Today’s teens have never known a world without the Internet. Unfortunately, a digital world can also mean that kids are constantly bombarded with information that’s not important or relevant. 

Here’s how to help children to develop critical thinking skills and to use technology as a learning tool:

Teach them to evaluate information. Ask about the information they find online. Where did they find the information? Why did they choose this source? Is there a better source? Help kids to think about the information they find instead of just accepting it.

Work on their memory. With search engines, we are often more reliant on finding a piece of information than learning it. Help your child to articulate what they are learning and why, to remember it, and to apply it to school or life.

Encourage them to edit. Ask your child to double-check grammar and spelling when writing. Work through mistakes highlighted by a word processing program, but be sure to look for errors that the program hasn’t caught. 

Limit the multi-tasking. It’s a proven fact that when you multi-task, your attention and performance in each task is diminished. Encourage your child to do one thing at a time, and to do it well!

Sylvan Learning can help your child to improve study skills, boost grades at school, and more! Ask us how our personalized approach to learning can set your child on the path to success.