"I read it, but now I don't know what it's about." "I'll never remember it for the test." If your child says things like that, you may need to help him make homework time more productive.

Teach your child to use the formula "SQ3R" when doing any homework assignment. The letters stand for a proven five-step process that makes study time more efficient and effective: Survey, Question, Read, Restate, Review.

Here's how it works:

Survey. Look over the material to see what it's about. Look at chapter heads. Check the photos and graphs. Read words in bold type. Get an idea of what the assignment is about before starting.

Question. Once your child knows the main idea, figure out some questions that the assignment might answer. Who is the main character? What is the key idea? Where does this story take place?

Read. Now have your child read the assignment. As he reads, have him look for answers to the questions he's already developed.

Restate. Ask your child to restate the assignment in his own words. Ask him to tell you the key ideas covered.

Review. Did your child find the answers to all his questions? What else did he learn? What surprised him?

Using these simple steps can make homework more effective.

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