GCSE revision is tough. You may feel stressed and swamped by a seemingly endless amount of facts to be memorised and concepts to be grasped. You’re willing to put in the time, but do you know how to use it effectively? These easy hacks will help:
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Getting Started
Ten minutes is all it takes to build momentum.
Why are you reading this post? I’m willing to bet it’s because you’re putting off a study session. Procrastination is the thief of time, so the best advice is simply to get on with it. Put a timer on for ten minutes and begin a GCSE revision task. By the time it expires, you will hopefully be absorbed in your studies and
decide to continue.
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Creating the right environmentYou need a quiet, uncluttered space without distractions. Check out this research which confirms that listening to music whilst revising reduces exam performance by up to 60%. I don’t even need to link to evidence that your smartphone acts as a massive distraction: you already know this is true. Put it off. Stick it in the cutlery drawer. If there’s anything you need to research online, make a note of it and do it later.The right environment allows ‘deep working’ to take place and maximises the effectiveness of your study session.
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Write
A blank piece of paper is a highly effective study tool.
Taking notes and writing things down helps imprint information on your brain. Writing is a thinking tool. Students who hand write their notes remember more and have a deeper understanding of the material. If you still need to be convinced, they also achieve better exam results. Check out the research here. Summarising is helpful but you might also want to doodle or even write a story that helps you remember information.
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Use a study partner (occasionally)
Think of your study partner as a living smartphone: a massive distraction most of the time, but highly effective tool if used sparingly and effectively. Sitting at the same table in the library while you each study different things is just keeping each other company and it’s not going to help. But regular meetings to compare notes – and I do mean that literally – can be a powerful way to clarify your thinking. What has your friend noticed about Dickens’ use of symbolism that you have missed? What strategies does s/he use for remembering common trigonometrical values? Teaching and questioning each other will help you to look at your studies from a different angle.
5. Choose to use interleaving or blocking
Whilst blocking involves spending a whole day studying one subject, interleaving means spending a bit of time on each subject. You might do 45 minutes of maths, then 30 minutes French and an hour of English. Interleaving exercises different parts of your brain and allows you to make connections across different subjects. Blocking allows more ‘deep working’ to take place. There is some evidence to suggest that blocking works better just before an exam but interleaving is a better strategy in the weeks beforehand.
6. Practice Retrieval Don’t just go over the same information over and over again. Using past papers and tests will help you self-assess and actually improves memory. This is where your study partner can be useful. Use quizzes, tests and past papers to maximise your grades.
If you need help with maths, English or science GCSE revision, why not contact Paul or Christine at Better Tuition? Find out more about our Urmston tuition centre here. Our qualified teachers really can make a difference to your final grades. Call us now on 0161 748 3912 and find out today why we’re better.
