Study Skills EAP Worksheets, Games & Activities
Find Someone Who…
EAP Study Skills Activity - Speaking: Asking and Answering Questions, Discussion, Controlled, Freer and Communicative Practice - Group Work
In this study skills speaking activity, students ask and answer questions about the difficulties of managing their academic studies and discuss strategies...
Study Habits Exchange
EAP Study Skills Activity - Speaking and Writing: Asking and Answering Questions, Giving Advice, Writing Sentences, Communicative Practice - Pair Work
In this communicative study skills activity, students discuss their study habits with multiple partners, exchange advice on areas for improvement, and then...
Study Skills Roundtable
EAP Study Skills Activity - Speaking: Asking and Answering Questions, Discussion, Freer Practice - Group Work
In this study skills discussion activity, students practice vocabulary related to study skills and discuss their study habits and routines. In groups, students take turns picking up a question card and asking the...
Time Management Strategies
EAP Study Skills Worksheet - Vocabulary, Reading and Writing Exercises: Matching, Writing Paragraphs - Speaking Activity: Discussion - Pair Work
In this informative study skills worksheet, students learn about some practical time management strategies and apply them by recommending solutions...
Types of Learning
EAP Study Skills Worksheet - Reading, Vocabulary and Writing Exercises: Gap-fill, Writing Sentences - Speaking Activities: Discussion, Presentation - Pair Work
In this productive study skills worksheet, students learn about different types of learning and apply that knowledge to reflect and improve on their own...
Managing Procrastination
EAP Study Skills Worksheet - Reading and Writing Exercises: Matching, Answering Questions, Writing Sentences - Speaking Activity - Pair Work
In this insightful study skills worksheet, students learn about the causes of procrastination, explore strategies to manage it, and create a personal plan to...
SMART Goals
EAP Study Skills Worksheet - Reading and Writing Exercises: Rating, Gap-fill, Writing Sentences from Prompts
In this handy study skills worksheet, students conduct a self-assessment of their study skills and set practical and achievable SMART goals for improvement. Students begin by reading a series of statements...
Spaced Repetition and Review Strategies
EAP Study Skills Worksheet - Reading and Writing Exercises: Identifying, True or False, Table Completion, Matching - Speaking Activity: Discussion - Pair Work
In this useful study skills worksheet, students learn about spaced repetition and the 2-3-5-7 spacing method and practice planning and reviewing study sessions...
Study Skills Challenge
EAP Study Skills Game - Speaking: Discussion, Problem Solving, Giving Advice, Communicative Practice
In this enjoyable study skills game, students discuss common study problems and share practical strategies to solve them. First, in pairs, students take turns turning over a study problem card and reading...
Study Skills Scavenger Hunt
EAP Study Skills Game - Reading and Writing: Scavenger Hunt, Answering Comprehension Questions, Writing Paragraphs - Pair Work
Here is an engaging study skills scavenger hunt game to help students learn about effective study skills. In teams of two, students have 20 minutes to...
Study Skills Showdown
EAP Study Skills Board Game - Vocabulary and Speaking: Impromptu Speech, Multiple-Choice Questions, Communicative Practice - Group Work
This free study skills board game helps students practice talking about study skills and habits. Players take turns rolling the dice and moving their counter...
Understanding Academic Study Skills
Academic study skills help students organise their work, choose suitable learning strategies and review their progress. A practical study plan connects a specific goal with actions that fit the task, the time available and the student's circumstances.
This page contains eleven resources across B1 and B2, including worksheets, discussion activities and games on study habits, time management, procrastination, goal setting and review planning. One board game is available as a free download.
