Agenda – GCSE Guide to Study Commitment required from pupils What is effective learning? How to train your brain What do you do now? How do you manage your time? Time management tools and strategies What is revision? The three steps to successful revision Getting Organised Some revision techniques Using past papers

Commitment required from pupils Respect your ability and have HIGH expectations (at least 7 GCSEs A* - C). STUDY – 12 hours per week is required. Extra-curricular – ENJOY – but study must come first! Exams the priority! No part time jobs or holidays during school time. Easter should be for revision. Balance your social life with study – your future will be determined by the quality of your GCSE grades

What is “effective learning”? Learning occurs through the brain in making its own meaning, its own sense of things

What ‘type’ of learner are YOU? Surface learner Deep learner TODAYFUTURE To be successful at GCSE level you can not just be a Surface learner

We are all different..

How do you train your brain? Key Principles: Recognise relationships across a range of sources and experiences Concept formation depends upon what you do in your head (THINK about it!) Pattern recognition (connections) depends upon your experience: some ‘get it’ quicker than others. (learn from others and different sources)

(1) Recognise relationships Try same concept from different angles in different ways: don’t just rote learn Draw it, mime it, speak it, chart it, say it, sing it, demonstrate it, model it, list it, dance it, write it – DON’T JUST READ IT

(2) Help you to THINK Work things out for yourself Articulate ‘draft’ ideas – talk ideas through, ask stupid questions Use ‘trial and error’ as a learning strategy Don’t rely on ready made meanings and notes – key word defns, mind maps, sketches, storyboards “Intelligent behaviour is knowing what to do when you don’t know what to do”

“Humans never really understand or learn something until they can create a personal model” (3) Build experience Learn from feedback – the brain is geared for feedback. Research from different sources – textbooks, internet, CDs, TV programmes Practice questions (on your own), write definitions over and over, repeat tests

How to remember things The strength of a memory and how easily it is retrieved depends upon the strength of the initial input When several senses are simultaneously involved the message is received through a number of channels in the brain and stand better chance of remaining prominent

People recall.. Read hear See See and hear Say Say and do 10% 20% 30% 50% 70% 90%

So what do you do now? Become a DEEP LEARNER Become an Active Learner Get Organised Set a routine and time for learning

How do you manage your time? Introducing five time management ‘types’ …… which one fits your approach to time management the best…..????

1. The Fireman For YOU, every event is a crisis. You're so busy putting out fires that you have no time to deal with anything else (especially the boring, mundane things such as time management). Tasks pile up around you while you rush from fire to fire all day.

2. The ‘Over-committer’ Your problem is you can't say 'No'. All anyone has to do is ask, and you'll chair another committee, take on another project, or head out for an event…that you don’t really want to go to. You're so busy you don't even have time to write down all the things you do!

3. The ‘ No worry’er YOU need to realise there is such as thing as being too "laid-back" - especially when it starts interfering with your ability to finish tasks or bother to do any homework (and ultimately affecting your grades!) Getting to things when you get to them isn't time management; it's simple task avoidance.

4. The Socialiser You are born to socialise You have astounding oral communication skills and can't resist exercising them at every opportunity. Every interaction becomes a long drawn out conversation - especially if there's an unpleasant task dawning that you'd like to put off

5. The Perfectionist You have a compulsion to cross all the "t's" and dot all the "i's", preferably with elaborate whorls and curlicues., and you feel that no rushed job can be a good job. Exactitude is your watchword Finishing tasks to your satisfaction is such a problem you need more time zones, not just more time.

Hopefully none… But then, perhaps a little of some??

Time Management is a myth You can’t manage time – there is only ever 24 hrs in the day. You need to manage yourself and how you use the time available

Time Management “Tools”

(1) Year or term calendar Download from the internet You can plan in terms of weeks and see how much time you have left Helps you plan ahead for key events Start revision for mock exams at sensible time Christmas holidays and Module 1 exams

(2) Weekly Schedule

(3) Daily ‘to do’ list Keep track of what you need to do Remember everything and prioritise tasks on a daily basis Start with those tasks that are the most important and/or the most complex

Time management strategies Some things to think about… You work best in daylight – make the most of independent study Are part time jobs the best use of your time (weekends only?) Get enough sleep Exercise is good for your brain Get a good routine

What is revision? “The looking back over of one's (previously learnt or written) notes in preparation for a test or examination”

How to be a successful ‘reviser’.. How do you get: From here.. To here...?

Three steps for revision (1) Get organised (2) Fill gaps in your knowledge (3) Prepare answers using past papers

1. Get Organised Research suggests that some students do better than others at A levels because they: Start their revision earlier use better techniques for learning work Get help from others have a planned revision timetable - which they stick to

1. Get Organised Work out where you are going to work When you are going to work (yes, that weekly schedule again!!) Start early (6 weeks before your exam!) Get all the notes/textbooks/revision guides you need BEFORE you start Get your ‘revision pack’ ready - highlighter pens, coloured pens / pencils, index cards, folders, stickynotes, paper, coloured paper, ruler and rubber

How to start your revision timetable 1. Get a copy of the specification (you should have this already, but if not you can get one from or Work through the specification and colour the different topics/sections: RED – AMBER - Really not sure (will need to spend a lot of time) Not too bad, some parts to go over GREEN -Understand no problem 3. Plan to Spend more time on Red topics than Amber, than Green

How to start your revision timetable 4. Factor in time to revise each topic at least twice 5. You learn best at the beginning and the end of a revision session – so allow planned 5/10 minute (timed) breaks

Example Revision Timetable

Step Two: (1) Get organised (2) Fill the gaps in your knowledge (3) Prepare answers using past papers

Start with the ‘helicopter’ view Stand back from the course and develop an overview Link topics and themes together – draw a spider diagram or mind map Identify the specific aspects of each topic you are not sure about – start with these

How to remember things The strength of a memory and how easily it is retrieved depends upon the strength of the initial input When several senses are simultaneously involved the message is received through a number of channels in the brain and stand better chance of remaining prominent

Key Principles Use colours – different colours for different subjects Don’t rely on ready-made meanings and notes – you have to understand it Use many different inputs and methods – your notes, different textbooks, internet (reliable sources)

Revision Techniques - Questions and answers - Consolidate key facts - List of key definitions - Summarise a topic into your own words (1) Flash Cards (Coloured) Try and consolidate each subject down to 10 cards. Then go over and over them.

Revision Techniques (2) Use diagrams or mnemonics

Revision Techniques (3) Display key facts where you will see them - Write out key definitions or important words. - Every time you see them think about what they say - Change the facts every couple of days

Revision Techniques (4) Explain a key concept to someone -When you explain something to some one else, you have to get it clear in your head first - You have to be clear and concise

Revision Techniques (5) Location Learning Associate key facts with locations (e.g. Journey into school. Getting into car represents electrons leaving the battery having gained energy driving down the park represents the electrons transfering energy to a lamp in the circuit.....

Step Three: (1) Get organised (2) Fill the gaps in your knowledge (3) Prepare answers using past papers

Practice Answers Answer with no notes Fill in gaps in different colours (using notes) Focus on gaps – LEARN and then TEST again

Practice Answers Time yourself doing questions Use mark schemes to identify key words, techniques- see where marks are allocated Look After Yourself – Get Into Control