I always have to hook the knowledge to something.  If it's a list, I make a word out of all of the beginning letters.  I think I started doing this when I took piano lessons as a kid.  Also, it helps if I can picture something in my mind in a silly way.  I also used to write terms or words on a piece of paper with the answers beside them.  Then, I folded the paper so I couldn't see the answers.  This helped me to study by myself.  

Students at any level need to realize that notes have a purpose. I teach high school and often give "open note quizzes".  The grades are usually  lower for kids who   don't use the notes and soon all students are taking better notes and using them.

Also try giving them periodic quizzes with and without notes and have them look at their grades. After a while they may start to "see" the pattern of the importance of notes.

Finally, have them create their own class quizzes from the notes. Pick the" best "class-generated quiz and give it to the entire class. Kids like to be a part of their own learning.

Good Luck!

Mrs. V.

personally, reading, listening and copying down the notes and reviewing once or twice before the test got me through my academic career. doesn't work so well with my kids. i do pretty much what mrs.v does w/my 7th and 8th graders, with the open-notes tests, quizzes w/ or w/out notes and having the kids create quizzes w/their notes. i just gave an open-note/book chapter test and one kid finished in 20 minutes w/100%. he was the only one, too. even if he didn't study the material exactly, he paid enough attention during the note-taking to relate the notes to the test questions and find the answer. i also have the occassional pneumonic device and song to throw in. spice it up a little.

When I was in sixth grade, I had problems with math. They put me, along with - I kid you not - about two other kids in a one-day study skills class.

Well, it changed my life. Every kid should have been in there. I used it all through college, where I graduated with honors.

They taught us the SQ3R: Survey (we always skimmed the table of contents, then, as we read the chapters, the subheads). Question: We wrote up a list of questions before reading the chapters. This helped me think about what I didn't understand going in. And 3R: Read, recite and review.

I found a good description of it here:

http://www.temple.edu/rcc/TestTakingStrategies/studymethods.htm

Maybe I'm naive - and I accept that, as a parent, I am - but couldn't this be taught, like, in an hour and then actually reinforced by using it with each lesson? The questions and recite could be homework. Reviews could be done in-class to go over the previous day's material.