Revision, Revision, Revision

 

I've decided to write a blog on revison as I know it's something a lot of people really struggle with (I used to.) It can be so so stressful, the months leading up to your exams can feel like your brain is full of spagetti and a mixed jumble of quotes, facts and essay sructures often a mix of all different subjects combined. Hopefully it will help people who are struggling and maybe are really stressed out, or give people some techniques that they've never thought of using. Hopefully it will help anyone who maybe dyslexic/dyspraxic too as I know from my personal experiences how hard revision is especially if like me you have a short term memory like a sieve. But hopefully it will help everyone. Let me know if you find it helpful, and remember I'm only a text/dm/facebook chat away, if you feel stressed out please don't suffer in silence, I'm here to help and calm people down. Love and hugs it may seem hard right now but there is light at the end of the tunnel I promise.

First of all if you find revision hard or difficult or more challinging than your friends you are NOT stupid I repeat not. You just need to find what learning techniques work best for you, everyone is different. Don't be scared of going for help or support, it's nothing to be ashamed of, lots of people need help once in a while. It's also important to have goals and somehing to think of at the end of it to help you achieve it. Maybe it's a pop concert, or a shopping spree or a night out or maybe you're going on holiday, having something fun and exciting to look forward to can really help motivate you.

Remember that success starts with yourself you cannot blame teachers, parents, mates or whatever – take responsibility for achieving well yourself. Make a personal contract with yourself e.g. I will do 5 hours revision this weekend.If you achieve your contract, give yourself a break or a little reward.

Multi sensory learning

Multisensory learning is using all the senses we have together to help us learn in the most effective way either by seeing, hearing or doing (visual, audio or kinasthetic) multi sensory learning is inter twining them together. Here are some strategies which might help which I’ve used myself or found from helpful websites: (I’ve put them in bullet points to make them easier to read.)

·        Put all your condensed notes about one topic on

one page.

·         Use colour to highlight – a different colour for

each topic, for example.

·         Make big posters for each topic, using colour and

other visual clues. Pin them up where you can

look at them frequently.

·         Make diagrams and charts.

·         Record facts and information on tape, to listen to

in the car or out walking.

·        Watch dvd and tv programmes linked to your subjects.

·        When you are revising, read the stuff out loud.

·        Walk around during revision – don’t sit still.

·        Even perform your notes, as in a play – anything which makes

them stand out in your memory.

·        Teach the material to someone as a lesson – or do it to yourself –

but do it aloud.

·        Prepare a powerpoint presentation on the material.

• Get someone to test you.

• You test them as well – thinking of questions is a good way to

revise!

• Play different types of music for different topics or subjects. When

you get stuck in an exam, relax and think of the music for the topic,

and that might trigger your memory.

Revision strategies

Our memory works by building links. We remember things which are

associated in our mind by repetition, sense, colour, rhythm, rhyme, or

anything which is unique, absurd or unusual. Practise organizing your thoughts on a range of exam questions by quickly jotting down ideas as they come into

your head – brainstorming. Then put them into groups of related ideas. Now put the groups into a logical order. Allow 5 to10 minutes for this.

 

·        Break down your subject into topics.

·        Plan your revision timetable in detail – but not as an excuse not

to get on with the revision.

·        Don’t spend all your time on the interesting things!

·        Allow some free time – all-night marathons are not the way to

revise.

·        If you haven’t been reworking and condensing your notes

throughout the year, start to do so now!

·        Revise everything more than once – overlearning is important for

retention.

·        Share revision time with a friend sometimes.

·        Try explaining your topic to someone who does not know

anything about it. If you can do this, it proves that you

understand it.

·        Constantly be on the look-out for issues and themes.

·        Practise writing under timed conditions and be realistic about

·        how much you can produce in the given time.

 

Look, cover, write, check.

 

·        This is an old and trusted technique that still works for many people:

·        Revise a section of work

·        Cover it up or put it aside

·        Write down or record as much as you can remember

·        Check against the original

·        Highlight anything you got wrong or forgot

·        Prioritise these areas for future revision