GAIN CONFIDENCE IN ENGLISH THIS SUMMER
Liddane’s ESL Coordinator, Alex, used to live and teach English in Paris. The school where she worked wanted her to always use English, her social interactions were largely limited to the American expat community, and so she struggled to gain the fluency in French that would have allowed her to pursue the activities and opportunities she desired. “There were all these things I wanted to get involved with,” she says, “but I wasn’t confident enough in my speaking abilities. I was even nervous to order at my local bakery, because I was worried I’d say the wrong thing or come off as rude.”
Now, with 20 years of experience teaching ESL, Alex helps English learners of all backgrounds reach their language goals. Seattle is home to many communities of non-native English speakers, who are often here as working professionals or family members of working professionals. In Alex’s experience, these individuals often have some English proficiency, but they may not have the confidence, for example, to ask questions to their child’s pediatrician, speak to administrators at a child’s school, or join a new club. Similarly, many single professionals only date and socialize within their own language communities if they feel they can’t express themselves in English. LTLS helps to empower anyone who isn’t as active as they’d like to be because English proficiency holds them back.
Liddane’s ESL approach is 100% tailored to individual needs and desires. If spoken fluency is someone’s main goal, our tutors will design a lesson plan around oral and aural skills, with less emphasis on written grammar and punctuation. Tutors will often start by getting to know a client’s interests and strengths, and then branch out from there. For example, if someone is on a recreational sports team or is interested in attending more sporting events, that can serve as an entry point for a whole range of conversation skills. Then, as tutors get to know their clients, they will target specific areas for improvement, such as pronunciation, vocabulary, or modifying tone.
It’s difficult to express yourself if you’re not confident in the language. Our goal is to empower English learners to advocate for themselves and their families, and to engage as fully as possible with all the opportunities and communities English communities have to offer. For more information or to schedule a session with one of our tutors, please contact us at info@liddanetutoring.com.
TEST ANXIETY: STRESS REDUCTION TIPS
Test Anxiety
Test anxiety is real, and although it can be present at any test, it is particularly prevalent during high stakes testing, such as final exams and standardized tests. Estimates vary, but according to the American Test Anxieties Association, about 20% of students appear to have truly “high” or “severe” anxiety while another 16% of students might be considered to have “moderately high” test anxiety.
At Liddane, our mission is to help students individualize their skills to best fit their learning needs. For students with test anxiety, we encourage you to try our suggestions below, discover what works for you, or use these as a launching point to try your own ideas! We hope these help you feel more successful and confident in approaching upcoming tests. As always, we offer one-on-one tutoring for even more individualized attention to these skills.
Here are some tips and tricks to keep in mind:
Before the test:
Test day mantra
Mantras can raise awareness around negative self-talk, discourage comparison, and help calm nerves. We often hear, “I’m not a good test taker,” and this may thwart your efforts further. We recommend focusing on what you take pride in. Examples include,
“I know this material.”
“I’m prepared for this test.”
“I will give this my personal best effort.”
Visualization
Using positive visualization and affirmation promote preparedness prior to a test. Here’s what it could look like:
Imagine yourself in the setting (a classroom, for instance). What does it feel like to get comfortable with what is uncomfortable about the test? Can you pinpoint what nerves you have, specific to this test? What preventative work can you do ahead of time?
Anticipate what’s difficult in the moment and ask yourself how you will address it.
Recall a past success.
Think of the success you’ve had in preparation and in practice tests. What worked and what didn’t? Why do you think you experienced success in those moments?
DURING THE TEST:
Timing
Brain dump! Before you dive in, jot down all relevant information you can think of, especially information you feel apprehensive of remembering well. This may include formulas, history dates, all facts that come to mind, step-by-step processes, or acronyms.
Look ahead and preview the test. Note the length of each section, noting how many questions are in each section and how long you expect it to take.
Start where you’ll be most successful. You don’t have to start with number one.
Budget your time. Factor in 5 minutes for brain dump, familiarizing yourself, and deciding where to start.
Keep the focus on your work.
Ignore everyone else as best you can.
It’s okay to take the whole time. The time it takes to complete the test is individual.
Ignore past questions that you’ve struggled with and be present with the question you are currently tackling.
If you don’t know something,
Set it aside and come back to it.
Be aware of the negative self-talk and problem-solve instead.
Write down everything you DO know about the question and everything you’re looking for. Exhume all the information you have to give you new ideas to move forward with the question.
Don’t over analyze how the test was written.
