have missed.

Helpful Tip: Read your essay out loud to make sure it flows and your sentences are clear.

More Essay Writing Tips

1. Don’t force yourself to write your essay in order—start by writing the body of your essay first. Your introduction and conclusion should not be written until the main points of the body are completed first.
2. Don’t plagiarize. Plagiarism is taking other people’s ideas, thoughts, or work and presenting it as your own (or not citing your sources correctly). Always give credit where it is due.
3. There is no such thing as starting too early! Get a head start and prioritize writing your essay so you have plenty of time to review and edit well before the due date.
4. Keep your writing objective. Objective language helps convince your reader the facts you are presenting are strong and factual.Example:
   Objective: Golden Retrievers are loyal companions because…
   Subjective: I think Golden Retrievers are loyal companions because…
5. Avoid using slang terms and contractions. These words make your writing appear less formal.

Time To Get Writing!

Writing an essay can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! Give yourself plenty of time to pick your topic, find your sources, and preparing your outline. Once you are happy with your ideas, just start writing! If you begin your essay well before the due date, you will have lots of time to edit and rework your essay. This way you can be confident in your work when it comes time to hand it in.

If you need more help with writing your essay, Oxford Learning is here to help!

Writing And Essay Help
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The post Your Step-By-Step Guide To Writing An Academic Essay (& Review Checklist) appeared first on Oxford Learning.

Shopping for new school supplies and clothes helps kids start thinking about the return to the classroom, but that’s just the start. There are many more ways to prep kids for school year success so they can start the new school year with a fresh and ready mind.

The habits and routines that are implemented at home right now go a long way to helping students prepare not only for back-to-school success but for success that lasts the whole school year—much longer than new pencils or running shoes will!

Wondering how to help your child get a jump start on a great school year? Our Back to School Checklist is a handy guide to some ideas to prep the entire household for school year success.

How To Start The School Year Off Right

Reintroduce bedtimes and wake-up times

Poor sleeping habits can have an impact on student performance, so the sooner you get your child on a regular sleep schedule, the better. Starting the school year will be easier for you and your child and will help avoid morning—and evening—rushes.

Make sure children are reading and writing a little every day

Reading and writing help get children’s minds working and help keep their brains sharp. Getting back into the habit of reading and writing a bit each day will help maintain school skills like penmanship and vocabulary so your child can start the school year strong.

Limit screen time during after-school hours

During the school year, after-school hours should be reserved for homework and extra-curricular activities. Start getting into this routine in the weeks leading up to school. The sooner kids turn off the TV and turn on their minds during this timeframe, the less of a hassle homework will be during the school year.

Play board games to challenge the mind

Use TV-free time to play board games with kids during what will become homework hour. This will help kids get into the habit of engaging their minds during this time so that when homework starts coming home again, they already have a routine in place.

Get an alarm clock

For children who can tell time, an alarm clock can help them develop time management and organization skills they’ll need during the school year. This will help kids take ownership of their activities and help avoid rushed mornings.

Buy a family wall calendar to hang in a visible location

A wall calendar makes a great organizational tool. Have kids write down their commitments like soccer, dance class, birthday parties, etc. When school starts, use the calendar to note the due dates of big projects, standardized testing dates, and vacation days.

Start having kids select their clothes the night before

Picking out clothes is a great way for children to develop organizational habits. Having everything picked out and ready the day before also helps cut down on school-day morning rushes and last-minute scrambles.

Begin talking about returning to school

Start counting down the days together. Preparation can help make the transition back to class much less stressful and difficult for students. Talking about the upcoming school year can help kids manage expectations, set goals, and prepare.

Take a tour of your child’s new school

If your child is starting at a new school, it can be intimidating. Getting to know the way around helps lessen school-related anxiety and boost confidence. Take a tour of the new school, find out the teachers’ names, the location of classrooms, and where the bathrooms are located.

Review last year’s report card(s)

Unless problems were addressed over the summer, it’s likely they may return again this year. Remind yourself of weak areas so you can make a plan to address problem areas early on.

Buy new school supplies

Being prepared with the right supplies is an important part of performing well in school. New supplies also hold a certain magic for getting kids excited about hearing the school bell ring again.

Need some help getting started? Check out our back-to-school supplies lists for high school, middle school, and elementary school to make shopping a breeze this year.

A Better School Year Begins Right Now!

Learning how to have a successful school year starts with the right preparation and a positive attitude. It’s never too early to start thinking about getting back into the school-year routine—getting started now will help make the back-to-school transition easier for both you and your child.

Get the full details on back-to-school here.

