Revision Tips Tuesday 1 st May 2012

The Top Tips for managing revision 1.Start early! 2.Be organised. 3.Know the requirements. 4.Try various methods.

Starting early: Your experience of revising is as important as your experience of sitting the exam and the result itself.

Being organised: Keep subject folders Keep subject folders Index and review work Index and review work Be logical and creative Be logical and creative

Knowing the requirements: Sounds simple, but……. Sounds simple, but……. You have to understand how you can obtain all the marks for the exam to know what to aim for. You have to understand how you can obtain all the marks for the exam to know what to aim for.

Trying various revision methods. Make your revision ACTIVE not PASSIVE! Make your revision ACTIVE not PASSIVE! Revise using your preferred learning styles Revise using your preferred learning styles Find out what works for you BEFORE the exams Find out what works for you BEFORE the exams

Revision methods to suit your preferred learning style: Visual methods: Auditory methods: Kinesthetic methods:

Visual learners. Visual learners. Read your notes and make pictures and diagrams summarising them. Colour-code your work. Use highlighter pens for key facts. Watch the DVDs, TV programmes and plays pertinent to your studies. Use a revision accordion for key words. Take digital pictures of your notes. Use mind maps. Use thinking maps.

Mind maps. ©

Thinking maps. ©

Auditory learners: Auditory learners: Read your notes aloud to yourself. Remember facts by setting them to well-known tunes. Explain your learning to your parents. Record your notes and listen to them as often as possible. Record your notes and listen to them as often as possible. Use mnemonics to help you remember key information: Use your mobile phone / i-pod / digital camera to record slogans, raps, mnemonics. Learn key information to a beat. Use a ball to bounce / pencil to tap etc.

Kinesthetic learners: Kinesthetic learners: You don’t need to move your whole body! Walk around when studying your notes. Underline or highlight key facts in your notes. Follow the words with your fingers when reading. The mind map technique can help you too! Touch and handle relevant material while revising. Make text jigsaws. Make a dance or sketch about your learning.

Final advice: Keep all those artefacts from your revision: Recognise other memory triggers you may have and use them. Visualise.Plan.Reward.Re-visit.

What can you as parents do to support your child? Supporting their revision gives you an opportunity to become involved in your child’s studies in a practical way. Supporting their revision gives you an opportunity to become involved in your child’s studies in a practical way.

You can play a vital role ! Help your child structure their time. Help your child structure their time. Provide a “positive learning environment.” Provide a “positive learning environment.”

Helping your child structure their time. A major problem for many young people is A major problem for many young people is time management. By helping your child “time manage” revision, you can prevent them having to resort to a last minute rush. By helping your child “time manage” revision, you can prevent them having to resort to a last minute rush.

Providing a positive learning environment. Encourage and support the right balance between studying, family and social activities. Encourage and support the right balance between studying, family and social activities. Exercise and diet are also relevant to effective learning. Exercise and diet are also relevant to effective learning. Help your child’s organisation by providing a place to study which is free from distractions and where all the necessary equipment is easily at hand. Help your child’s organisation by providing a place to study which is free from distractions and where all the necessary equipment is easily at hand.

Checklist for success –Show an interest in your child’s revision and don’t be “fobbed off.” –Discuss both the progress of the work and its content. –Talk through the revision as this will help your child articulate their thoughts and reinforce their learning. –Set short term targets which are rewarded when they are achieved.