‘Year 11 Study Skills’ Parent Session 09/02/15 Mr D Harvey, Assistant Headteacher
Preparing to Revise - Study Space - Revision Timetable - Pre-Revision Work The Revision Healthy Body, Healthy Mind When things go wrong!
‘Everybody learns in different ways’ True or False? Not entirely true. All of tonight’s information is based on educational and cognitive research. I will share general techniques that will apply to everybody. This will also mirror the messages we are giving the students about their revision.
Preparing to Revise Study Space ‘The first thing to get right’
Is this a good or bad study space?
A good study space • Lots of space to spread Help Remove Distractions • TV your textbooks and notes • Social Media Pop Ups out. • Plenty of Light (ideally (Smart Phone / Tablet) • Games Consoles natural) • Comfortable Chair • Desktop windows that • No distractions in view* are not relevant • Silence / Background • Visible snacks / music refreshments other • Tidy Desk / Organised than water • Music? Experiment and clutter • Plenty of paper, post-its, see • External noise pens, colours, highlighters etc.
Preparing to Revise The Revision Timetable ‘It is all in the planning’
Plan the Revision Timetable together ‘We’re all in this together’ - You will have a better grasp of the enormity of the task! - You will be more aware of what you need to do to help make it work. - Help remind them of other family related commitments that could get in the way. - Help them to keep the plan realistic and also to not place too much weighting on one subject. - Incorporate rewards as an incentive. Praise is essential. - Supply stationary for them and keep it topped up.
Making a realistic Revision Timetable Take your time – Half term is the perfect time to start planning Step 1 Draw up a chart showing dates and times of the exams (See school website) Work out the number of weeks until each exam for each subject. Step 2 Make a list of all the individual topics you need to cover for each exam. Speak to subject teachers to check the lists are correct
Step 3 Decide upon ‘ 30 minute’ or ‘ 60 minute’ slots and incorporate this into the plan. Be specific about each slot – i.e topic(s) as well as subject Step 4 Review the timetable together after 1 week and adapt it Continue to review the timetable reasonably frequently.
Good and Bad Revision Timetables GOOD BAD Includes specific Rest, Cover too many weeks in Relaxation & Reward advance Is flexible to allow for Each session is planned inevitable missed slots in too much detail Has a clear structure and They are over-ambitious / pattern that can easily unrealistic become routine
Preparing to Revise Pre-Revision Work ‘Make revision easy by getting the g round work right’
Student’s Pre-Revision Work - Get hold of past exam papers ready to complete. These can be found on the exam board website (Search by unit code to be sure you have the correct papers) - Get hold of recommended study guides / familiarise yourself with recommended revision websites - Sort out books and folders so that all work is stuck in / in the correct order - Check you have work for each topic in each subject - Go stationary shopping – Post it notes, flash cards, lots of paper, different colour pens etc. - Make copies of your revision timetable and share it with family.
Revise Active not Passive
A Typical Revision Session Type Detail 60 Minute 30 Minute Session Session REVISE Use this time actively to 40 Minutes 20 Minutes produce a piece of revision that covers the essential parts of the topic and is also condensed . This might be a mind map, flash card or recording. TEST Reproduce the work produced 10 Minutes 5 Minutes in the ‘revise’ stage. If you can’t then review how you are working in the revise stage REST Walk about, change of 10 Minutes 5 Minutes scenery, refreshment etc REPEAT Revisit the same topic work after 1 day, 3 days and 1 week.
The 10 best types of Active Revision Task Type Detail Experience… Past Exam Papers – In realistic conditions Condense… Notes onto Flash Cards – Take pictures and save on tablets Make Links… Use Spider Diagrams / Mind Maps – Link key topics Magpie… Use revision guides, websites, youtube, apps Multi- sensory… Read aloud, Walk around Musical… Convert topics into raps, rhymes, chants, songs Listening… Record your self and play it back Noticing… Stick up simple and important notes around the room, house Teach… Explain a topic to a friend or family member. Then test them. Repetition… Write it out, again and again and again and again
Healthy Body, Healthy Mind Sleep, Eat Well, Exercise
What is the minimum hours sleep needed per night for an average teenager? ?
Research by Boston College, USA
Eat Well - Breakfast is essential - Slow release energy food - Avoid high sugar / caffeine drinks - Regularly drink water - 5 Fruit and Veg - Do not eat large meals after 9pm
Exercise will help combat exam stress and anxiety. 3 x 20 minutes rigorous exercise a week Reduces - Stress Students can use - Fatigue Leventhorpe Gym - Anxiety after school every Wednesday and Improves Friday - Alertness - Concentration - Cognitive function - Restful Sleep
When it all goes wrong! Exam Stress
Exam stress is normal and necessary. But not too much. Symptoms of Stress Some solutions Difficulty Sleeping Step back from the revision. Take a break and do something completely different. Tiredness / Lethargy Exercise promotes hormones that actively Poor Appetite counter stress. Loss of interest in things Ensure you continue to eat well and stay they used to enjoy hydrated. Headaches / Other Aches Parents - Let your child know you are always and Pains there to listen when they need it. Give plenty of praise and encouragement Irritability Angry episodes
The natural inclination for any parent is to step in and solve it. Parents should avoid… Making comparisons with brothers, sisters, their friends and so on. Unintentionally adding to their worries by constantly mentioning the exams. Relating too much to when you were sitting exams at school or how you did your revision. Worrying if their revision techniques seem strange or unusual. Making a battleground out of whether or not they listen to music when doing their revision. Distracting them unnecessarily Expecting them to study all the time as taking some time out to relax will have a positive effect on their work
Tonight’s presentation will be available on the school website soon I am available at the front of the hall if you have any questions. Thank you, have a safe journey home.
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