Download the Back-to-School Checklist

Click on the image to download your free copy of our Back to School Checklist. Hang it on your fridge so you and your child can easily keep track of your activities in the weeks leading up to school.

The post How to Start The School Year Off Right (Plus Back-to-School Checklist!) appeared first on Oxford Learning.

We believe that the most important tool a student needs for the classroom is an active mind—but in addition to this, it’s important to stock up on some essential supplies he or she will need in class.

For many parents, this involves wandering through stores, pushing an overflowing shopping cart, and wondering whether their grade 3 student really needs that pack of glitter pens. Whether your child is starting elementary school, middle school, or high school, one question echoes in the minds of parents: “what school supplies does my child need to make this year a successful one?”.

It’s stressful, expensive, and something that never seems to get easier each year.

But this year, that changes. Start your shopping trip prepared with a back-to-school checklist. Your checklist should include everything from art supplies to notebooks to that specialty math calculator.

While there may be some impulse purchases along the way, a back-to-school shopping checklist will help keep you and your child on track.

To help, we’ve put together a back-to-school supplies checklist for high school, middle school, and elementary school students.

Organizational Supplies

• 1 Duotang or Pocket Folder Per Subject (for handouts)
• Agenda

Stationery

• Loose Leaf Ruled Paper
• Loose Leaf Blank Paper

Writing Supplies

• Package of Pencils
• 2 Erasers
• Ruler
• Pencil Sharpener

Subject Supplies

• Box of Crayons
• Pencil Crayons
• Washable Markers
• Bottle of White Glue
• 2 Glue Sticks
• Safety Scissors

Lunch Supplies

• 2 Freezer Packs
• Hand Wipes
• Lunch Bag
• Packaged Snacks

Storage

• Backpack
• Pencil Box or Pencil Bag
• Plastic Box for Art Supplies

Organization Supplies

• 1 Small Binder Per Subject OR 2 Medium Sized Binders
• 1 Duotang or Pocket Folder Per Subject (for handouts)
• Binder Dividers
• Post-It Notes
• Agenda
• USB Drive
• Combination Lock

Stationery

• Loose Leaf Ruled Paper OR 5 Subject Spiral Bound Notebook
• Package of Graph Paper

Writing Supplies

• 2 Highlighters in Different Colours
• Package of Blue or Black Pens
• Package of Pencils
• 2 Erasers
• Ruler
• Mini Stapler
• Pencil Sharpener
• Reinforcements

Subject Supplies

• Math Kit (Including Compass & Protractor)
• Pencil Crayons

Storage

• Backpack
• Lunch Box

Organization Supplies

• 1 Small Binder Per Subject OR 2 Medium Sized Binders
• 1 Duotang or Pocket Folder Per Subject (for handouts)
• Binder Dividers
• Post-It Notes
• Agenda
• USB Drive
• Combination Lock

Stationery

• Loose Leaf Ruled Paper OR 5 Subject Spiral Bound Notebook
• Package of Graph Paper

Writing Supplies

• 2 Highlighters in Different Colours
• Package of Blue or Black Pens
• Package of Pencils
• 2 Erasers
• Ruler
• Mini Stapler
• Pencil Sharpener
• Reinforcements

Storage

• Backpack
• Lunch Box

Extra Back-to-School Supplies

• Bandages
• Packaged Tissues
• Hand Sanitizer
• Ice Packs

Get Your List Ready

A little planning goes a long way. Copy the list that’s right for you and bring it with on your back to school shopping trip. It’ll be quicker, easier, and you’ll end up spending less.

Remember that you can also re-use supplies from previous years. You can replace a backpack every few years, and use up any leftover pens before you buy a new box.

We hope you have a great start to the back-to-school season!

Discover everything you need to know about back-to-school.

The post Your Back-to-School Supplies Checklist for Every Age Group appeared first on Oxford Learning.

The end of the school year is an exciting time for students, parents, and teachers. But with summer just around the corner, students may need a little “end of school year motivation”. Make the school year wrap up more productive with resources that will help keep your child motivated, engaged, and ready to learn all summer long.

Finish The Year On A High Note

With only a few weeks left until the end of the school year, it’s important to make sure your child stays motivated until the last day of class. As soon as spring fever hits, it can be difficult for students to stay focused on their school work; but, there are ways you can help your child stay engaged during the final stretch.

