Revision and Study SkillsA self-preparation guide

Learning objective: To plan and prepare for Y7-10 Assessment Week

(May 28th- June 1st 2012)

How to use this

Your task

Preparing a study space

Preparing a study routine

Good study habits

Mind mapping and preparation

Revision timetable

Introduction

Physical wellbeing

Exam stress

Getting the right equipment

Study aids

Main task – short film competition

• As you can see, there is a lot of READING on this PowerPoint and there is lots more out there

• In groups of no more than three, prepare a short film on at least two of the topic areas on this PowerPoint.

• Be creative: you might create a cartoon, act out dramatic scenes, adopt a documentary approach, make a ‘revision crime scene’ investigation, direct a ‘how not to revise’ film….. Lots of choices

• Complete your film, the review, and a revision timetable by the the end of next Wednesday (23rd May) – Miss Miller will arrange an independent judge to decide on the winning film!

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How to use this guide

• This guide contains lots of information about study skills and revision

• It also contains links to websites for further research• There is also a group task which must be completed

and shown to your class, showing your understanding of the topic and further research

• To use this guide effectively, open the PowerPoint as a slideshow and click on the links.

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Introduction

• This year’s Assessment Week is May 28th – June 1st • Assessments are internal and will form part of your

end-of-year subject report grade• Your subject teachers will inform you about the

details of each assessment• The next few PSHCE sessions will help you prepare

for Assessment Week, and provide you with a good foundation for effective revision in the future

• It is also YOUR responsibility to prepare yourself

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Preparing a study space!

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Preparing a study space

• Discuss the most suitable study space with your family• Be honest – Some like to study in the living room,

others find the TV (or siblings) distracting. You might like to study outside, but could that be an excuse to get up and "smell the roses? Studying in your room seems obvious, but might you be tempted to play video games?

• There is no perfect study place for everyone -- but there is a perfect study place for you. Find it and make it yours!

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Making it comfortable

• Your study space should be your space. Adjust your desk/chair to the correct height.

• You will need plenty of light to prevent eye strain and tiredness – no midnight study sessions by torchlight!

• Clear the clutter – get rid of old books and rubbish. You should have a clear desk space to spread out books.

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Getting the right equipment

• Make sure your books and notes for each subject are kept in separate folders – colour coded is easiest

• If you need paper, pencil sharpeners, glue, sticky notes, highlighters, blu-tack, get them ready beforehand!

• You might also need some wall space or a notice board.

• Now you should be ready to start studying!

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Preparing a study routine• It may sound tedious but creating a set study routine will also improve

your ability to study effectively. • Have a clear aim for each study session – which pages/facts/questions do

you want to cover and how are you going to do it?• Think about times in your day when you can’t study – don’t forget music

lessons, CCAs and sports!• Be honest – if you always watch a certain TV programme or have a family

event you should plan your study time around it.• Plan regular breaks and give yourself a reward for accomplishing your task!• Finish early enough to relax before bed – going to bed stressed will make it

hard for you to sleep properly.• Share your study rules and habits with your family – they need to know

when you need quiet time, and that you’re not slacking if you’re taking a break!

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Good study habits and time management

• Little and often is better than all at the last minute

• Prioritise your work • Evaluate what you have done in each session –

talk about it with family and friends• Identify the things you need to work extra

hard on, and practice a little each day

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Prioritising – groups your tasks into the rubric below and tackle them one at a time.

Important and Urgent

Urgent but not Important

Important but not Urgent

Not Important, Not Urgent

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Study aids

The most common way to revise is by reading through (and re-reading!) what you have learned in class. Study aids will help you be more active while reading.

Create your own study aids1. Make an outline from your notes of just the main ideas.2. Make a timeline of important dates or the order of

events.3. Make flashcards for studying vocabulary or events and

important dates.4. Make up your own quiz or test based on your notes and

have a friend, parent or sibling test you.

