Revision Session

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Revision Session

• Revising for GCSE

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The Three Stages

• 1) Self Management
• 2) Revision Method
• 3) Exam Technique

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Self Management

• It consists of three elements
• Place Management
• Life Management
• Time Management

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Place Management

• Decide where to work
• Create the right conditions
• Eliminate distractions
• Try to gain control over the space

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Life Management

• Decide why these exams are important to you
• Be clear where you see yourself in a years time
• Negotiate family commitments and chores to fit
  work needs

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Life Management (2)

• Decide what parts of your life are -
• Essential
• Important
• Desirable
• Try to keep the first two of these throughout
  revision
• Strike a balance between work and relationships

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Time Management

• Create a plan for your work
• Make the plan realistic
• Break work tasks into short, achievable steps
• Avoid work for its own sake - do the tasks that
  have to be done
• Find the times and days that best suit you

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Your Plan Should Be

• Short-term - a daily To Do List
• Medium-term - a weekly plan of action
• Long-term - a Year Planner sheet

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To Do List

• Plan what you want to achieve each day
• Homework
• Coursework
• Revision
• Other school tasks
• Home tasks
• Personal tasks
• Never schedule too much for any day.
• Try to set a realistic goal and stick to it.

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Weekly Plan

• Firm commitments - e.g. dentist, sport
• Known homework commitments
• Coursework tasks
• Leisure breaks - we all need nights off!
• Revision sessions

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Long-term Plan

• Coursework deadlines
• Project hand-in dates
• Exam dates when known
• Firm commitments
• Main revision sessions

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Revision Sessions available

• Before Trial Exams - vital
• 3-5 days at Christmas - optional
• January - Easter - little and often
• Easter Holiday - the vital time
• Easter - Exams - finishing off

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Revision And How To Do It

• Open University suggested method is
• Plan
• Prepare
• Practise
• This section deals with the second and third of
  these

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Prepare

• Ask subject staff what to revise and when
• Check the syllabus outline if possible
• See some old examination papers if you can
• Check you have the notes, books, essays, diagrams
  etc to revise from
• Set goals - what to revise, when to complete each
  section

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Practise

• Do it now! If you are not sure when to start...
  Start now!
• Vary the way you work
• Vary the subjects
• Be active - write, talk, draw. Dont just read.

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Practise (2)

• Have short breaks - dont get bored
• Use friends
• Discuss
• Test
• Solve problems
• Dont socialise!
• Make lists, diagrams and charts

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Practise (3)

• Summarise
• If you can it explain it simply to someone else,
  you must understand it
• Use BBC Bitesize and other online resources
• Use revision aids - books, CDs etc. relevant to
  your syllabus

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Practise (4)

• Use memory hooks
• mnemonics
• spidergrams
• Use tests to get feedback
• Use old questions and homework to sharpen up
  skills
• Keep it short - short sessions are best

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Revision is You

• Revision is personal let it reflect you.
• Time of day
• Length of session
• Frequency
• Solo or study group
• Written or diagram
• Use of oral work
• Make revision fit you, not the other way round.

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Questions

• Revision often means asking the right questions
• I keep six honest serving men, they taught me
  all I knew. Their names are WHAT and WHEN and WHY
  and HOW and WHERE and WHO.
• Use these and you wont go far wrong.

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Final tips

• Be realistic
• Dont over-work
• Have a plan
• Be flexible

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Final tips (2)

• Reward yourself for success
• Keep areas of your life you value
• Start Now!
• Good luck from all of us!

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Revising for GCSE

• Sidmouth College