Avoid looking for patterns in multiple choice answers. Just because B hasn’t come up in a while doesn’t mean that the next answer is B.
Focus on your senses when you are in the test and feeling stressed.
Lean back in your chair and take a few deep belly breaths with your hands on your stomach. Taking a deep breath (and spending a few extra seconds away from the test) can have high reward and result in clearer thinking and efficiency.
AFTER THE TEST:
Reward yourself!
Find an exciting way to treat yourself, either with a favorite relaxation activity or something fun.
Notice how you feel after the test. If you feel residual nerves, ask yourself what you need to wind down from the test.
Avoid rehashing the test to yourself and others.
Congratulate yourself on getting through the test!
PREPARING FOR FINAL EXAMS
“Make sure you study!” that is something that students hear right before final exams. What adults often don’t recognize is that, for some students, these words are empty. They may be brushed off with, “Yeah, I’ve got it,” or they may evoke a feeling of uncontrollable stress.
What does it mean to study for a test? Some students might think that simply looking at a list of vocabulary words or a study guide provided by their teacher is good enough. Classroom content and homework all made sense, so what else could there be?
STUDY SKILLS ARE SKILLS
Active study skills are not always explicitly taught. Instead, they are often implied in the way required assignments lead students through the steps of note-taking, graphic organizing, etc. Studying effectively means taking on more and more of these steps independently as students progress through school. For those who struggle academically, this implied practice might have been missed, and students can feel lost.
Some students, for example, may have spent so much energy trying to sit still and stay focused in class that the practical benefits of annotating text, distilling information down, or repeatedly working through complex math problems may not be obvious. They might not make the connection between specific study skills and how they feel on a test because distraction or anxiety makes it difficult to reflect.
Those labeled as “gifted” may have been able to skip specific study strategies up until the point that the curriculum became too challenging. These students now feel stuck and can be unsure about asking for help. All math through algebra II came relatively easily to them, but now that they are in precalculus, they aren’t sure how to thoroughly learn the challenging material placed before them. Where does one find practice problems? How does a person work through equations when the process isn’t clear? Is simply finishing the homework enough?
HOW A TUTOR MIGHT HELP WITH PREPARING FOR FINAL EXAMS
Working with a tutor is a great resource for having someone explain confusing content. In addition, tutors can make suggestions for and model study skills to help a student figure out what works for them, what doesn’t work, and how to make a study plan that fits their needs.Here are a few things that a tutor might do with a student:
Plot out a study calendar
Help students prioritize extracurriculars and other obligations prior to tests
Help with writing emails to set up meetings with teachers
Help students formulate questions for teachers
Organize notes
Make flash cards/study cards
Identify sections of textbooks for review
Review and explain the content
Find online resources for reinforcing information
Provide extra practice problems
Quiz students on content
Some students can use a tough experience to improve on their own, perhaps with the help of online videos (such as Crash Course Study Skills), but if figuring this out independently feels overwhelming, your student is not alone. Improving study habits can be like taking an independent study course. Unlike a study skills class or online videos, one-on-one tutors can work with an individual student’s roadblocks, help with problem-solving, and celebrate small successes. Tutors can adjust and respond when a student is feeling overwhelmed and one-size-fits-all solutions are not working.
Study skills are skills, and young people deserve specific, practical guidance when learning any new skill. For more, learn about our executive functioning skills support or schedule a free consultation to discuss how our tutors can help your student, before, during, or after finals.
OVERCOMING MOTIVATION CHALLENGS AND BEATING PROCRASTINATION
Keeping up motivation for schoolwork can be a challenge in the best of times. When a student is struggling in school or facing hardships, sparking inspiration and curiosity can be more difficult - and more important - than ever.
Although anyone can feel unmotivated, young people are often still learning the habits, thought processes, and go-to sources of support that will assist them in overcoming motivation challenges and beating procrastination on their own. Here are several tips from teachers and tutors to help students grow as self-motivated, independent learners.
Start with the basics
If there were a free and safe “magic pill” that boosted alertness, mood, and motivation, but took eight hours to work, would you be interested? This magic pill is sleep, and most of us know the benefits, in theory. Sleep, good nutrition, and regular physical activity recharge the chemical processes that boost emotional regulation, focus, and positive moods. To give ourselves the best chance of feeling motivated, it’s a good idea to start with the basics.
