Transcript English revision - Kirkby High School

English revision
Top Tips
GCSE Revision Tips
If you’re determined to get as many A* grades as possible when
you open your GCSE results in August, you may be searching for
better ways to revise for your exams to make sure you get there.
Nothing beats hard-work, especially when it comes to studying,
but there are ways you can guide your brain to remember
information easier which supports your ability to learn.
We have gathered the best revision techniques from past GCSE
students who have overcome the exam stress to achieve top class
results and help you understand how you can learn better to
improve your GCSE results.
Delve into the best practice advice and tips below to optimise your
study time leading up to your GCSE exams at the end of Year 11.
Create a Revision Timetable
Building a revision timetable can add structure
to your revision and help you identify which
GCSE subjects you need to prioritise to get
better marks.
Creating a revision timetable is a great way to
organise your study time, plus it also helps
boost your motivation to revise for your
exams. Recognising a need for a revision
timetable means that you have already made a
great start to combat exam stress.
Practice, Practice, Practice
One of the biggest recommendations that past
GCSE students suggest is to practice
questions by doing as many GCSE past papers
as you can.
Practising past papers will help you get familiar
with the:
Exam format
Question style
Time pressure
Retrieve information quicker
Collaborate with Classmates in Groups
If you find your coursework too much to tackle
alone, then why not enlist the help and support
of other students? Create or join online study
Groups and connect with thousands of GCSE
students in any all of the subjects you are
studying. This will allow you to fully prepare for
your GCSEs as well as enrich your learning by
exploring the thoughts and ideas of others.
Interacting with other students will also help you
improve your communication and collaboration
skills. And in addition, you and your classmates
can also test one another’s knowledge and level of
progress!
Take Regular Study Breaks
Do you feel stressed, tired and that no
new information is entering your head?
There is no point forcing yourself to
study for hours upon hours as this will
not result in a positive outcome.
Taking regular study breaks and
exercising is proven to engaging your
brain in studying and improve your exam
performance in the long-run. Exercise is
a powerful enabler which boosts your
brain’s ability to be productive so don’t
underestimate how important it is to
take the stairs rather than the lift!
Understand Your Learning Style
Everyone thinks that there is a best way to
study but the reality is that each person is
different. Once you understand your learning
style by deciding if you are a visual, auditory,
reading/writing or kinaesthetic learner, then
remembering and recalling new information
will become much easier.
Practice will also tell you if you work
better studying during the night or in the
morning/daytime.
Variety is the Spice of Life!
Mix up your study habits and methods by
listening to podcasts, watching videos or
documentaries, moving to new study area or
even something as simple as using different
colours for your study notes.
This is different to the other GCSE revision tips
mentioned here as it encourages you to try a
few different things to see what fits for you.
Your brain will recall where you were or how
you revised for a topic which will help you
remember more information. Give it a go!
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Use Mind Maps to Connect Ideas
If you find it difficult to remember tons of new
study notes, Mind Mapsmay be the key to
improving your memory. The theory behind
mind mapping explains that making
associations by connecting ideas helps you to
memorise information easier and quicker.
There are much more benefits to using Mind
Maps for learning including being able to map
out your curriculum, develop GCSE concepts
in-depth and create sample exam answers.
If you’re interested in learning more about
how Mind maps can be an effective study tool,
take a look at our GCSE Mind Maps page which
is packed full of reasons to use this study aid
and how you can apply them to your revision.
Day of Your GCSE Exam
The day of your exam can be the most stressful
of the entire examination experience but there
are ways which you can minimise your anxiety
such as avoiding panicking friends and giving
yourself plenty of time to get to the test centre
on time.
Also don’t underestimate the power of eating
a healthy breakfast the day of your exams!
Adapt for Different GCSE Subjects
It may seem obvious but many students try to
study for different subjects using the same
study methods. Your GCSE revision should
take account of the difference between your
subjects and the challenges they represent.
For example, Flashcards are an ideal study aid
to help you prepare for a language exam
where you need to remember key terms. Also,
an Online Quiz is a great way to test your GCSE
Maths skills with sample questions.
Apps for Students
If you want to stay ahead of your friends with
the latest technology, get the best student
apps before anyone else. Not only will they
help you show off to your friends, some apps
such as ExamTime are designed to improve
your learning. Try these free student apps we
recommend!
If you’re stressed and feeling worried about
your upcoming exams, try these GCSE revision
tips to ease your mind!
Revise Smarter, Join GoConqr Now!
How to Deal with Exam Stress
Do you feel a pang in your stomach when you think of
your upcoming GCSE exams?
