1. HOW TO REVISE Use all your brain’s skills and as many senses as possible. This will be ‘active revision’.

2. Use visual memory Make pattern notes/mindmaps/labelled pictures/spidergrams Incorporate pictures. Give yourself a visual memory ‘peg’ to hang information on Link a topic to an image, e.g. a car. Link each part of that object with an aspect of the topic For difficult formulae use a sequence of pictures linked by a story Use pictures or symbols for abstract concepts Use colour to code notes. Highlight key words and phrases

3. Use verbal memory Reduce information to key points/words - use as memory triggers on revision cards Convert long notes into shorter notes Make up mnemonics and silly stories to link facts Use order/sequencing Sort information by category or colour Make flow charts

4. Use movement Make up an exercise routine – associate each movement with something you want to remember In pairs discuss how else you could use movement to revise…

5. Use your surroundings Make posters of things you find difficult to remember and stick them on the wall Attach notes to bits of furniture. Post it notes are good for this. Use a different colour for each subject

6. Use association and emphasis Use association and emphasis Link new information to what you already know Make key ideas stand out in some way - use your highlighter pens Combine information into meaningful ‘chunks’ to maximise the storage capacity of your short term memory

7. Use auditory memory Make a recording of notes and listen to them Make up a song or chant Go over a topic with a friend (real or imaginary) Read notes aloud and over-dramatise

8. Some other suggestions Write and draw Practise past exam papers and maths problems Walk about when learning Use interactive computer revision programmes e.g. BBC Bitesize Make question and answer games Remember ‘multi-sensory learning’ is the best learning – use as many of your senses as you can Break up what you have to learn into manageable ‘chunks’ Don’t revise for too long – a 30 to 40 minute session followed by some exercise is better than sitting for hours in front of your books Keep revisiting your notes and each time it will be that much easier to remember those facts

9. Make a good working environment and have all the things you might need to revise: paper for making notes and mind maps, felt pens, colouring pencils, highlighters, revision cards and post it notes Make sure your notes are all up to date in each subject area Read through the revision lists that your subject teachers have given you and tick off each topic as you revise it Make your revision session as ‘active’ as possible

10. Final activities Pick out a couple of new ideas from this lesson to try in your revision at home Note them down in your diary Discuss with a partner how you will plan your revision time Make list of the topics you find the most difficult….now focus on these first rather than last in your revision plan.

11. You remember approximately… 10% of what you read. 20% of what you hear. 30% of what you see. 50% of what you hear and see together. 70% of what you say (if you think as you are saying it). 90% of what you do.