Beyond The Classroom: Best Self-Study Resources For Students

Do you ever feel like you are not learning anything in school? Maybe you have gotten unlucky and ended up with a teacher in school who is not that great at teaching. Or maybe it is because your class has too many students and your teacher does not have time to answer your questions or give you consultations. In certain schools, students may also struggle with self-directed learning where students are expected to do the learning by themselves and teachers are there only to facilitate discussions and go through worksheets.

Many situations may make it difficult for a student to learn well in school – but all hope is not lost! Learning doesn’t always happen in school, and there are plenty of other ways to make sure you still get the learning and guidance you need to excel in your studies. Read on as we share some of these great ways to self-study below!

1. YouTube videos

For grasping specific concepts or getting an overview of a topic, Youtube videos are a goldmine of information! You can find educational videos on all kinds of subjects and topics, made in diverse styles – including lectures by experts, animations, and real-life demonstrations. Some great channels to check out include Crash Course and Ted-Ed. Some channels are even dedicated to answering common homework and exam questions, such as Khan Academy.

2. Assessment books

Assessment books are designed specifically to aid students in self-practice and help them get exam ready. As such, they stick closely to the syllabus and often includes the most common types of exam questions, allowing students to hone their skills and identify gaps in their knowledge.

If you are on the lookout for some great assessment books, here’s one you definitely don’t want to miss: Future Academy’s very own IP Math assessment book series! Designed for students with existing strong foundations like G3, Express and IP students, the powerful resource contains helpful revision notes including topic summaries, skills checklists, and example questions. With such a combination of notes and practice questions, this assessment book is sure to become one of the most indispensable tools for anyone who is self-studying.

3. Past year papers

Once you are past the stage of learning the content and concepts, past year papers are a must! You can get past year papers like the Ten Year Series or papers from other schools – often available through your school library or tuition centre.

Doing past year paper questions have multiple benefits beyond being familiarised with exam-style questions – you can observe the trends in questions, get practice on time management, and get a feel for what it is like to solve questions with mixed topics.

One critical aspect you should not overlook is also the answer key: the most helpful answers keys are not only credible, but also include marker’s notes to highlight the most important key points you need for answering each question.

4. Online Tuition

While it is possible to study completely independently, most students will benefit from having feedback and guidance from someone knowledgeable in the field. Private tutors like our IP Math tutors in Future Academy can pinpoint your areas for improvement and suggest approaches for fixing them quickly – which is much more efficient than relying on yourself to spot these weaknesses.

Our live, online tuition services in Singapore provide you the best of both worlds when it comes to independent study – you get the freedom and convenience of studying from home, while still being able to consult experts and receive personalised assistance.

Conclusion

Schools are no longer the only way for students to receive an education – and with the availability of so many self-study resources, anyone can take control of their own learning and pave their own way to success!

Here at Future Academy, we want to help students like you gain power over your own education and achieve your targeted results in your studies! Our expertly-curated resources – including cheatsheets, worksheets, exam papers, and revision notes – are available to all students for your guided self-study at home, while in-class demonstrations and explanations help you reinforce what you have learnt and studied.