Revision
When you settle down to do some revision you will need to know
1. What exams are you going to take?
2. What skills and topics are going to be tested in each exam?
You should now have a fairly long list of topics and skills that you will have to give some time to in revision.
Put each of the skills and topics into a revision programme.
The revision programme needs to:
- cover everything you need to revise.
- be realistic. Do not try to revise all day everyday.
- Organised in short sessions.
- Balanced - ie some mix of skills. Some French, some History, some Science etc
- fit in with any pre-existing arrangements you might have before the examinations (prep, trips out.)
When you are revising:
There are two GOLDEN RULES
- Have a target for each session - what are you going to learn in the next 30 minutes?
- This does not mean 'History' it means Henry II and his relationships with the Church or Richard I and the Crusades
- It does not mean Geography - it means The causes and effects of Volcanoes or Learning the Capital Cities of the world.
- It does not mean French - it means learning the 13 French irregular verbs or learning how to convert the present to the future tense
- Always be active in your learning.
- ie write the answers out
- Prepare condensed revision sheets for future use.
- Read the work out loud.
- Learn / Cover / check system
- Use another person to help you / test you.
o Never just lie on your bed casually reading through your notes - this is not active - or effective - revision.
Other Points when you are revising
- Revise in short sessions (25 - 35 mins)
- Do two or three sessions in the morning and two or three session in the evening - leaving the great majority of the day for you to go out and enjoy yourselves over half term
- Take a break between each
- Do the most difficult work first
- Stick to your target - Don't give up before you have achieved it.
- Don't be interrupted by phone calls TV etc
Finally
Remember that in the week of the exams you will need the evenings to:
o Recover from the day's mental exercises
o Become refreshed ready for the next day's exams.
Evenings in the week of exams are therefore NOT suitable times to do new revision work. Very brief sessions of final checks may be helpful - lasting for a maximum of 20 - 25 mins. Do not start hours of new revision. You therefore need to be prepared for all the exams before the first one begins.
You are now ready to go on and prepare your revision timetable for half term - Use the template below.
Good Luck!
