What is the number one issue GCSE students struggle with this time of year? Revision. How to start, what to do, how to revise effectively. Instead, far too many teenagers revise in the wrong way – wasting precious time.
Let’s look at how to power-up your revision so you get more done in half the time! Ready? Let’s go!
Are you making these mistakes?
- You spend too long revising, and then get distracted?
- You read your exercise book or file, and yet nothing seems to go in?
- You don’t know whether your answers meet your target grade
Believe me, we’ve ALL been there. Revising is tough if you’re not doing it right.
How to power-up your revision to ace your exams
Chances are you make the same mistakes as those listed above? If so, let’s look at each problem in turn over the next few blog posts to see how you can switch your technique round to turbo-charge your revision.
1. You’re distracted and get nothing done. Revision seems to take forever in one sitting.
No wonder it feels like you’re getting nowhere if distractions put you off. We’re talking Facebook, Snapchat, TV, texting your mates – to name just a few. Distractions are everywhere!
The thing about revision is that you can’t do it 24/7. In fact, we urge you not to. What does matter is achieving a balance between revision and reward.
Let’s say you know you need to revise that tricky Anthology poem for an English test tomorrow, but your fave programme is on the telly?
Simple. Promise yourself you can watch the programme on catch-up, then you’ve not missed out. Better still, you can give yourself a pat on the back for achieving both. Try it. It really works!
Lemon Tree advice?
- Spend just one hour revising without any distractions
- Break that hour down into sections: first five minutes? Decide on a topic with a question prepared
- Revise the topic or technique for 15 minutes (using alarm) by reading through and perhaps doing a mind-map of information – or revision card
- Then get up, stretch, then straight back to it
- Next, start the question you’d planned: perhaps it’s a Literature unseen poem question on a past paper, or a section of a non-calculator Maths past paper. Again, spend just 30 minutes tackling the question – resisiting ALL distractions
- Use the final 10 minutes of this session checking the mark scheme online. Or read through noting areas you struggled with, so that you can build that into your revision schedule ahead
Finally, reward yourself with whatever you wanted to do. Yay! Success… Well done. Repeat another time.
How to make sure revision doesn’t go in one ear and out the other
If this ever happens to you too, don’t miss our next blog.
In the meantime, when you need a Chemistry or Science, English or Maths GCSE tutor urgently – just get in touch. Whether you’re in the Weybridge, Surrey area – or Chichester to Worthing or Brighton in Sussex. we’ll see what we can do to help.
Failed your recent mock exams? Check this out now
Don’t worry if you bombed out of your year 11 exams. It happens to so many young people across the country. Here’s what to do next!
