Revision Technique and Tips
At Skipton Tutors we take an holistic approach to tuition with all of our tutors not only delivering high quality content but also offering help and advice when it comes to things like exam and revision techniques. The following tips are what we have collated over many years of tutoring and teaching students of all ages but especially those at GCSE and A Level where revision technique becomes even more significant.
Plan: Having a revision plan can really help to you to focus and keep motivated as long as you set realistic goals. It can also help to take the stress out of revising as you know what you are doing so you can get your head down and get on with it. However, make sure your plan isn't too detailed, it is flexible so you can adapt it as you go and most importantly it is achievable, setting 3 hours of work in an evening and achieving 2 can really de-motivate you.
Exam Conditions: Replicating the conditions in your exam should help you to concentrate and really take the information in. Remove all distractions including music, facebook and phones, use these as rewards once you have completed your work.
Past Paper: Make sure you leave time to go through all of the relevant past paper questions. To be really prepared you should plan to get to the stage where by you can answer any question of any past exam paper and be confident of the right answer. If you get to this stage you can be confident that you will succeed in your exams.
Set learning goals: Most student set a time limit for how long they want to revise which is ok but what is more important is that you actually learn within this time. Simply spending 2 hours staring at a book or reading it is unlikely to have much of an impact on your final grade. You must constantly ask yourself 'What have I just learnt' if you struggle to answer then you either need a break or you need to readdress how you are revising, simply reading a revision guide is not effective.
Regular breaks: Intensive revision is intense! 45 minutes to an hour is the most you should revise at any one time as beyond this point the amount you retain begins to decrease rapidly as you lose concentration. A 5-10 minute break where you listen to music, check facebook or have a cuppa and a snack can help to refresh your mind ready for the next intensive session. As suggested before, keep asking yourself 'What have I just learnt' answer it truthfully and this will be a good indication of how effective your revision is.
Relax: Leave some time to relax before you go to bed to help with sleep, but also reward yourself for your hard work. Rewards may be as small as watching your favourite TV programme after your revision session or going to your favourite restaurant at the weekend as a treat for all the hard work you put in during the week. Having down time to rest and recoup is important in help keeping your revision effective. It doesn't happy to many but some students burn out too soon and 'over revise' on the run up to the exams.
Skipton Tutors is here to help all of our pupils in the lead up to the exams in a number of different ways including revision techniques. If you are thinking about a tutor, whether that is GCSE Maths or A Level Biology, contact Skipton Tutors today.