You’re not alone, every year countless GCSE students
worry about their exams but it’s important to
understand how to deal with stress so that it won’t
negatively affect your performance. A little bit of stress
can motivate you to work harder but excessive anxiety
can cause:
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Lack of sleep
Poor appetite
Increased heart rate
Migraines or headaches
Let’s put those harmful feelings to one side and focus
on GCSE revision tips that can help you control your
stress levels. Here’s some practical tips to help you revise
for exams without the pressure:
Try to Get Enough Sleep
Getting between 6–8 hours’ sleep each night
will help you keep focused and concentrate
better. Sleep is also a powerful mechanism for
remembering information better as it helps
your brain assimilate and retain new
knowledge into your long-term memory so you
can recall it during your exam.
Having trouble sleeping? Keep your revision
away from your bed, turn off digital devices at
least half an hour before bed and try spraying
some lavender on your sheets.
Use Mobile Apps
The mobile device you carry everywhere can
be used for much more than checking
Instagram and sending Snapchats every 5
minutes.
There’s tons of mobile apps you can download
for free to improve your exam revision and
reduce stress levels. From apps that help you
get better organised to those that help you
wake up easier, there’s an app for that! We’ve
even launched a free mobile app for our
elearning platform GoConqr which is available
for iOS and Android devices so that you can
use to make the most of your time.
Practice Meditation
Studies say that practicing meditation
can improve focus and concentration while
studying. Giving your mind some space can
make you feel more relaxed and calm when
you are faced with stressful situations such as
the GCSEs.
Try integrating tips one, two and three by
downloading a meditation app which is
designed to help you sleep. Relish the benefits
and show your friends how to deal with stress
like a pro!
Eat the Right Foods
You don’t need to read these tips to know that
eating pizza every day won’t help you get the
most from your brain when revising for your
GCSEs. Following a healthy diet and avoiding
stimulants such as coffee, will be beneficial for
all areas of your life.
We recommend eating dark chocolate
which fights the stress hormone cortisol and
releases endorphins which act as a natural
stress fighter. Green tea is also known for
having a relaxing effect on the body. Eating the
mandatory dosage of fruit and vegetables is
also a good idea if you’re serious about
reducing your stress levels.
Get Organised
The sense of calm you feel when you are
properly organised to study encourages a
positive and productive atmosphere. However,
being organised is about much more than
lining up your coloured highlighters!
Building a personal revision timetable can help
you add structure to your learning. Outlining
short-term goals that you are regularly hitting
will boost your study motivation and help you
build a foundation for success.
Avoid Negative People
Loads of other GCSE students will be dealing
with exam stress at the same time so don’t let
others bring you down. When you follow some
of the practical tips in this article, you will have
developed a set of skills to help you cope
better. Don’t let negative people impact the
progress you have made.
Everyone is different and others may unload
their worries onto you as a coping mechanism.
Make sure to tell you friends how this is
making you feel and encourage them to speak
to the school’s pastoral care about their
worries.
Listen to Music
Listening to music can elevate your mood and
help you revise more effectively. Classical
music in particular is recommended for
studying as it is known to boost brain power.
Music can also fight boredom and motivate
you to continue studying for longer. Sticking
your earphones in can help you get into the
right mindset and focus on the task in hand.
If you find yourself getting distracted and
singing along to your favourite tune, check the
playlists on Spotify for some mood music
which can help you stay on track.
Get Some Exercise
Many students who feel the pressure of the
GCSEs weighing down on them feel as if they
should spend every waking minute revising but
this simply isn’t true. Sitting down for hours at
a time desperately trying to revise GCSE maths
can be an unproductive waste of time.
Studies have shown that taking regular study
breaks and exercising canboost brain activity
and improve memory. Even taking a quick
walk around your school will help you
concentrate better when you get back to your
desk.
Fit Fun into your Study Routine
Spending all of your time stuck to your books
can be extremely boring plus it’s unnecessary.
Don’t get us wrong, of course you will need to
dedicate a lot of time to revising but don’t go
over the top as this could work against you.
Take some time out to have fun with your
friends or hang out with your family as this will
have a positive impact on your stress levels.
You could also try adding some fun elements
into your study routine such as testing yourself
with interactive online quizzes.
Keep your End Goal in Mind
If you’re constantly thinking about the amount
of work that’s stacked high on your desk, you
will start to feel as if it’s never ending.
Here’s a quick tip to bolster your
motivation; write your study goals on a postit and stick it up near your study station.
You should also write the end date of your
GCSE exams so you know that this is the final
push and soon you will reach the final frontier
where all of your hard work will culminate.
Bonus Stress-busters
Outlined above are the best practical tips for
reducing exam stress for GCSE students. There
are also some unexpected ways that students
can rise above the tough exam period such as:
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Playing with your pet
Bursting bubble wrap
Repeating mantras and chants
Listen to comedy
Don’t forget to block any distractions such as
your phone, mobile device or random internet
browsing. There’s some great tools you can use
such as the SelfControl website that can force
you to pay attention to your studies.