6 of the best study resources for all key stages

Contributed by Victor Rees

Books2All resident writer

Fri 26 Mar 2021

As schools across the country reopen, pupils face the challenge of readjusting to the normal rhythms of in-person teaching. Finding the best study resources can be hard, so we at Books2All have compiled a list of six handy online study resources proven to help students become more organised and proactive. Whether you’re a teacher or a parent, we hope you find something among these resources to help your students improve their work ethic while reducing school-related stress.

The best study resources choice 1: Khan Academy

Khan Academy is one of the most famous free educational resources available. Its mission is to provide world-class education to students regardless of their school level, and it has been gaining increasing attention and support since 2007. The website requires a quick and easy sign-up, asking you to select which area corresponds to your needs: are you a learner, a teacher or a parent? From here, you can begin to explore the wealth of advice Khan Academy offers. You are introduced to subjects, practice questions, unit tests and explanations while undertaking increasingly complex exercises and lessons.

There are thousands of articles on historical or literary contexts, many of which are provided by academic experts. Khan Academy offers a valuable supplement to classroom learning, helping students refresh their minds on rusty topics or practice exercises on subjects they’ve struggled to understand.

The best study resources choice 2: Marinara Timer

The Pomodoro Technique has been used as a time management aid since the late 80s. Its inventor, Francesco Cirillo, had the idea to divide study time into 25-minute slots, interrupted by five-minute breaks. The technique aims to minimise procrastination and make it easier for students to dive straight into their work. The Marinara Timer website offers handy timers to help keep track of your studies while also offering the option to programme your timings.

Students who found the original technique’s limit of 25 minutes too stringent now have access to a more adaptable work plan. The website is a simple but effective resource that doesn’t try to over-complicate its layout. It’s as valuable for students studying alone as it is for teachers trying to involve a whole class in revision exercises.

The best study resources choice 3: How to Study

How to Study is a brilliant resource hub that gathers together a huge range of study strategies and revision guides. It requires zero logins or accounts, simply providing immediate access to dozens of pages and documents. Among the resources, there are areas that deal with organisational tools, motivation, learning skills, memory improvement and mind maps.

You can learn how best to set goals and take in information; there’s also a great deal of helpful advice for handling tests and exam anxiety, with pro tips about breathing exercises and overcoming stress. How to Study has collected all the advice documents and articles needed to set you on the right path of study, including videos and blog posts that promise to aid any student, regardless of their level.

The best study resources choice 4: My Study Life

For students who need help organising their work, few online resources are more useful than My Study Life. It’s a perfect streamlined lesson planner, allowing you to assign subjects, create detailed study plans and organise exam revision timetables. The option to set up reminders means you’ll never forget which lessons are coming up and which work is due.

Books2All blog: The six best study resources for all key stages by Victor Rees

My Study Life offers a clear, elegant dashboard layout with a free and easy sign-up system. You can even download it as an app, allowing you to keep on top of your calendar of classes and assignments. A handy integration of a calendar and a to-do list, My Study Life is designed to help students get organised and excel.

The best study resources choice 5: GoConqr

Don’t be put off by the slightly weird name. GoConqr is another great educational service, providing learning materials and revision aid at all levels. After a free sign-up, you receive access to a library of subject help in the form of quizzes, study guides and keywords. Rather than just featuring information as walls of text, help is offered in memorable mind maps, slide shows and revision cards.

GoConqr also allows you to select an exam board, providing even more specialised assistance for students regardless of their level. What further sets the website apart from others is the access it provides to forums and group discussions, in case you need to ‘talk’ through particular problems.

The best study resources choice 6: Study Stack

For many students, flashcards offer the easiest and most effective way of learning new information. Study Stack is a hub for educational flashcard games, offering free access to thousands of pre-made flashcard sets covering a wide range of subjects. A clear layout, an easy-to-use interface and the option to have words read aloud make memorising so much easier.

Books2All blog: The six best study resources for all key stages by Victor Rees

Handy quizzes and other kinds of memory tests make this site particularly suitable for younger students but, as a resource, it remains useful no matter your age.

Whether you need to revise GCSE French vocabulary or work through A-Level maths equations, there’s a flashcard set for you. Study Stack even allows you to create your own flashcards if you sign up for free.

Are there any favourite online study resources we haven’t mentioned? Feel free to suggest them in the comments below!

Thank you for visiting our blog. Our vision here at Books2All is a world where every child finds the books that help them reach their true potential. If you have spare books in good condition at home that you think might be appropriate for school children, please sign up for our app’s pre-release waiting list. If you represent a school, please register to receive books for your students.

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