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Study skills techniques

• Flash cards with key words, points or diagrams• Index cards (or sticky notes) with short

summaries• Spider diagrams and mind maps• Mnemonics to help remember a series of

prompts

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Mind-mapping

• Can help you to organise your thoughts for many subjects! Click on these links for further ideas!

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http://getrevising.co.uk/timetable/introwww.getrevising.co.uk http://www.educationatlas.com/study-skills.htmlhttp://www.how-to-study.com/study-skills/en/studying/33/becoming-a-flexible-reader/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Study_skillshttp://www.bucks.edu/~specpop/studyskills.htmhttp://www.infoplease.com/homework/studyskills1.html

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Studying in a GroupExperts say that studying in a group can be more effective than studying

alone. Students say it can be more fun, too, but it does require more monitoring than independent study.

Here are a few tips for organizing a study group.1. It works best to have three to five people in a study group. This makes

sure each person gets the chance to talk and check that they understand the material.

2. Schedule a few study sessions. A few short sessions are much more useful than one long "cram" session.

3. Nominate a group leader. The main goal of the leader is to keep everyone focused on studying so that things don't become too social.

4. Be prepared! A study group is a place to share your understanding of a subject. The other people in the group aren't there to teach you facts you should already know. The more you can offer the group, the more you'll get out of it.

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Revision Timetable

• A revision timetable will help you to plan your time. • It will help organise your thoughts about what is to

be studied, and when you are able to do so.• It is very easy to make a pretty, colour-coded

timetable, and then ignore it. Make several copies – put one on the wall, give one to your parents and keep one in your school diary.

• Create your own revision timetable PDF here: http://getrevising.co.uk/timetable/intro

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Physical wellbeing

• Don’t stay cooped up indoors all day long – plan a walk or some exercise at different points in the day.

• Eat healthily, drink lots of water and have regular snacks to keep you going.

• Don’t just play on the laptop or watch TV during breaks, give your eyes a rest!

• Leave at least 30 mins of relaxation time before bed – and don’t cram late into the night.

• Avoid caffeine drinks in the evening, and get a good night’s sleep.

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Exam stress• Exams in Year 9 are important because they are the platform into

your GCSE’s. The grade you achieve will be used to form your end of year report. Be prepared, but it’s important not to panic.

• People deal with exam stress in different ways. Your way of coping may be different to your friends’.

• Try not to talk about how easy or difficult a test might be, or was. Your friends may feel differently, and this will cause anxiety.

• Make time for yourself.• Don’t bury your head in the ground, they won’t go away!• Relax – try your best and be proud of your own achievements. • Other people’s grades are not your business. If they don’t want to

tell you, respect that.Visit review page Back to main page

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Good luck!

• If you have prepared and planned then you do not need to feel worried.

• Remember, it is about working to the best of your ability; don’t be too concerned about what others are doing.

• Ask a teacher if you need more help or advice – that is what they are there for!.

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Review: complete the sentences and mini-tasks based on what you have learned

• Assessment week takes place……• The assessment grade counts towards…..• My study space for the exam period will be…….• I have chosen this space because……• I will prepare the space for effective revision

by……..• One way to arrange my subject materials is by…..• The stationery I need to get is….• Write down four ways to study effectively:

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Review: complete the sentences and mini-tasks based on what you have learned

• On a separate slide write the days of the week and the amount of time (be REALISTIC) that you could spend revising.

• On your slide, add the following: I have after school activities/commitments on the following days:….

• With a partner, make study aids for one topic area• Find at least two more websites which give good advice on study skills.

Link the web addresses to this PowerPoint.• Plan a study session with two or more people in your class. This could be

at lunchtime. Who is the leader? What will you study, where and for how long?

• What can you remember about staying balanced? Mark in activities to keep you balanced on your slide with the days of the week.

• How do you cope with exam stress? How do your friends? Make a note on a separate slide.

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