Study Skills

All fifth graders have a Study Skills class for one period each week to support the transition into Upper School. Although techniques for success as a student are taught in all classes, the Study Skills for sixth, seventh, and eighth graders provides for the needs of students who struggle significantly with the academic challenges of Upper School or are advised for other reasons to postpone formal language instruction until high school.  These reasons include transferring from another program, specific learning disabilities which interfere with foreign language acquisition, a learning style which requires more time to complete work, or a need for support with the increasing organizational demands of middle school. The Study Skills class is one of the ways KDBS works to provide the flexibility that characterizes a good middle school program.

The sixth, seventh, and eighth grade Study Skills classes, while tailored to the needs of each group of students, serve two basic functions:

• Specific instruction in effective study techniques, time management, organization, vocabulary development, reading comprehension, test-taking, and other fundamental skills needed to be a successful student.
• Reduction of workload by eliminating a major academic subject and substituting one with fewer demands outside of class time.
  

These aspects act together to provide each girl with the time and support to do her best in her core subjects, while developing skills that will prepare her for academic success in high school. The specific curriculum varies depending on the needs of the group, and a deliberate attempt is made to be responsive to needs arising from the work of other academic classes.