How to revise effectively Key word here is EFFECTIVELY. Most important person who can ensure effective revision….YOU!!

Is this you? Help is at hand

First things first; treats and bananas Time: make sure you have enough time (when is the exam?) Personal time: Give yourself frequent breaks and treats Bananas! : These are great for energy and ‘thinking nutrients’.

What are you going to revise? Content: what is in each exam? Look at syllabus/specifications

Methods and techniques Different methods work for different people depending how your brain works. Last year you found out what your preferred learning style was. (If you can’t remember – click this button) However………….learning does require frequent reviewing of the material and most importantly, active recall This means actually thinking so that you can call to mind the stuff you are trying to learn

Rewriting It is useful to make summaries and tables, Words on little cards (put them around the house) Post-its Key words/phrases Meaningful pictures Maybe even a power point Word association

Actions Kinaesthetic learners (you know who you are) often remember things by doing something at the same time. Think about action rhymes, can you remember the words/actions to Incy Wincy Spider? Osmosis is…. This method works by linking things together in the brain

Audio Record yourself explaining the key points and then listen back Talk to yourself out loud, perhaps while walking

Mnemonics Remember MRS GREN? Make up either words or sentences to memorise lists or the order of things eg My Very Excited Mouse Just Shot Up Nanny’s Pyjamas

Stories and characters If you are trying to learn material which seems unconnected, make a story out of it. Card players give each card a character eg Jack of clubs/ Tiger Woods (golf clubs)

Questions Ask yourself questions or work with someone else What? When? Why? How? What else? Maybe teach your parents about the topic

Mind maps Watch the Tony Buzan clip on how to make a mind map videojug.com

Revision Guides These are useful as a start/last minute revision aid but you should go back to your original work/notes so you remember being taught that topic and you see the whole rather than brief summaries.

What sort of exam? Some material you need to learn so that you are able to describe or explain. Some exams require a deeper understanding to be able to work with your knowledge and work out problems.

Good luck? A follower of a professional golfer once remarked on how lucky they were. He replied that the more he practised, the luckier he became. Think about it.