Without doubt exams are among the most difficult

Without doubt, exams are among the most difficult things which you will face in Strabane Academy–WHY? There’s loads of them! Taking exams in a lot of subjects is very hard. There’s lots of pressure to them! Often, you will be asked to tackle perhaps 3 exams in one day – that’s really hard to do too.

Working STEADILY and CONSISTENTLY Learning from MISTAKES Having ABILITY and INTELLIGENCE The KEY THINGS that lead to EXAM SUCCESS CARING enough about YOUR MARKS Taking ADVANTAGES of opportunities for EASY MARKS

1. Make your own revision notes. 2. Be sure! You’ll learn as you write and, once you’ve got them finished, you’re halfway there! Be certain that you know exactly what you need to revise – use your revision list. 3. Concentrate on the positives. Revise by thinking that each time you do it, you are making the exam easier. 4. Try new things. Experiment with new ways of learning eg: mind maps variety beats boredom! 5. Don’t overdo it. Concentration goes after a short period of time, so make sure that you take regular breaks. 6. Be confident. Think positively about exams and you will take in more information. 7. Focus Avoid making pointless notes. Look at last years exam papers and see how questions could be asked.

One of the key skills you need to master in exam periods is time management – or how to use your time best! One way of organising this is by use of a revision timetable – and these can be effective for some people. However, they can be unrealistic until you get them right. Nevertheless, you need to plan revision well in advance.

Another of the key skills you need to master in exam periods is concentration – or how to use your head best! FIND YOUR BEST TIME OF DAY! ed Do tasks that ne on most concentrati u at times when yo are mentally and If physically fresh. you are tired and ty hungry, your abili ill to concentrate w be reduced! REMOVE DISTRACTIONS! Noise, uncomfortable surroundings and interruptions from other people all affect your ability to concentrate. Find a quiet, comfortable place to study, away from people, the computer and the TV. Keep this space as uncluttered as possible. SET A GOAL! Decide on a goal for ea ch revision session. Try to achiev e this by the end of the time. Keep breaking revision down into sm aller pieces and reward yourself w hen you do exactly what you plan ned. BREAK TIME t up and Take short breaks, ge e move, walk around. When w nd the blood is pumped arou is sent body and more oxygen to the brain.

One way to avoid distraction when revising involves your MP 4 player – but music does not help everybody! Nevertheless, your MP 4 can be useful when revising. Look on itunes for podcasts to help you with subjects that you might find harder – most are free! If you’re really keen, try www. bbc. co. uk/bitesize/ks 3 – this is a great website for loads of stuff on exam preparation.

Here’s a few other things which help to improve your concentration. . . ECT J B U S E H T LOOK AT PAST G IN G N A CH e trate on the sam It’s better not to concen QUESTIONS! ill absorb more w ou Y. ng lo o to r fo t Aw subject or topic ge an ch u yo if n io at rm info s. every one or two hour REWARD YOURSELF Give yourself an incent ive when revising. By having so mething to look forward to when yo u finish your work, you are mor e likely to get stuck in and learn more! ay of getting away from reading notes and textbooks is to look at past questions – work through and test yourse lf on what you know. Seek answers to gaps in your understanding.

Don’t think that revision is something that always has to take ages – you can sometimes use very short periods of time for revision. 5 or 10 minutes may be enough to remind yourself of a part of a course. Short periods are useful for revising word lists, dates or formulae – use revision cards here and you can look at them on the bus. For some people, 3 or 4 short sessions like this might be more useful than one big block.

You’re not on your own with revision – Strabane Academy can help in lots of ways. Ask your teachers for help ASAP if you require some help – don’t be shy or leave it too late! Look for revision tips and materials on the web – they’re free for everyone to use.