For international teenagers, assessment season arrives at different times. Some students are preparing for examinations, while others are completing coursework or beginning a new stage of their education.

Whether studying for the IB, IGCSEs or a national qualification, developing good study habits means learning how to organise time, check understanding and ask for support when needed. For students studying in English as an additional language, it also means building confidence in expressing what they know.

These skills develop through practice. Small, consistent changes can help teenagers approach their studies with greater independence throughout the school year.

Create a manageable study plan

A task such as “revise science” gives students little direction. A specific goal, such as explaining a biological process or completing a set of practice questions, creates a clearer starting point.

Begin by identifying upcoming assignments and assessments, then divide the work into manageable tasks. Each study session should have a purpose and fit realistically around lessons, activities and time to rest.

A plan should also allow for adjustments. Some topics need more attention than expected, and recognising this helps students make sensible decisions about their time.

Check understanding through practice

Reading notes is a useful starting point, but students also need opportunities to use what they have learned.

After studying a topic, try:

• Closing the notes and writing down the main ideas.

• Explaining a concept aloud in your own words.

• Answering practice questions before checking the answers.

• Returning to the topic on different days.

• Identifying one question to discuss with a teacher.

These activities can help students recognise what they understand and where they need further explanation.

For IB, IGCSE and other examination courses, practice questions also provide opportunities to become familiar with the format and expectations of an assessment. Students should use materials appropriate to their qualification and follow their teachers’ guidance.

Build confidence with academic English

Studying in an additional language can involve two tasks at once: understanding the subject and finding the language to explain it.

A student may understand an idea during a lesson but find it harder to express that idea in an essay, discussion or examination answer. Making academic language part of regular study gives students opportunities to practise both skills.

Useful habits include:

• Recording subject vocabulary alongside an explanation or example.

• Practising short spoken explanations before writing.

• Asking for clarification when a word or instruction is unfamiliar.

• Reading teacher feedback carefully and discussing anything unclear.

Instruction words also deserve attention. Questions asking students to “describe”, “compare”, “analyse” or “evaluate” require different approaches. Understanding those instructions is an important part of deciding how to respond.

Turn feedback into a clear next step

A marked assignment provides information students can use in their next piece of work.

An essay might need stronger evidence, a calculation may require clearer working, or an answer could benefit from a more focused structure. Rather than trying to address every comment at once, choose one or two priorities.

Before beginning a similar task, return to those priorities. After completing it, check whether they have been addressed.

Students should also feel comfortable asking teachers to explain feedback. Seeking guidance and applying it thoughtfully are important parts of independent learning.

Keep a balanced routine

A realistic study routine needs space for sleep, physical activity, friendships and interests.

Planning breaks and setting a clear finishing point can help students organise their work around other commitments. A timetable that repeatedly leaves tasks unfinished may need adjusting, rather than simply extending.

Parents can support this process by discussing priorities and helping teenagers set manageable goals. Asking “Which part needs more attention?” or “What would help you get started?” can open a useful conversation about how learning is progressing.

Over time, students can take greater responsibility for making these decisions themselves.

Practise independent learning in an international setting

Learning alongside people from different countries creates opportunities to hear new perspectives, explain ideas and work with unfamiliar approaches.

At the International Summer School for Teens, students combine an academic subject with a sporting or creative elective, alongside cultural excursions and a busy social programme.

English is used across lessons, activities, meals and everyday conversations. This immersion gives students regular opportunities to communicate for different purposes, from discussing an academic question to working together during an activity.

Advanced English with Study Skills brings together academic language and approaches to learning. Within the structured residential environment of ISSFT’s Oxford and St Andrews programmes, students also practise managing routines, participating in discussions and seeking support when they need it.

These experiences give teenagers opportunities to build habits they can continue developing at school and beyond.

Questions about study skills for international teenagers

Discover how ISSFT combines academic learning, English immersion and international friendship in Oxford and St Andrews.

Learn more about ISSFT