‘For the strength of the pack is the wolf,
And the strength of the wolf is the pack.’
~ Rudyard Kipling
It would do well for children to dwell on these glorious lines from ‘The Jungle Book’, whenever they are contemplating whether it’s best to study alone, or with friends.
While some children might prefer the independence that comes with studying alone, they must know that a study group can help push their learning limits to greater heights.
The benefits of group study are vast, but before we plunge into them, a quick look at what group study is.
Group Study: The Basics
What is Group Study? When students study in small groups and share their views on common educational topics, it is known as group study. The group that is thereby formed, is known as the Study Group.
The study group is essentially composed of students who study in the same batch. It is not necessary that they even know each other at all. All that matters is that they share a common syllabus for studying, that they can share their views on.
In a study group, the participating students regularly meet and discuss topics with one another. It’s only when each and every member in the study group gets a chance to participate in the discussion, that it can be deemed as a healthy study group. The discussion shouldn’t take the form of a debate, and no member should interrupt the other while they are talking.
The Benefits of Group Study
Here is a list of the top group study benefits that help children excel academically.
It makes them a Team Player
The benefits of group work in any sphere, include its ability to foster the atmosphere of working in a team. By learning from others and even adapting to them, students can improve their capabilities and problem-solving skills. Further, students who study together develop excellent communication skills, apart from the ability to think more creatively.
Helps them Understand Subjects better
The importance of group study cannot be undermined where it comes to helping children understand difficult concepts. Working with other students gives them plenty of opportunities to learn what they cannot on their own. The mere act of working alongside their fellow students, raises the morale of kids, thereby helping them learn more efficiently.
It helps them avoid Procrastination
One of the greatest enemies of learning is procrastination. Group study gets a big thumbs up for helping children steer clear of the Procrastination Trap. This is because there is generally a chosen time for those group study sessions. Finding themselves in a specific place at a specific time, motivates children to study in a way like no other.
Mental Support
One of the greatest benefits of group work is the mental support it provides its participants. Children these days go through plenty of stress on account of their studies. When they study alongside other students, they feel as though a great weight has been lifted off their shoulders. After all, that study group is nothing short of being an exemplary support system. One that serves to motivate and encourage its members.
It helps children develop their Critical Thinking Skills
Another invaluable benefit of that study group is, it helps children see the same thing from a different perspective. This is because every member in that study group is different, and will therefore view the same topic of discussion in a different light. This forces students to think about their own position, and helps shape their critical thinking skills, as they absorb new ideas.
It helps them imbibe new Study Methods
When children study together in groups, they garner the opportunity to observe a wide variety of study methods employed by the other members of the study group. Sometimes, they might even incorporate these new methods into their regimen, as a means of enhancing their learning abilities.
It makes learning faster
When children learn together, they are motivated to keep up with the general pace of the group as a whole. They spend less time obsessing over a small problem, because they inadvertently find someone in the group who can help them solve it. In this way, group learning allows kids to acquire knowledge in less time than individual learning.
It hones their Social Skills
Children who study in groups, learn to efficiently collaborate with their study partners. This helps them in their future careers. Apart from this, they also make friends with other children they would have otherwise not known, were they studying alone. Friends who they might even find themselves spend their leisure time with.
It breaks the monotony of Self-Learning
Let’s face it. Even children that study together in groups, will study for some time on their own, too. However, those group study sessions, where most of their studying is done, help to break the monotony of those long hours of studying alone. Moreover, group study entails auditory elements of speaking and listening that provide a fresh way of learning for students who hate the silence that self-study brings.
Filling in the Gaps in Learning
One of the key advantages of engaging in group study, lies in the fact that it helps cement the gaps in their understanding. When children compare their notes with those of their fellow students, they can fix any errors they might have made, and fill in details that they might have missed.
It makes them committed
Students who study together in groups, develop a strong sense of commitment to excel. Working alongside their peers inculcates in them a strong sense of motivation. That vital sense of community and support that a study group brings, goes a long way in encouraging children to succeed.
At EuroKids, we are of the firm opinion that being in a study group with motivated classmates, helps children take their learning to new heights. Children who study together take inspiration from other study group members, and with a newfound sense of confidence, soar to greater heights.