Still, as the tradition of breaking New Year’s resolutions shows, many people struggle with putting knowledge into action. “Knowledge is not half the battle,” says Dr. Laurie Santos, psychology professor at Yale, in her popular class, The Science of Well-Being. Dr. Santos describes our mistaken beliefs about what will make us feel better --- say, for example, staying up all night to cram instead of getting eight hours of quality rest --- as “cognitive illusions.” Similar to optical illusions that fool the eye even after we’re shown the trick, cognitive illusions “feel” right to our brains. It takes deliberate practice to counteract these old mental muscle memories.
The good news is there are many ways to start rewiring our brains for new habits. These include practices like goal setting paired with practical planning; actively reflecting on our efforts through discussions or journaling; and taking small steps that build successes over time.
Adults might coach students through strategies to find the combination that works best; model self-care; emphasize healthy priorities; and share relatable struggles. Insisting on regular, planned breaks also helps with recharging willpower and setting proper priorities. Any conversations about grades should include the importance of health and well-being first.
Procrastination isn’t about “laziness”
When procrastination seems to be the problem, a good starting point is to take a problem-solving attitude. Let’s face it: sometimes things don’t go the way we planned, something gets in the way, or there are things we could do better. Feelings of guilt and self-blame can compound the problem. A growth mindset can help students bounce back faster from mistakes. Focusing on treating setbacks as obstacles and troubleshooting through them puts behaviors in perspective and makes them more manageable.
It’s not just about willing oneself to do better, however. The root of chronic procrastination has more to do with emotional regulation than productivity tips, suggest the experts in, "Why You Procrastinate (It Has Nothing to Do With Self-Control).” Students can learn healthy ways to handle negative emotions that may surround a task. Since our brains are wired to do anything to immediately stop stress, avoidance can become a default strategy for dealing with anxiety. Adults may, therefore, coach students through breaking the cycle. Encouraging students to take one small step at a time and notice the good feeling of getting something done, will gradually rewire short-term rewards from avoidance to experiences of success. It can also help to seek some enjoyable part of the task at hand. If you’ve ever had a teacher or a tutor who makes class more fun, you know how important this is in shaping lifelong motivation for learning.
Then again, whether a subject is a favorite or not, if the task is large, vague, or it’s unclear where to start, motivation can plummet! This is especially common for large projects and long-term study plans but can also arise if a new topic is confusing, a teacher’s style doesn’t mesh with the student’s, assignments are in a new format (such as group work or online learning), or a student is hesitant to ask for clarification or accommodations. Adults can support students by providing clarity on the directions and criteria; breaking down a task into manageable steps; providing a starting point; and guiding through templates or preparing scripts for self-advocacy.
Create an upward spiral
Prompting motivation can feel like a daunting task, but remember that each small step makes it easier to take the next step, and the next. Self-care, healthy coping strategies, small successes, and other positive experiences build on one another --- an intuitive idea supported by multiple psychology studies. To get started, you don’t have to do everything. Do one small thing. Make it so small, it would be silly not to do it, like taking three deep breaths or thinking of one good thing that’s happened lately. When it comes to homework, it might be beneficial to simply open the assignment; read for one minute; complete just one problem; or write the first thing that pops into your head for one minute.
Knowing this, adults can coach students toward small wins that build momentum. Dedicate time to talking about what went right rather than just what went wrong. Help students identify and leverage their strengths. And don’t forget snacks, stretching, outside time, energetic music, doodling, and other brain breaks offer positive steps to get back on track.
Connect with the bigger picture
One of the most important lessons students can learn is how to connect today’s schoolwork with their own long-term goals. Dr. Peggy Dawson and Dr. Richard Guare of the Smart But Scattered Kids series provide practical steps based on this philosophy in their resources and books. These have become the gold standard for executive skills coaching. Encourage students to dream, and follow up with opportunities to make meaningful choices, shape plans, and tackle challenges. As students pursue their favorite interests, they develop strategies that help see them through less favored tasks --- and vice versa. Adults play a role in making those connections and applications clear until students can make them on their own.
Sometimes, students don’t feel motivated by grades, so simple incentive systems might bridge the gap. What can help get through today? This week? The end of this semester? Incentive systems are rarely perfect on the first try, advises Dr. Dawson in Homework: Problems and Solutions. Students should be as involved as possible in figuring out what motivates them and take an active role in goal-setting and achievement.
Find support
Motivation and procrastination are big topics, and while this general advice offers a place to start, what works for one person or situation may not work for another. It also might be difficult for a parent or guardian to assist as much as they’d like. An executive skills coach can provide personalized guidance on motivation for learning and accountability in overcoming procrastination. Teachers or counselors who have a strong relationship with a student may be able to fill this role, too. A trusted adult outside of the home is well-situated for helping students develop more independent motivation.
