Study & Revision SKILLS

Study & Revision SKILLS 6thMay, 2016 Zakir Hossain Teacher-Librarian CC BY-SA Zakir Hossain-Teacher-Librarian & EE Coordinator, EISHCMC2016

Learning About Learning How Do People Learn? • 1 % through TASTE • 1.5 % through TOUCH • 3.5% through SMELL • 11% through HEARING • 83% through SIGHT What Does This Mean?

Why study skills is so IMPORTANT? How Much People Retain (Remember)? • 10% of what you READ • 20% of what you HEAR • 30% of what you SEE • 50% of what you SEE and HEAR at the same time • 70% of what you SAY as you talk • 90% of what you SAY as you DO a thing What Does This Mean?

STUDY SKILLS Pay attention in class Take good notes

Keep an organised Notebook/App Ask questions in class

Plan a definite study time Don’t cram for hours the and place for each day night before a test or exam!

INDEPENDENT LEARNERS The following are characteristics of a successful student. Develop these in yourself! • Ask questions • Discuss topics with your peers • If you don’t understand something, speak up

You are responsible for your own learning ‘Ideas are funny things, they don’t work unless you do’

STUDY TIMETABLE Study sessions just don’t happen when you feel like doing them. They need to be scheduled on an organised timetable. Your study timetable should rule your life.

SOME TIPS • Don’t study after 10.00pm • Divide time equally between subjects • Put a copy somewhere to keep parents informed • Revise your study timetable – things change • Stick to it ! “Well done is better than well said”

STUDY SESSIONS • Drink some water before you start • Don’t make study sessions too long • Break tasks down into smaller manageable ones • Do daily summaries of work covered in class in your own words under Main Points • Set a task to achieve for each session ‘ Some succeed because they are destined to: most succeed because they are determined to.’

Know how to use your time! You can also use travel time to and from school for • Planning • Listening to recorded summaries or points on an MP3 player Then when you arrive home, it is much easier to get down to study • You are psyched up • Your purpose and task are set • You can apply yourself immediately

Social Life : • Put this on hold • Give up parties, nights out etc. • Plan your rewards you will give yourself after the exams Exercise : • Walk or jog daily to reduce the pressure • It clears the mind and encourages positive thoughts

COUNTDOWN to the EXAMS • In the run up to your exams, you must adopt a more disciplined attitude • Your performance in the exam is vital to your success! • Look at them positively as an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding

EXAM STRESS …and how to beat it Revision Notes Exam Timetable

Try to work to a Revision Timetable • Start planning well before exams begin • Make your Books, Notes and Essays user friendly with Summary Notes, Headings, Sub-Headings and Revision Cards • Use Key Words and / or Spider Charts • Get tips on other revision techniques from others

DON’T • Don’t leave Revision to the last minute • Don’t avoid revising subjects you don’t like or find difficult • Don’t forget that there is life beyond Revision and Exams

EXAM PREPARATION The secrets to success: • Have genuine faith in your preparation • Don’t leave anything to chance Know exactly what is required for each exam • Understand each subject • Quiz your teachers • Know your exam format Multiple choice Short answer Essays How many questions

EXAM PREPARATION Around the house put up lists of • Key facts • Formulae • Quotes • Examples Recite them aloud when you see them!

PREPARE for the BIG DAY CHECK … • Have a good breakfast • Give yourself plenty of time to get to the exam room • Make sure you know where the exam is being held • Take everything you need – pens, pencils, water, anything else? • Go to the washroom before the exam starts

EXAM Tips • Arrive in plenty time before the exam, but don’t be too early • Don’t listen to music beforehand – the songs will play on your mind • Do plans - But don’t spend too much time on planning • Stay alert – don’t daydream • Don’t panic if short on time – note the main points • If you finish early, check your work thoroughly • Write neatly and legibly ‘Achievement is a habit – work on it’

EXAM TECHNIQUE Understanding Instructions On the front cover of the exam paper are instructions • Read them • Understand them • Know what questions to do • Where to put your answers

EXAM TECHNIQUE Reading Time • Read the paper through • Plan your approach • Identify questions you can do immediately • Put the questions in the order you wish to do them • Don’t work out answers • Your confidence will build with more difficult questions

EXAM TECHNIQUE The Exam itself • Start on straight forward questions • Don’t dwell on those you can’t do • Move on On multiple choice questions • Eliminate those answers you think are incorrect • Beware of careless mistakes • Plan your answers • Draw big, clear and accurate diagrams

EXAM TECHNIQUE The magic word in exams is • Not fast • Not slow • But consistently and persistently

PACE YOURSELF • Read the instructions • Read all the questions and give yourself time to answer those you are required to answer • Plan how much time you will need for each question • If you are stuck, go to the next question. You can come back to the unfinished one later. If you are really stuck, try to have an intelligent guess ‘You make your own luck’

ABOVE ALL … • Perform as well as you can – ‘YOU are YOU’ so you can only do the best you can on the day! • Don’t go through the answers with your friends afterwards, if it is only going to worry you! • Try to put the last exam out of your mind and look ahead to the next one – you can’t go back to change things • It is important to eat and sleep well! Exams are Important, but they are not the only key to a successful future. GOOD LUCK!

References Berwickshire High School (n.d.). SKILLS for LEARNING SKILLS for STUDY. Retrieved on 19, May 2016 from http://www.berwickshirehighschool.org.uk/STUDY%20SKILLS%20POWERPOINT.ppt. Hossian, Z. (2016). EUROPEAN International School HCMC: Study & Revision Skills Handbook 2016-2017. Retrieved on 23, May 2016 from https://eishcmclrc.wordpress.com/studyrevision-skills-handbook/ Pinto, M. (n.d.). Fast: Study Skills for School Success!. Retrieved on 19, May 2016 from http://www.nplainfield.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=8016&dataid=8251&FileName=FAST%20Study%20Skills%20Presentation.ppt.

Study & Revision SKILLS