This unit focuses on helping your child to become an active learner. Really good learning takes place when a student recognises that learning is not just about what the teacher has to say, but also about how they can take charge of their own learning. The activities in this unit suggests ways in which children can prepare for lessons, listen actively so they know what a lesson is about, ask the right questions, and make useful notes.

The first activity in this unit shows how to prepare beforehand for a lesson by preparing for and researching a new topic. Next, it shows how important it is to ask questions. Not only is it OK to ask questions, it is a really useful and necessary thing to do when you are not sure about what is being said or discussed.

A large part of this unit concentrates on how to take notes. It's surprising how many young people go on to higher study, including university, without ever having learnt how to take good notes. This is an introduction to the many different ways in which notes can be written, but not all of these will be right all of the time. Your child is encouraged to use the best method for the task they have to do and to find the method that works best for them.

Remind your child that it's not enough just to take notes in lessons: they also have to organise, review and reread the notes for best results. You can offer to help them prepare for exams by going through their notes with them. If you can't understand something, ask them to explain it. Explaining things to others is a good way of learning yourself.  These skills need to be practised and used regularly. Preparing for and understanding lessons, making good notes and organising them can take much of the panic out of approaching tests and exams.