Revision Does it REALLY matter???

Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve

The more you repeat and review work the more able you are to recall that information.

You need a plan!! One suggestion is to follow your school timetable on set days in the summer holidays. Schedule revision sessions instead of lessons and don’t forget to include your breaks. It’s not about doing 10 hours a day, or cramming information - but little and often. Spend a set amount of time on each subject, each study day.

How long to revise How long you revise depends on YOU! Revision Sleep Free time How long you revise depends on YOU! The human brain can only go so long without being distracted so it is important not to push yourself beyond your limits. There is no sense sitting at a desk for 5 hours if none of the information is going in. LITTLE AND OFTEN IS THE MOTTO  you should stick to short revision sessions with frequent breaks. Try 20 minutes at a time with short breaks between. ARE YOU AN EARLY BIRD? Find out when you work best and adapt your revision schedule to fit this

Where to revise Work out the place that is best for you – generally a good revision space needs to be; Full of light Free of distractions (social media, consoles, mobile phones, TV, etc.) Quiet Organised

What to revise Unfortunately, it’s far more satisfying to revise what we know, since this triggers a rewarding sense of familiarity, rather than focus on our weaknesses. Revision shouldn’t just be for reassuring yourself about what you know, it also needs to be the deliberate effort to identify what you don’t.

How do you learn best? What type of learner are you? We all learn in different ways and we can adapt our revision to suit how we learn best. Visual  images, diagrams and mind maps. Verbal  discussion, read work aloud, teach someone. Physical  models and diagrams, walk whilst revising. Social  work in groups but make sure you are focused. Solitary  revising individually. Logical  makes lists and try exam questions How do you like to learn? Visual Physical Verbal Social Solitary Logical

There are a number of revision resources already provided! Use them where you can!

Flashcards Mind maps Exam questions Teach a friend Transformation Great for: Definitions Formulas Equations Quotes etc. Excellent way of presenting lots of information in an engaging way. Perfect preparation for your exams. Can practice timings for questions. Familiarise yourself with commonly asked questions. Being able to teach a peer about a topic shows a good understanding. Take a piece of information in a standard format and transform it into something engaging and importantly MEMORABLE. We learn best when we ask ourselves questions! So include them on your flashcards. i.e.) What is the formula for area of a circle? Can connect ideas and form summaries of information. Uses both sides of your brain and therefore you can memorise information easily. MARKING your work is valuable as you are more likely to remember the mistakes you make and learn from them. So go ahead and use the mark scheme too. TOP TIP – teach a friend or family member about a topic you have revised and have them check your knowledge and understanding from your notes/revision guide. Examples Draw diagrams Comic strips/cartoons Models ie) Lock and key for enzymes Poems or short stories

Top Tips to help you GET REVISING Make the task ACHIEVABLE  break down what you need to do into smaller steps. Do 20 minutes at a time with a short break between. REWARD YOURSELF  make the reward more immediate. Don’t wait for the satisfaction of getting amazing exam results. Reward your hard work over the revision period. The 5 MINUTE RULE  The most difficult part of work is overcoming that first 5 minutes where you’ll be fighting to delay this work for another day. If you can force yourself to do something for 5 minutes then sticking at the work for longer will be a breeze. SCHEDULE!  if you go into revision without a plan you are more likely to end up losing your way. If you plan your day then you know what you need to focus on.

ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING REMEMBER that the most important thing is that you TRY YOUR BEST!