Check out these resources for how to help your child finish the school year strong:

Five Tips To Keep Kids Motivated Until The Final School Bell Rings

Final Project Plan of Attack Checklist (Downloadable Guide)

Final Exams Study Tips (Downloadable Guide)

How To Use Your School Agenda Like a Pro (Downloadable Guide)

Understanding Your Child’s Report Cards

As a parent, discussing your child’s report card is an important part of knowing how your child is performing in school. It helps you understand where he or she excels, where he or she can improve, and it provides the support he or she needs to reach his or her potential. Make time to sit down with your child to discuss the positives and negatives of the report card and come up with a plan to get ahead during the summer.

Take a look at some of our helpful report card resources for a head start:

Stage By Stage Guide To Understanding Report Cards

How To Discuss Your Child’s Report Card

Oxford Learning Final Report Card Worksheet (Downloadable Guide)

Five Tips To Help Parents Deal With Report Cards

Start Planning For Success Next Year Now!

It’s never too early to start preparing for the next school year. By starting to plan for success next school year now, your child will have plenty of time to get ahead, get organized, and be ready to learn in the fall. There are many ways for students to improve learning skills over the summer so they can return to school with improved skills and confidence. Luckily, summer learning opportunities are all around and can be fun!

Check out these resources to help plan your child’s summer learning strategies:

5 Myths About Summer & Learning

Summer Learning Loss Statistics (& Tips To Promote Learning All Summer Long)

The ABCs of Summer Learning

Academic Action Plan Worksheet

A Strong Finish & A Fresh Start

Using the resources above, you can help make sure your child ends this school year strong and is excited about the next school year. Remember, just because the school year is ending doesn’t mean learning stops! Summer is the perfect time for students of all ages to strengthen their academic skills to get them off to a strong start in September.

Oxford Learning offers great summer camps and programs for students in every grade. Visit our locations page to find the Oxford Learning location nearest you.

The post End Of School Year Tips [Resource Guide] appeared first on Oxford Learning.

Now that all the various back-to-school milestones have been met, the real school year begins.

With a few weeks under students’ belts, work begins again in earnest. Tests. Homework. Studying.  But also, procrastinating. Daydreaming in class. Forgetting schoolwork.

Prevent last year’s school issues from reappearing with this First Month Checklist. It’s a quick & easy way to ensure that last year’s school struggles don’t make an appearance this year.

8 First Month Checklist Back-to-School

Now that school is back in session ensure that students are on track to avoid common pitfalls with this checklist.

1. Communicate with Teachers

Don’t wait until the first report card to find out that things are off track. Take 10 minutes to chat with the teacher about progress and nip any problems in the bud.

2. Complete Homework

Homework is inevitable; the sooner students learn good homework habits, the less of a struggle they’ll face. Do homework at the same time every night, even if none was assigned. Review the day’s lessons, quiz yourself on last week’s work, or read ahead to next week’s lesson.

3. Use Agendas

Agendas are the number-one school organizational tool. Students should write homework, assignments, and to-do lists on their agendas daily. If schools don’t provide agendas, purchase one—they’re that important

4. Talk About School

School is a major part of kids’ lives. If they are unwilling to discuss their day, something may be amiss. Talk to kids about their day and have an open dialogue about school and learning challenges.

5. Watch Frustration & Stress Levels

Between learning new subjects and balancing homework, chores, and social lives, it can be easy for students to become overwhelmed. This can be very de-motivating and can lead to a drop in grades. Get help as soon as it’s needed.

6. Avoid Procrastination

Leaving work to the last minute or not wanting to do work at all is a sign of poor organization skills. Last-minute rushes mean poor preparation, which leads to poor grades. Avoid procrastination by establishing routines, using an agenda, and discussing school expectations on a daily basis.

7. Forgetting Work

Forgetting work, misplacing assignments, or losing textbooks is a sure sign of an off-track student. If students are showing signs of disorganization, get help as soon as possible. Make sure kids have colour-coded binders, and that notes are being filed properly.

8. Limit Screen Time

TVs and computers are some of the biggest homework distractors. Create a media routine with guidelines to help students get into the homework groove.

Master back-to-school here with our handy guide.

The post Managing the First Month of School appeared first on Oxford Learning.

Parent Checklist

Student Checklist

The post Check Your Tech appeared first on Oxford Learning.

Not sure of the best way to use your agenda/day planner? Take a look at our checklist and be on your way to better organization skills today (and the rest of the year!)

Stay tuned in September for more ways to #GetOrganized and get off to a great start this school year.

If you want to read some older posts on how to get & stay organized, read:
Project Plan of Attack
Pro Tips for Better Organization and Better Grades
Organization: Tips for Teens from a Teen

Unlock the key to a successful high school year—find out more here.

The post The #1 Way to Get Organized appeared first on Oxford Learning.