Of course, if motivation problems are seriously affecting health or relationships, be sure to seek the advice of a doctor or professional therapist.For more about executive skills coaching or to be paired with a tutor, contact us for a consultation.
STUDY SKILLS CRASH COURSE
As the first weeks of the school year give way to the first tests (and report cards), students interested in improving their study skills can find many tips and tools online. However, not all study tips are created equally; stressed-out students looking for how to speed-read or cram for a test can run into trouble. Here are several trusted resources for improving study skills recommended and utilized by our learning experts. Brush up on key skills, or chart an independent study course to improve your habits!
6 Habits of Highly Successful Students
"6 Habits of Highly Successful Students" delivers science-based, practical strategies for highly effective studying. Sometimes, we take it for granted that these techniques are absorbed alongside the nuts and bolts of each subject, but they’re not always obvious. Students of all levels can miss out on study skills: high-achievers may glide by until they hit a hard class and then find themselves missing the solid habits they need to succeed, while students who struggle in the first place may feel overwhelmed with the how-to-learn portion of class on top of everything else.
The Learning Scientists are dedicated to working on those foundational skills for all students. Their focus is strongly evidence-based and hands-on, with guides for helping parents as well as students. The overview video gives an excellent index of key skills, while the blog, downloadable materials, and more fill out lessons for many different audiences.
Crash Course: Study Skills
“Crash Course: Study Skills” provides an easy-to-follow series of explainers and useful tips on topics like memory, note-taking, and focus, produced with the humor and lively pace that makes Crash Course so popular in the classroom. These videos introduce techniques that may already be familiar to students through animations and entertaining stories, making them a solid primer for shoring up the basics without being boring. But the videos also go over the science of why each strategy works in an accessible way, making a case for sticking with it now, into college, and beyond. (shout out to Crash Course: Psychology for those learners who want to dig even deeper.)
SMART BUT SCATTERED KIDS
“Smart But Scattered Kids” by Drs. Peg Dawson and Richard Guare is an influential series of books, presentations, and workshops on executive skills coaching. We would be remiss if we didn’t include them. Homework planner templates, coaching tips for parents, and timely tips on stress management and the effects of crisis on skills in the time of COVID-19 are available for free, while the books targeted at different age groups are highly recommended for further reading.
For students not sure where to start or unsure about dedicating time to study skills on their own, our tutors and executive skills coaches can help with personalized guidance to boost confidence and understanding. For more information or to schedule a consultation, please contact us.
ONE TUTORING SESSION PEr WEEK, OR MORE?
I am often asked this question, and while every student is different, I do have general feedback which may assist you with this decision. Few students “enjoy” adding tutoring time, so if yours is not begging for more, consider it to be normal. I’ve generally seen that it is harder to begin the year with one session per week and bump it to two or more, yet most students will happily go from two to one. In addition, remember to consider scheduling. Once the school year is underway, you may likely have to wait for an additional tutoring time to open.
WHAT TO DO OR CONSIDER?
Gather feedback from the school. Are grades generally improving over time? What are teachers saying in their comments? Ask teachers/staff about their thoughts on this matter.
How much time are you (parents) putting toward homework completion? Would one day of relief (vs. two or more) be sufficient?
What are the goals for tutoring? Consider what brought your student to require a tutor in the first place. Has your student demonstrated sufficient growth in accomplishing these skills?
If your student is moving from elementary school to middle school or from middle to high school, remember that the workload and requirements will definitely increase.
Imagine November: the honeymoon of a new year is over, it’s getting dark and rainy, and the demands of teachers are in full swing. Is your student in a good place to “take it on”?
ONeE DAY PER WEEK:
Generally, enough as a supplement to school content. For example:
Your student is getting B’s or higher but would like to improve specific skills in writing or reading.
Your student is fine in managing her/his homework, but a weekly check-in for big projects or tests seems beneficial.
The skills needed are less critical. Therefore, a slower pace is acceptable.
Good for basic check-in regarding organization of homework.
Appropriate for supplementing the education of higher-functioning students.
If tutoring is needed, one day is better than none!
Significant progress will be slower.
TWO OR MORE DAYS:
Highly recommended for struggling students.
Good for students with consistently low grades and/or negative teacher comments.
Recommended for families of struggling students where parents cannot or will not spend time monitoring homework.
Appropriate for students with significant difficulties tracking assignments and/or dealing with persistent procrastination.
Necessary for students who have deficits in reading comprehension and/or writing skills which require immediate and consistent attention.