Building Study Skills for the ADHD Brain

October is ADHD Awareness Month and this year’s theme is The Many Faces of ADHD! In recognition of this, StudySpot Windsor would like to offer the following insights about how students with ADHD can develop study skills for academic success.

A student’s academic development, especially through the transitions from middle school to high school and then on to post-secondary education, is one that requires discipline. But for students with ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), the challenge isn’t just one of discipline; it’s a fundamental struggle with executive functioning (EF).

Executive functions are the brain’s ‘control centre,’ responsible for skills like planning, organization, time management, and task initiation. We often think of these in relation to self-discipline and we assume that by becoming more disciplined, these things will just fall into place. But this is a dangerous assumption that can set students up for failure. 

Difficulty with Executive Functioning can significantly impact academic performance. In practice, such difficulties can have many faces, depending on the individual student. Poor organization can look like a backpack filled with loose paper, cluttered binders, and missing notes. Issues with time management can foster an all-or-nothing mindset, leading to procrastination and resulting in last-minute cramming or content tutoring to catch up. Troubles with task initiation might mean that while students know what to do, actually starting the work is an obstacle.

This is why at StudySpot Windsor, we focus specifically on developing core executive function and academic skills. Our approach offers a powerful road map for students looking to develop study skills for a more proactive approach to learning and academic success.

StudySpot’s 4-Pillar Approach to Habit Building

The techniques emphasized by StudySpot directly address these challenges by breaking down the complex process of learning into manageable, teachable study skills.

1. Foundational Executive Skills

StudySpot’s Study Skills Manual is centered around vital Executive Skills:

• Organization: Establish and maintain an organizational system, ideally one that is visual and external. Using such a system helps by facilitating the tracking of tests and due dates and creating a visually engaging organizational tool.
• Planning & “Chunking”: Large tasks can be overwhelming. The coach-supported process of “chunking” large tasks and planning the week ahead makes overwhelming assignments feel manageable, helping to overcome initiation paralysis.

2. Applied Academic Skills

Once the foundation is set, the coaching applies habits to the work itself:

• Active Note-Taking: Instead of passively recording information, StudySpot teaches and practices techniques like the Cornell note-taking system. This system of condensing and organizing notes forces immediate engagement with the material, turning note-taking into an active task that aids memory.
• Active Reading (SQ4R): When students encounter difficult reading material, they can tend to skim or get lost in detail. StudySpot teaches strategies like SQ4R to make reading more deliberate, which can help prevent students from becoming overwhelmed.

3. Shift to Active Studying

For many, studying is a passive activity involving things like re-reading notes or reviewing concepts from class. Not only is this not especially effective, it is also deadly for the easily-distracted brain. StudySpot emphasizes active study strategies, shifting students away from passive review and toward more interactive and meaningful approaches. This creates the varied, engaging mental stimulation that makes the process of studying more interesting and rewarding.

4. The Power of Consistency and Check-Ins

One of the greatest obstacles to success is inconsistency. StudySpot addresses this in a couple of ways, by helping students set up an organization and time management system that maps out a detailed schedule and set of tasks. For some students, StudySpot can move away from the typical once-a-week format of tutoring to incorporate shorter ‘check-in’ sessions to supplement the primary work session. 

This structure can be a game-changer for habit-building:

• It creates immediate accountability, overcoming the tendency to procrastinate.
• The check-in provides the external structure needed to maintain a newly formed habit.
• The check-in can be just as effective when conducted virtually, making it easier for families to incorporate it into a busy schedule.

Conclusion

Developing good study skills is not about simply trying harder; it’s about learning a new set of skills and applying systems that work with, not against, a student’s efforts. By focusing on executive functioning, implementing active learning techniques, and using consistent, external support—the pillars of the StudySpot Windsor philosophy—students (and their families) can move past the stress of last-minute cramming to the confidence that comes with achieving mastery over their own learning process.

Whether or not a student has ADHD, the fact is that struggles with organization, planning, and turning the best intentions into consistent action are incredibly common in adolescents. The deliberate, skills-focused approach we use at StudySpot may be the key to developing the study skills you need for lasting academic and professional success.