The table illustrates how students can turn broad intentions into actions they can try and review. Adapt these examples rather than treating one routine as suitable for everyone.
| Study skill | Purpose | Example action |
|---|---|---|
| Set a specific goal | Define a manageable outcome | 'By Friday, I will draft an outline with three supporting points.' |
| Break down a task | Make the next step clear | 'First, I will read the question and list what it asks me to do.' |
| Plan available time | Fit work around commitments and deadlines | 'I will reserve thirty minutes after class to organise my notes.' |
| Identify an obstacle | Choose a response suited to the difficulty | 'I keep delaying this task because I am unsure about the instructions; I will ask for clarification.' |
| Schedule review | Plan opportunities to revisit material | 'I will add review sessions to my calendar before the assessment.' |
| Evaluate a strategy | Decide what to retain or adjust | 'At the end of the week, I will compare what I planned with what I completed.' |
How to Develop Academic Study Skills
Start with a concrete difficulty: Ask students to identify a task or routine they want to improve. Explore what makes it difficult before recommending a strategy, since unclear instructions, competing commitments and an unrealistic workload require different responses.
Match the approach to the task: Discuss what students need to do, such as remember vocabulary, explain a concept or prepare an essay. Choose activities that serve that purpose rather than assigning students a fixed learning type or assuming that their preferred method is always the most suitable.
Review results without blame: Ask what students tried, what happened and what they would change. Treat a plan that did not work as information about the task and circumstances, rather than evidence that a student lacks motivation.
3-Step Framework for Teaching Study Skills
Use this B2 sequence across suitable lessons to connect self-assessment, responses to obstacles and a practical study schedule.
1. Choose a goal from self-assessment: Students rate their study behaviours, complete model SMART goals and write goals for an area they rated less positively. Ask them to identify an achievable action and a way to check progress, giving the later planning work a specific focus.
2. Plan a response to an obstacle: Students read a forum post and a text about procrastination, discuss the ideas and match management strategies to descriptions. They then examine a task they previously delayed and write how they will apply selected strategies. Connect this reflection to the earlier goal so that the plan addresses a likely barrier.
3. Schedule and explain review choices: Students examine review techniques, read about spaced repetition and complete a backward-planning table using the worksheet's spacing method. They then create a five-session plan for a chosen topic and compare plans with a partner. Treat the model schedule as a planning exercise that students can adjust to their deadline, progress and other commitments.
Common Mistakes with Academic Study Skills
Setting an intention without an action: A broad ambition does not show when or how work will begin. Vague plan: 'I will study harder.' Actionable plan: 'After Tuesday's class, I will spend twenty minutes reviewing the notes and listing two questions to clarify.'
Repeating a strategy without checking its usefulness: Time spent on an activity alone does not show whether it met the study goal. Unsupported conclusion: 'I reread the chapter for an hour, so I must understand it.' Better check: 'I will explain the main idea in my own words, then compare my explanation with the chapter and review any gaps.'
Common Questions About Teaching Study Skills
What activity helps students improve their study habits?
The activity Study Habits Exchange has students discuss their routines with four partners and collect practical advice. They then choose three habits or tips to try and explain when and how they will use them. This turns the conversation into a concrete plan based on ideas students have considered with classmates.
What worksheet helps teach time management for studying?
The worksheet Time Management Strategies introduces relevant vocabulary and practical approaches before students examine four scenarios. Pairs identify each person's time management problem, recommend a solution and explain their reasoning. Discussing further questions then gives students an opportunity to connect the strategies with their own circumstances rather than treating every problem alike.
What free game helps students practice talking about study skills?
The board game Study Skills Showdown combines thirty-second responses about study skills and habits with multiple-choice questions. Students move around the board, answering the questions they land on and checking responses to the question cards. The two formats give students practice explaining their ideas as well as reviewing study skills knowledge.
Become a Teach This Member
Get unlimited access to the full library, plus new resources added every week.
Unlimited Resource Access
Download from 3000+ worksheets, activities, and games.
Save 5+ Hours Weekly
Cut lesson prep time with ready-to-use resources, plus teacher notes and answer keys.
Trusted Professional Quality
Classroom-tested, editable resources created by experienced ESL professionals.
Fresh Content Weekly
Get 5 new resources added to the library each week.
Here's what our members are saying...