1. TOPICS COVERED
N C GARDNER MA PGCE
Study Skills

2. Study Skills: topics covered
1) Transition from GCSEs to A-Levels
2) Goals and Aspirations
3) Time Management Skills including meeting deadlines
4) Independent Learning Skills
5) Core Research Skills: Reading, note-making and
managing information
6) Critical analytical thinking
7) Writing Skills: writing assignments, extended projects
8) Presentation skills, public speaking, answering
effectively

3. 1 Transition
 The transition from GCSE to Advanced
Levels:
 Use your non-contact time for the homework and
revision needed at Advanced Level.
 You need to analyse your essays, which is
different from GCSE. A-Levels require
analysis, interpretation and critical
commentary, and are therefore different
from GCSEs.

5. 1 Transition
“Time management” is another new skill that
Sixth Formers have to master.
But this sounds worse than it is – time management
is your friend.
In free periods, for example, you may need to
focus on just one project at a time and good
time management gives you the time to do
this.

7. 1 Transition – Higher Expectations
 Teachers expect more of you at A-level, and
rightly so: you are older, wiser, more mature
than you were for your GCSEs.
 However, your teachers are here to help with the
transition from GCSEs to A-Levels.
 Your teachers expect that it will take time for
you to adapt and will help you manage the
transition.

8. 1 Transition
 Extra-curricular activities
 You will need to incorporate extra-curricular
activities which broaden your experience and
are useful too when you come to write your
Personal Statement for applying to
university, or a CV to apply for jobs.

9. 1 Transition
 Work experience:
 Gaining some work experience is another feature of
the transition from GCSEs to Sixth Form.
Work experience placements are a good alternative
way (rather than a part-time job) to gain
experience of employment.

10. 2 Goals and Aspirations
1) Learning can be an adventure
2) Identify what attracts you
3) Explore new ideas
4) Engage in a wide range of new activities
5) Find out about yourself, not least how you
rise to the challenge of academic study
6) Consider the kind of person that you want
to be in the world
7) Make the experience of Further Education
work for you

11. So, what are your goals and aspirations?

12. 3 Time Management
Put the hours in: expertise is largely a factor of
how many hours you spend on an activity. This
applies to study as for other skills.
Using time effectively is all-important.
Get to lessons on time. Do not disrupt the
learning and life-chances of fellow students by
being late.
Plan your day and meet deadlines.

13. 3 Time Management: Staying on task

14. 4 Independent Learning Skills: Taking
Ownership
Managing your own study in between taught
sessions.
How to interpret reading material and
assignment titles.
How to structure your answers.
Self-direction; self-management

15. 4 Independent Learning
Keeping on target with little guidance.
Control over your study time.
Using free periods effectively.
Creating structures for your day
Taking responsibility for your learning and
achieving your goals.

21. 5 Core Research Skills
 Highlight key words and phases in your text,
underline the information you think may be
relevant.
 Ask ‘depth questions’:
1) What point is the writer making?
2) Why is this detail relevant?
3) Is the writer trying to answer a particular question?
4) What lessons can be learnt from this text?

22. 5 Core Research Skills
Identify and sum up the main ideas of a lesson, a
text or other learning materials.
Jot down a few words to summarize the main
ideas.
Be selective: ‘Do I really need this information?’
Keep notes brief.
Use your own words.

24. 6 Critical analytical thinking
Weighing up the arguments and evidence for
and against.
Critical thinking calls for a persistent effort to
examine any belief or supposed form of knowledge in
the light of the evidence that supports it and the
further conclusions to which it tends.
Persistence: considering an issue carefully,
and more than once.

25. 6 Critical analytical thinking
Evidence: evaluating the evidence put
forward in support of the belief or
viewpoint.
Implications: considering where the belief or
viewpoint leads – what conclusions would follow;
are these suitable and rational; and if not, should
the belief or viewpoint be reconsidered?

26. Critical analytical thinking: Professor Bethany
Hughes, Tutor at Cambridge University and
author of ‘Helen of Troy’

27. 7 Writing Skills
 Write in an objective, analytical style, with
appropriate use of evidence.
 Make sure your assignments are well-written i.e.
easy to read. Read it out aloud to get a sense of
audience and a sense of voice.
 Write drafts to take pressure away from you
since you know the drafts will not be the final
version.

28. Great writing: Haruki Murakami, one of the world’s
leading novelists. Read good novels to improve your
writing.

29. 8 Presentation skills
 The purpose of presentation:
1) To start off class discussion
2) To produce a variety of perspectives
3) To develop a skill required in many
occupations

30. 8 Presentation skills
1) Make a few main points. Don’t swamp the audience
with everything you know.
2) Select a few concrete examples which are easy for
the audience to visualise.
3) Structure the talk very clearly, using just a few
headings.
4) Repeat main points, and summarise what you have
said.

32. Analytical writing
1) State your position – sum up your argument in one
brief, clear sentence.
2) Don’t be tempted to sit on the fence. You can sound
callous, and show that there are strong arguments
on more than one side