Description: Private tutor Katie shares her advice to students on how they can add variety to their revision and explores what techniques work best.
Revising for exams is never going to be anyone’s favourite activity, but there are ways we can make revising for even the dullest exam more enjoyable.
Variety in how we revise is super important. It keeps us motivated and stops us from getting bored during long study periods.
Most importantly, using multiple learning styles engages different parts of your brain which increase the likelihood of you remembering all the information for your exam.
Rather than just reading and re-reading your textbook, try out some of these ideas instead.
Voice Recording
Record yourself on your phone presenting a topic or process as clearly and concisely as you can.
Explaining back what you’ve learnt is a great revision tool. Plus, you’ve got the recording to listen to which gives your eyes a bit of a break.
You can then listen back to yourself anytime like when brushing your teeth or walking to school.
I used to listen back to my recordings while throwing and catching a ball.
Flow Charts
Rather than writing out a process or event in words, see if you can draw it using a flow chart or a timeline.
To aid memory, use colours and simple drawings to describe each step.
This technique is especially useful for subjects like History, Science and Geography.
For example, you can create a flowchart for the process of photosynthesis to help you remember exactly which steps happen next.
Accidental Revision
Stick up revision post-it notes around your house. For example the bathroom mirror, the fridge or even in the car.
This could be a key definition or an important diagram. I used this technique a lot when memorising foreign languages so I could see the word in context.
This helps us revise without even thinking we are. Plus, remembering where the stick-note is in the house can help jog our memory in an exam.
Social Butterfly
Make some revision buddies and test your friends.
You can ask each other questions back and forth, or you can create small quizzes for each other to take.
Having classmates to discuss arguments with or having another set of eyes on a practice essay can be especially useful.
Mind Maps
This is a great technique for visual learners who can imagine where on the page the information they need is.
Start with your topic in the centre of your page and break it off into smaller sub-sections around the page.
Draw lines in different colours to show connections and links between different sections of your mind map.
Making connections helps our memory, as does the presentation of the information in the space.
Teach a Lesson
Teach what you have learnt to a friend, parent or sibling.
Not only does this test if you really understand what you’ve been revising, but it can also help you organise your thoughts in a clear and concise way which is the perfect practice for your exam.
If you are feeling more creative, you can even do a mini slideshow to help with your ‘lesson’.
Tracing
If you struggle to sit still when reading your textbook or notes, tracing along with your finger can help focus your mind while still being able to fidget with your hands.
I also used to like mouthing along to my notes or even speaking out loud as I read to keep me focussed on the content.
Artistic Flair
If you enjoy art and drawing you can always create an image to revise from.
For example, for R.S. revision you could draw a key scene from the Bible and label your drawing with key information and analysis about this topic.
It is important to link your drawing to the content you want to learn.
Sing-Along
Think of new lyrics to your favourite song which can help you revise a topic.
I used to find scientific processes with lots of long scientific words difficult to remember, but if I learnt them to a tune they would easily come flooding back to me in an exam.
Practise Papers
Practise papers are a great way to test where you are and where to focus your time, either on the topics, you found most difficult or remembered the least.
In addition, they help with time and stress management which is a key part of acing your exams.
By tutor Katie. Contact Us