Brain Friendly Revision Techniques

True / False Discuss with the person sitting nearest to you! Revising with music on works! Revising/socialising with friends works! Watching funny clips on youtube helps you learn more! Exercise and sport help you learn! Moving around the room as you revise helps you remember more! 46.9% of revision time is spent with the mind wandering! Playing computer games helps us learn more! Sleeping for as long as possible helps us learn more! Revising by reading through notes work!

Intelligence is NOT fixed. The more you train your brain, the more your brain grows. Brain structure can change. Everyone can get smarter.

Myth Busting

Music – Yes/No? Neuroscience research tells us that listening to music whilst we are revising works but only if….. …the music is familiar, well-known to us …is on quietly in the background …is soothing, calm and of even-tempo …is NOT played through headphones …is NOT new music. Music can help you recall content.

Revising with Friends – Yes/No? Neuroscience research tells us that revising with friends works….. …teenagers’ brains are hard-wired to be social and they learn best with others. ……you remember dramatically more of what you say out loud to someone else than what you read/hear. …organise a Peer Revision party with pizza, soft drinks and quizzes!

Teach Someone Else The Number 1 Brain Friendly Revision Technique – par excellence! You remember 10% of what you have read/heard. You remember 90% of what you have taught someone else! Explaining a tricky problem to someone else helps you get your head around it. Write your revision notes up as a revision guide for someone else. Write your revision notes up as a power point to teach someone else.

Humour – Yes/No? Having a laugh decreases anxiety which helps our brains function so much better! Watching funny video clips on youtube actually helps! When you take a break, watch something funny! Have a laugh with your family/friends!

Exercise/Sport– Yes/No? Neuroscientists have proven that regular exercise improves brain growth and brain function! Record your notes onto your phone and listen to this and go for a run!..or a walk! Take regular breaks and get moving!

Movement Walk around the room when you are revising! Revision + Movement = learning Revision + Movement + Speaking = Great learning! Record your notes onto your phone and walk around and listen to them! Listen to them on the bus, on the way to school, on the way to meet friends…..

Mind Wandering– Yes/No? 46.9% of revision time is spent with the mind wandering! Mind wandering is linked to lower performance in exams. Avoid distractions – clear the desk, put your mobile in another room. Attention yields retention! Revise in 30 minute sessions with a 5 minute break in between each one and a 30 minute break after 2 hours. In the breaks, come downstairs and talk to the family, tell them what you’ve been learning, ask them to test you, watch a funny youtube clip, use your mobile, listen to some new music, have a quick go on a computer game, watch TV, eat something, lie on the bed and have a 5 minute power nap! If you find you can’t concentrate – DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT – but don’t forget to come back to your revision!

The Revision Timetable Brain Friendly Revision Technique number 2 – par excellence! Do a timetable for a week/month. Make each session 30 minutes max. Add 5 minute breaks after each session. Add a minute break after the 4 th session. Add mealtimes, snack times, times for exercise/socialising with friends, music practice, time of favourite TV programme etc. Allow for opportunities to revisit the same topic again. 66% material is forgotten after 7 days/88% material is forgotten after 6 weeks

Start this timetable several months before the exams! Leaving it to the last minute creates tension/anxiety which shuts down the brain!

Computer Games – Yes/No? Research from Cambridge University found that 14- year-olds who spend an hour a day on screens during their leisure time drop two grades at GCSE - from a B to a D. Two extra hours results in a drop of 3/4 grades. The researchers, led by the Medical Research Council epidemiology unit at Cambridge, studied 845 pupils from secondary schools in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk. The authors suggest that parents who are concerned about their children’s GCSE results should consider limiting their time on screens.

Computer Games BUT….. There are a number of excellent computer based revision tools which can help to rivet a pupil’s attention and demand a pupil repeatedly practises certain behaviours. This repetitive behaviour results in excellent learning. Memrise, bbc bitesize…….NOT MINDCRAFT or COD!

Sleep – Yes/No? Teenagers need more sleep than adults! Teenagers don’t function well in the mornings! Sleep, along with good food, relaxation, exercise, social interaction and a positive “can- do” attitude are all essential for brain growth and exam success.

“Luck has nothing to do with Success” Effort + Practice = Success

Revision Notes NEVER JUST SIT AND READ NOTES.

Revision Notes NEVER JUST SIT AND READ NOTES. Actively do something! Get your books out and start highlighting main points.

Revision Notes NEVER JUST SIT AND READ NOTES. Re-writing notes (however boring) is important. Make your notes user-friendly. Write clearly, use headings, highlighter pens, felt tip pens..

Revision Notes NEVER JUST SIT AND READ NOTES. Make flash cards: write topic/theme on one side; notes/keywords on the other to test yourself.

Revision Notes NEVER JUST SIT AND READ NOTES. A3 paper with post-it notes (you can move them round and link them).

Revision Notes NEVER JUST SIT AND READ NOTES. Mind maps/spider diagrams with words/symbols and lines to make connections.

In a nutshell….. Create a calm, relaxed atmosphere Plan revision well in advance Repetition is key – revisit topics Create opportunities to teach someone else Avoid distractions and mind wandering – attention yields retention NEVER JUST SIT AND READ NOTES. Eat well, sleep well, move around and relax/socialise.

Stressed?

Meditation Keep the stress levels low. Muscle relaxation. Relaxation in 3 Steps. Get ready: Get comfortable. Locate Tension (Shoulders, Neck, Feet, Calves, Thighs, Core, Hands & Arms, Face)